Stainless steel care

How Tesla says to wash the stainless body, remove orange 'rust' spots, and avoid damage the warranty won't cover.

Washing

  1. Rinse grime and grit first, including wheel wells and panel seams. In winter, rinse road salt from the underside, wheel wells and brakes.
  2. Hand wash with a mild, pH-neutral car shampoo and a soft sponge.
  3. Rinse with clean water, then dry with clean microfiber cloths.
Source: Owner's Manual: Cleaning · checked Nov 6, 2026
Tesla doesn't recommend automatic car washes. Don't wash in direct sunlight. For routine washing, avoid hot water, detergents, highly alkaline or caustic products (especially hydroxide), anything above pH 13, and acidic products. The one exception is Tesla's own citric-acid contamination procedure below. Keep a pressure washer nozzle at least 12 in away. Damage from improper washing isn't covered by the warranty.
Source: Owner's Manual: Cleaning · checked Nov 6, 2026

Remove corrosive stuff right away

Bird droppings, tree resin, tar, insects, road salt and industrial fallout should come off immediately, not at the next wash. Denatured alcohol can lift tar and grease; wash the area afterwards. There's no clear coat, so scratches are in the steel itself; repairs follow Tesla's panel refinishing procedure.

Source: Owner's Manual: Cleaning · checked Nov 6, 2026

Orange or brown spots

Tesla says these are surface contamination from iron debris, not the truck rusting. Try isopropyl alcohol wipes first. If that fails, Tesla's procedure uses a mild citric-acid cleaner (it names CitriSurf 77 or equivalent) for about 3 minutes, removed with a blue Scotch-Brite non-scratch pad only, then rinse and dry.

Source: Tesla DIY guide: Removing Surface Contamination · checked Nov 6, 2026

General owner information, not factory service instructions. If anything here conflicts with your owner's manual or the Release Notes in your truck, those win.