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Why Tesla Installed a Cybertruck Off-Road Light Bar but Left It Unplugged

Tesla reportedly mounted Marques Brownlee’s Cybertruck off-road light bar but left it unplugged. Tesla’s service procedures explain who must complete the connection.
Entry038 Date Time2 min MechanicCarCody Team

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Tesla’s optional Cybertruck off-road light bar was reportedly mounted on Marques Brownlee’s truck but left electrically unconnected after a Tesla service-center visit. Tesla’s service procedure explains the unusual handoff: it says Tesla employees cannot connect and configure the light-bar electronics, leaving the specified harness connection to the customer or a third party. That documented limitation helps explain what happened; it does not establish that Tesla intended to deceive anyone.

What happened at the service center?

In an October 24, 2024 report, Futurism’s Frank Landymore reported that Brownlee took his Cybertruck to a Tesla service center for installation of the optional off-road light bar. The bar was attached, reportedly held with black tape, but its wiring was not connected. Brownlee was given contact information for a local shop to finish the work.

The report attributes this remark to Brownlee: “So technically, Tesla didn’t install the whole off-road light bar.” The account makes the handoff sound startling, but the distinction between mounting the bar and connecting its electronics is central to Tesla’s documented procedure.

Why did Tesla leave the wiring unconnected?

Tesla’s service manual states that the light bar is designed only for off-road use and says Tesla cannot install its electronics and configure the vehicle for light-bar control. The procedure further says Tesla employees are not permitted to connect or assist with the specified right-hand B-pillar harness connection; the customer or a third party must complete it.

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Tesla’s separate retrofit procedure likewise describes mounting the bar and routing its harness while reserving the electrical connection and configuration. Its harness-connection bulletin, CD-24-90-001 R2, updated October 18, 2024, says the instructions should be performed only by trained professionals and warns that details may vary by build date, configuration, or market.

So Tesla’s documented boundary is not that owners are being given a simple do-it-yourself task. It is that Tesla employees may perform portions of the retrofit but cannot complete the specified connection; a customer or qualified third party must arrange that part.

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Does “off-road use only” mean the light bar is illegal on roads?

Tesla labels the accessory for off-road use only. That label does not by itself establish the road-use rule for every jurisdiction, installation, or way of operating the bar. Futurism characterized the accessory as illegal to use on roads in most states, but that state-by-state legal claim is not independently established here. Check the rules that apply where the vehicle is registered and driven rather than treating a broad characterization as universal legal advice.

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What Cybertruck owners should check

Tesla later announced a voluntary retrofit recall for certain 2024 Cybertrucks with a service-installed optional off-road light bar. According to Tesla’s support page, incorrect surface primer may cause the accessory to separate while the vehicle is in Drive, creating a road hazard and increasing collision risk. The notice is limited to certain vehicles; it is not evidence that every Cybertruck light bar is affected.

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  • Check Tesla’s current VIN-specific recall information to see whether the vehicle is included.
  • If the bar’s electrical connection is incomplete, use a trained professional and the procedure applicable to the vehicle’s build, configuration, and market.
  • Follow Tesla’s off-road-use designation and check local requirements before using the accessory on public roads.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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