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

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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 !https://www\.napaonline\.com/img/group/main/75/7590\_1\_md\.jpg !https://www\.blog\.autoglym\.com\.au/wp\-content/uploads/2018/06/8877158\-3x2\-940x627\.jpg 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)

1. Pressure washer (real one, not a hose) at a shallow angle
2. APC or degreaser (Simple Green Extreme, Super Clean diluted 5:1)
3. Stiff nylon brush (not metal)
4. 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.