Tesla’s Cybertruck, famed for its futuristic design and cutting-edge technology, is not without its hazards. Recently, a Tesla Cybertruck owner, active on the Cybertruck Owners Club forum, recounted a disturbing experience. He shared that his father-in-law endured a “very serious laceration” when his finger got caught in the seam between the front and rear doors of the Cybertruck during a family outing.
Having owned his 2024 Tesla Cybertruck since May and logged over 1,500 miles, the owner expressed his love for the vehicle. He mentioned teaching his first-time rider father-in-law how to open the front door using the pillar-mounted release button. This button, marked by a small white light, is located on the truck’s B pillar.
The owner described the incident in detail: “When my father-in-law reached up to the pillar button to unlock the truck, my son closed his rear passenger door. Whatever circumstance caused it to happen—confusion, looking in the wrong place, distraction—my father-in-law’s finger got closed inside the door gap between the back and front doors.”
“I’m sharing this because I feel Cybertruck owners should be extra aware of multiple people entering and exiting the vehicle on the same side and may not be immediately familiar with where the open button is on the pillar. There is less than an inch between the button and the gap in the door. Someone not paying attention can easily get their finger trapped if the passenger behind the ‘shotgun’ position closes their door at the wrong time,” he said.
The injury required an emergency room visit, resulting in “only seven stitches and a splint” for the father-in-law’s crushed index finger. Despite this incident being primarily attributed to user error, it underscores the inherent risk that Tesla acknowledges in Cybertruck’s user manual.
The manual warns: “Keep hands and fingers away from the opening edge and supervise children if they open and close the doors. This is especially important when handling a front door where the opening edge can cause injury when opening or closing the associated rear door. Neglecting to follow the correct opening procedure for front and rear doors can lead to injury.”
The incident reveals a design flaw in the Cybertruck that prioritizes aesthetics over safety. The placement of the door release button, flush with the pillar and close to the jamb, increases the risk of injury. Tesla could have mitigated this by positioning the button further away or giving it a more prominent shape, but these changes might have compromised the sleek design.
A video from the Tesla Flex YouTube channel highlights a safety feature in the Cybertruck’s doors: a stopper prevents the door from closing immediately after being released, allowing the driver or passenger to grab it. However, this stopper retracts once the door is fully opened, not protect that point.
Forum members noted that pinch and crush hazards existed in both EVs and internal combustion cars long before the Cybertruck. The consensus is that while fingers caught in door seams are common, Tesla’s button placement arguably increases the risk.
The owner concluded his post by clarifying that he wasn’t bashing the Cybertruck but wanted others to learn from his painful experience.
