iStockphoto
Tesla’s CyberTruck is one of the most divisive vehicles ever produced, but people who own one tend to take pride in its capabilities. That includes the “Wade Mode” that theoretically allows you to drive it into bodies of water, but one man in Texas ended up in jail after he got stuck in a lake while putting it to the test.
It’s been close to seven years since the world got its first look at CyberTruck, which Tesla unveiled at an event where Elon Musk attempted to highlight its supposedly unbreakable windows during a test where an employee shattered both of the ones he chucked a metal ball at.
That set the tone for a vehicle that has been a case study in the divide between expectations and reality since they started rolling off the production line in 2023, two years after their initially scheduled release.
Tesla has reportedly sold around 60,000 CyberTrucks since then (although 20% of them have been purchased by companies with ties to Musk), and the people who’ve bought them have had to deal with a myriad of issues.
Musk’s political leanings have been an issue for many Tesla drivers who’ve found themselves subjected to harassment and scorn, and the instantly identifiable nature of CyberTrucks has made them prime targets for the thumbs down middle fingers that people who drive them frequently complain about being subjected to online.
There have also been a slew of recalls related to a variety of safety issues, and one man who attempted to debunk concerns with a sensor of its so-called “frunk” ended up breaking his finger in the process.
Some people have also encountered issues after taking one through a car wash and spraying it with a hose, and a guy who tried to put its waterproof capabilities to the test in Texas found himself hit with criminal charges after things failed to go as planned.
Police in Texas arrested a CyberTruck owner after his vehicle got stuck in a lake
The dashboard computer that serves as the central hub for CyberTruck controls offers a number of different modes that adjust suspension height, tire slip, and other settings to compensate for various conditions and terrain.
That includes “Wade Mode,” which lifts the suspension to its maximum height and automatically pressurizes the battery to allow the CyberTruck to drive in water up to 32 inches deep at a maximum of three miles per hour.
According to WFAA, a CyberTruck owner named Jim McDaniel recently decided to put Wade Mode to the test while attempting to show off to a couple of German tourists who were staying with his neighbor in Texas. He was able to drive the vehicle in Grapevine Lake, but he was unable to drive it out of the body of water located northwest of Dallas after it got stuck.
Cybertruck driver decides to drive his Truck into a local lake here in Texas. It ended exactly how you thought it would. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/rii6buSQzJ
— Joel Montfort (@jmontforttx) May 19, 2026
The 70-year-old and his two passengers were able to escape through a window, and it was eventually removed from the lake with the help of a crane.
Police who were dispatched to the scene charged McDaniel with operating a vehicle in a closed section of the park, and he was also hit with “boat-related” violations for not having lifejackets and a fire extinguisher on what technically became a watercraft. Grapevine Police Media Manager Katharina Gamboa also shared a pointed statement, saying, “Don’t drive into the water with your vehicle. Didn’t think I’d have to say that one.”
McDaniel told the outlet the incident could be chalked up to user error as opposed to any technical issues with Wade Mode. He admitted he simply drove too far into the water, which he believes got into the charging port that short-circuited the electrical system that controls the steering.
Bummer.