Several Tesla Cybertruck owners initially believed their vehicles had been vandalized with invisible paint that appears when wet, but Tesla service confirmed it as a manufacturing defect. The marks, such as initials on the B-pillar, stem from residue left by factory protective film or wax pens used for marking. Owners reported the issue on social media, leading to warranty repairs.
Earlier this year, amid a surge in vandalism against Tesla vehicles linked to Elon Musk's political involvement, Cybertruck owners grew concerned over strange inscriptions appearing on their trucks only when wet. One owner posted in a Cybertruck Facebook group: "Any ideas how to remove a hydrochromic paint? Some person vandalized my truck. It only appears when wet." The post included images showing letters like "MPS" on the B-pillar.
Several owners confirmed similar experiences, with marks including "BVT," "BLT," "WC," and "36NJ." However, investigations revealed it was not vandalism but a factory issue. Christian Maciel, another affected owner, took his Cybertruck to Tesla service and shared the technician's report. The report stated: "Technician inspected the driver-side B-pillar and verified the presence of a persistent mark (‘BVT’) that appears when wet, confirmed as residue from factory protective film. The issue was caused by residue left after the removal of the factory’s protective film. Technician replaced the left-hand B-pillar applique to address the issue."
It noted other owners reported initials like "MPS," "BLT," and "WC" with the same symptom, confirming a widespread problem. Tesla fixed Maciel's vehicle under warranty by replacing the part, validating the repair by ensuring the mark no longer appeared when wet.
While the service report attributed it to protective film residue, owner Mike Brucker suggested it came from a wax pen used to mark delivery center codes, sharing a photo of "36 NJ" on his B-pillar before cleaning. The Cybertruck, in production for two years, has faced about a dozen safety recalls and numerous non-safety defects requiring large-scale services.