Cybertruck in “wade mode” sinks into California pond
Spoiler alert: a Cybertruck isn’t a boat. It’s not even a mudder, apparently. In Truckee, California, a proud Cybertruck owner tried to live their best Elon fantasy—crossing rivers and conquering lakes. Instead, they ended up starring in a CHP Facebook post titled, “Remember folks, ‘Wade Mode’ isn’t ‘Submarine Mode.’”
Cybertruck activates “Wade Mode”… and sinks right into trouble
On Thursday, California Highway Patrol of Truckee posted a photo that said it all: a Cybertruck nose-down in lake mud, front wheels barely touching the water. In their caption, CHP wrote, “Cybertruck activated ‘Wade Mode’… and waded a bit too far.”
What does Wade Mode mean?
Wade Mode is supposed to help the Cybertruck handle shallow water crossings by raising its height and sealing its battery. According to Electrek, Tesla says Wade Mode “pressurizes the battery pack” while jacking the ride height to the max.
Musk even bragged the Cybertruck would be “waterproof enough to serve briefly as a boat.” But Tesla’s own manual drops the mic: “Damage or water ingress to Cybertruck as a result of driving in water is not covered by the warranty.” Translation? Try Wade Mode at your own risk.
And this wasn’t the first sketchy swim attempt. As Electrek pointed out, “We previously reported on a Tesla Cybertruck sinking into the water when launching a jet ski.” Apparently, Wade Mode taps out when the mud’s thicker than Tesla’s marketing BS.
Even CHP Truckee couldn’t resist roasting the situation. They warned, “We’re all for testing boundaries… but maybe not the waterline.” And just to drive it home, they added the hashtag #TeslaTidepool.
Mud, not water, was the Cybertruck’s real enemy
The truth? The Cybertruck didn’t sink like the Titanic—it just got plain stuck. As Electrek summed up, “in general, you shouldn’t expect a truck to get out of water on a muddy bank.”
Plenty of trucks wade through shallow streams without drama. Even family SUVs sometimes splash across creek beds. But at over 6,800 pounds, the Cybertruck played itself. When the mud grabbed it, it wasn’t letting go.
On this day, it wasn’t a daring river crossing. It was an expensive game of “how deep’s that mud?” And the answer was way too deep.
View the CHP post on Instagram, embedded below:
