Editing Openai/69587609-f848-8011-8fb6-31957ff00716


{{DISPLAYTITLE:Cybertruck Staining Cause}}

''This conversation was exported from ChatGPT''<ref>{{cite web|title=Cybertruck Staining Cause|url=https://chatgpt.com/share/69587609-f848-8011-8fb6-31957ff00716|publisher=ChatGPT|access-date=2026-01-03}}</ref>

== gpt-5-2 ==
=== User: Any guesses what this could be? ===
Any guesses what this could be?

=== Assistant: Short answer: this is almost certainly wet clay / construction mud with iron-oxide staining, not rust coming from the C… ===
Short answer: this is almost certainly wet clay / construction mud with iron-oxide staining, not rust coming from the Cybertruck itself.

===== Why this fits what you’re seeing =====
* Bright orange / rust color → very common with iron-rich clay soils (Southern California has a lot of this).
* Only on one wheel + running board → you likely drove through one puddle, curbside runoff, or construction splash that hit just that corner.
* Stubborn AF → clay + iron oxides bond mechanically to textured plastics and rubber. Iron-X won’t help much because it’s not brake dust; Bar Keepers Friend barely works because the surface is textured.
* Recent nonstop rain → rain washes soil fines + iron into the street, where one tire throws it upward like a slurry.

!https://detailsupreme\.com/wp\-content/uploads/2025/06/Red\-clay\-on\-truck\.webp<ref>{{cite web|title=https://detailsupreme\.com/wp\-content/uploads/2025/06/Red\-clay\-on\-truck\.webp|url=https://detailsupreme.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Red-clay-on-truck.webp|publisher=detailsupreme.com|access-date=2026-01-03}}</ref>
!https://www\.napaonline\.com/img/group/main/75/7590\_1\_md\.jpg<ref>{{cite web|title=https://www\.napaonline\.com/img/group/main/75/7590\_1\_md\.jpg|url=https://www.napaonline.com/img/group/main/75/7590_1_md.jpg|publisher=napaonline.com|access-date=2026-01-03}}</ref>
!https://www\.blog\.autoglym\.com\.au/wp\-content/uploads/2018/06/8877158\-3x2\-940x627\.jpg<ref>{{cite web|title=https://www\.blog\.autoglym\.com\.au/wp\-content/uploads/2018/06/8877158\-3x2\-940x627\.jpg|url=https://www.blog.autoglym.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/8877158-3x2-940x627.jpg|publisher=blog.autoglym.com.au|access-date=2026-01-03}}</ref>
4
===== Why it’s not likely =====
* ❌ Cybertruck stainless corrosion – stainless doesn’t produce that orange mud-like texture, and it wouldn’t localize like this.
* ❌ Brake rust – brake dust usually coats the wheel, not the running board and plastic wheel liner this heavily.
* ❌ Road tar – tar is black/brown and sticky, not chalky/orange.

===== Why it won’t come off easily =====
* The running board and wheel liner are textured polymer, which traps clay particles.
* Iron oxides act like microscopic anchors in pores.
* Scrubbing by hand often just polishes the tops and leaves the embedded stuff.

===== What will work (in order) =====
# Pressure washer (real one, not a hose) at a shallow angle
# APC or degreaser (Simple Green Extreme, Super Clean diluted 5:1)
# Stiff nylon brush (not metal)
# If staining remains: - Oxalic acid–based cleaner (very light use) - OR a clay bar on the painted areas only (not textured plastic)

⚠️ Avoid harsh acids on stainless or painted panels; mask if needed.

===== TL;DR =====

You drove through iron-rich mud runoff, probably from rain + nearby construction or exposed soil. It’s ugly, stubborn, and common in SoCal winters — but not damage.

If you want, tell me:
* Was there construction nearby?
* Did you park near a curb or dirt shoulder?
* Do you want a no-scrub method or a fast detail-shop approach?

I can dial this in further.

== References ==
<references />


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