A Texas man is behind bars after deliberately driving his Tesla Cybertruck into Grapevine Lake to test the truck’s “Wade Mode” feature only for the vehicle to become disabled, fill with water, and require a full emergency rescue.

What Happened at Grapevine Lake?

On the evening of May 19, 2026, officers from the Grapevine Police Department were called to Katie’s Woods Park Boat Ramp near Grapevine Lake in Texas. Reports indicated a vehicle had entered the water. When police arrived, they found a Tesla Cybertruck partially submerged near the shoreline.

The driver, identified as Jimmy Jack McDaniel, told officers he drove the electric pickup into the lake on purpose. His goal was simple: to test the Cybertruck’s built-in “Wade Mode” capability. The experiment, however, did not go as planned.

The Cybertruck Wade Mode Incident: How It Unfolded

According to police, the Cybertruck became disabled shortly after entering the lake. The vehicle began taking on water rapidly. McDaniel and his passengers had no choice but to escape through the truck’s windows before the situation worsened.

Emergency responders, including a fire department water rescue team, were called to the scene. The Cybertruck was eventually pulled from the lake using cranes. Video footage circulating on social media showed the truck stuck in the water, with passengers jumping out, before the vehicle appeared to sink further into the lake.

McDaniel was taken into custody and remained in the Grapevine Jail following the incident. He now faces multiple charges related to the Cybertruck wade mode incident.

What Charges Does McDaniel Face?

The Grapevine Police Department confirmed that McDaniel was charged with:

• Operating a vehicle in a closed section of the park/lake
• No valid boat registration
• Additional charges related to the rescue operation and restricted area violation

Police noted that since McDaniel was “pretending to be a boat,” authorities treated the situation accordingly  applying boating laws to the incident. The area near the boat ramp where the Cybertruck entered is a restricted zone not designated for vehicle entry.

Local law enforcement also issued a public reminder that driving a vehicle into a body of water in Texas can carry serious legal consequences, particularly in environmentally sensitive or restricted areas.

Background: What Is Tesla Cybertruck Wade Mode?

The Tesla Cybertruck wade mode is a specialized off-road driving feature built into the electric pickup truck. According to Tesla’s official owner manual, Wade Mode works by:

• Raising the vehicle’s suspension to increase ground clearance
• Pressurizing the battery enclosure with the onboard air compressor to prevent water from entering critical components
• Enabling the truck to cross shallow water up to 32 inches deep at speeds of no more than 20 mph

Tesla has marketed the Cybertruck as a rugged, all-terrain vehicle since its launch in late 2023. Wade Mode was one of the features highlighted to demonstrate the truck’s capability in challenging off-road conditions such as shallow rivers, creek crossings, and flooded terrain.

However, Tesla’s own documentation includes important warnings. The feature is intended only for controlled, shallow water crossings  not for driving into open lakes or deep bodies of water.

This Is Not the First Cybertruck Wade Mode Incident

The Grapevine Lake incident is not the first time a Cybertruck has gotten into trouble with its wade mode feature. Social media has documented several such attempts over the past year.

Influencer Sawyer Merritt previously posted a video of a Cybertruck being driven into the same Grapevine Lake in Texas. In that case, the vehicle did not become stuck. However, that earlier test appears to have given some owners an inflated sense of the truck’s water capabilities.

Community responses online have been mixed, with many Cybertruck owners pointing out that wade mode has clear limitations and is not designed for full lake crossings. One commenter on a Cybertruck forum noted: “Not the first Cybertruck driver to have unrealistic expectations of Wade Mode.”

Additionally, McDaniel reportedly told investigators that he had previously driven the vehicle into water on multiple occasions  including into the Atlantic Ocean  suggesting a pattern of testing the truck’s limits beyond recommended guidelines.

Expert and Community Reaction

Automotive observers and electric vehicle enthusiasts have been quick to weigh in on the Cybertruck wade mode arrest. The general consensus is that owner education about feature limitations remains a serious gap.

The incident has renewed debate about how Tesla communicates the boundaries of its advanced features. While wade mode is a legitimate off-road tool, it was clearly never designed for use in open lake environments. The Cybertruck’s owner manual explicitly advises drivers to avoid water conditions that exceed the vehicle’s capabilities.

Police noted the irony of charging a truck driver with boating violations. Authorities made clear that entering any body of water with a motor vehicle  whether an EV or otherwise  in a restricted area constitutes a legal offense in Texas.

Impact: What This Means for Tesla and Cybertruck Owners

The Cybertruck wade mode incident adds to a complicated period for Tesla’s electric pickup. Cybertruck sales have declined significantly, with the vehicle selling approximately 39,965 units in 2024, a number that dropped to around 20,237 units in 2025.

Incidents like this  while dramatic  tend to generate significant online attention, both negative and positive. Some viewers treat these tests as free advertising for the truck’s rugged branding. Others see it as evidence that buyers are not fully understanding the limitations of their vehicles.

For Tesla, the story raises questions about whether in-vehicle feature warnings are sufficient. If a driver can activate wade mode and drive directly into a lake before the system signals a warning, the user interface design may need revisiting.

For Cybertruck owners specifically, this incident serves as a clear reminder: wade mode is for shallow water crossings on designated terrain  not for lake adventures.

Conclusion: What Happens Next?

Jimmy Jack McDaniel remains in custody as of the time of publication, facing multiple charges. The Cybertruck has been recovered from Grapevine Lake, though the extent of damage to the vehicle is not yet confirmed.

The Grapevine Police Department has not indicated whether additional civil charges or fines related to the emergency rescue operation will follow. Rescue operations of this nature often carry cost-recovery charges in Texas jurisdictions.

Tesla has not issued a public statement on the Cybertruck wade mode lake incident as of this writing. It is likely the company will continue to emphasize that wade mode is intended only for shallow, controlled water crossings in its owner documentation.

As social media videos of the incident continue to spread, more attention will likely be drawn to the real-world limits of the Cybertruck’s much-advertised off-road capabilities.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can a Cybertruck go through a car wash?

 Tesla does not officially recommend taking the Cybertruck through automated car washes, particularly those with spinning brushes that could damage the stainless steel body or sensors. Touchless car washes are generally considered safer. Owners are advised to check the owner’s manual and disable features like Wade Mode before any wash.

Why does no one buy a Cybertruck?

 Cybertruck sales have declined sharply. From around 39,965 units sold in 2024, sales dropped to roughly 20,237 in 2025. Analysts cite several reasons: its polarizing design, high price point, and controversy surrounding Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s political activities, which have impacted brand perception in certain markets. Some buyers also report concerns about build quality and real-world feature limitations.

What car does Elon Musk drive?

 Elon Musk has publicly stated that he drives a Tesla Cybertruck as his primary vehicle. He has been photographed and seen in Cybertrucks on multiple occasions, using the truck in part as a demonstration of his confidence in Tesla’s products. He has also been associated with the Tesla Model S and Model X in the past.