Drain and refill the front and rear drive unit gearboxes on a 2024 Tesla Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD. Tesla now recommends drive unit fluid service rather than treating it as 'lifetime fill' — typical interval is initial inspection at ~12,500 mi then every 25,000–50,000 mi.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Drive unit gearbox drain plug crush washer / seal (front) × 2 — OEM Tesla gearbox drain seal — replace on every service
• Drive unit gearbox drain plug crush washer / seal (rear) × 2 — OEM Tesla gearbox drain seal — replace on every service

Fluids

• Tesla Gearbox Oil (OEM-spec drive unit fluid) — 4 qt

Preparation

1. Park on level ground, place in P, engage the electric parking brake.
2. Enter Service Mode and select 'Jack Mode' to lock air suspension at standard ride height before lifting.
3. Exit ALL doors with the key fob away from the vehicle. Wait at least 2 minutes for HV systems to fully de-energize, even on this non-HV job.
4. Disconnect the 48V low-voltage battery per the Cybertruck-specific procedure (frunk access). Note: this is a 48V system, not 12V — use insulated tools and do not bridge terminals.
5. DO NOT touch, cut, or pierce ANY orange cable — these are 800V and lethal.
6. If at any point you encounter an orange cable, an HV component, or are unsure if a system is de-energized: STOP and consult a Tesla-certified technician.
7. Lift the vehicle on a 2-post lift using Tesla-designated lift points, or support on four jack stands rated for the Cybertruck's weight (~6,800 lb curb). Confirm stability before going underneath.
8. Allow drive units to cool below 40°C if the truck has been driven recently — hot gear oil will burn skin.
9. Stage drain pan, new seals, fresh gear oil, and transfer pump within reach before opening any plug.

Procedure

1. 1

   Remove underbody aero panels covering the front drive unit
   Locate the aero/skid paneling beneath the front drive unit. Remove the perimeter fasteners and lower the panel straight down. Set hardware aside in order — Cybertruck underbody panels use mixed Torx and hex fasteners. Do not pry against the stainless exoskeleton.
2. 2

   Identify front gearbox fill and drain plugs
   On the front drive unit gearbox housing, positively identify the fill plug (upper, on the side of the gearbox case) and the drain plug (lowest point of the gearbox sump). The plugs are external hex or hex-socket type on the gearbox casting — they are NOT the inverter cover bolts and NOT the motor mount bolts. If you cannot positively identify both plugs, STOP and refer to the Tesla Service Manual.
   ⚠Loosening the wrong bolt can breach the inverter housing or release the motor from its mounts. Only the gearbox fill and drain plugs should be opened.
3. 3

   Loosen the front gearbox fill plug FIRST
   Break loose the fill plug before opening the drain. This confirms you can refill the gearbox before you commit to draining it (a seized fill plug after a successful drain leaves the truck immobile). Crack it loose only — do not remove yet.
4. 4

   Drain the front gearbox
   Position the drain pan under the front gearbox drain plug. Remove the drain plug and sealing washer. Allow the gearbox to drain fully (10–15 minutes). Inspect drained fluid: small amount of fine ferrous paste on the plug magnet is normal; chunks, glitter, or burnt smell indicate internal damage — STOP and have the drive unit inspected before refilling.
5. 5

   Reinstall front gearbox drain plug with new seal
   Clean the drain plug and the sealing surface on the gearbox. Install a NEW sealing washer. Thread the drain plug in by hand to avoid cross-threading the aluminum housing, then torque to OEM specification — refer to Tesla Service Manual. Do not overtighten; the housing is aluminum.
6. 6

   Refill front gearbox to OEM-specified level
   Using a clean transfer pump, fill the front gearbox with Tesla-spec gearbox oil through the fill port. Refill volume is approximately 1.5 qt for the front unit. Fill until oil just begins to weep from the fill port — that is the level indicator. Stop pumping immediately.
7. 7

   Reinstall front gearbox fill plug with new seal
   Install a NEW sealing washer on the fill plug. Hand-thread, then torque to OEM specification — refer to Tesla Service Manual. Wipe the housing clean of any spilled oil so future leak checks are meaningful.
8. 8

   Reinstall front underbody aero panel
   Reinstall the front aero/skid panel using the original fasteners in their original locations. Torque any bracket-style fasteners to 20.0 Nm (15.0 lb-ft).
   Torque spec

   Bracket Bolts20 Nm (15 lb-ft)
9. 9

   Remove underbody aero panels covering the rear drive unit
   Move to the rear of the vehicle. Remove the rear underbody/aero paneling covering the rear drive unit. Note any harness clips attached to the panel and release them gently — do not pull on wiring.
10. 10

    Identify and crack loose the rear gearbox fill plug
    On the rear drive unit gearbox housing, identify the fill plug (side of the gearbox) and drain plug (lowest sump point). Break the fill plug loose first, same logic as the front. Do not confuse with axle nuts, motor cover bolts, or HV connector bolts.
    ⚠️Orange HV cabling enters the rear drive unit. Do not loosen the orange-flagged HV connector bolts. Those are 10.0 Nm and require de-energization via Tesla Toolbox — out of scope for this job.
11. 11

    Drain the rear gearbox
    Position the drain pan. Remove the rear drain plug and sealing washer. Allow full drain (10–15 minutes). Inspect drained fluid and the magnetic plug for debris.
12. 12

    Reinstall rear gearbox drain plug with new seal
    Clean the plug and sealing surface. Install a NEW sealing washer. Hand-thread, then torque to OEM specification — refer to Tesla Service Manual.
13. 13

    Refill rear gearbox to OEM-specified level
    Pump Tesla-spec gearbox oil into the rear fill port. Refill volume is approximately 2.0 qt for the rear unit. Fill until oil weeps from the fill port, then stop.
14. 14

    Reinstall rear gearbox fill plug with new seal
    Install a NEW sealing washer. Hand-thread, then torque to OEM specification — refer to Tesla Service Manual. Wipe the housing clean.
15. 15

    Reinstall rear underbody aero panel
    Reinstall the rear aero/skid panel using original fasteners. Torque bracket-style fasteners to 20.0 Nm (15.0 lb-ft). Verify all harness clips are reseated.
    Torque spec

    Bracket Bolts20 Nm (15 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. Confirm both gearbox fill and drain plugs are installed with NEW seals and torqued.
2. Confirm both underbody aero panels are fully fastened — a loose panel at highway speed can detach.
3. Lower the vehicle off the lift / jack stands.
4. Reconnect the 48V low-voltage battery using insulated tools. Confirm clean connection — no arcing.
5. Exit Service Mode / Jack Mode via the touchscreen so air suspension resumes normal operation.
6. Wake the vehicle and allow the air suspension to self-level.

Verification

• With the truck back on the ground, inspect the front and rear gearbox housings for any oil weep at the drain and fill plugs after 5 minutes.
• Take a short, low-speed test drive (5–10 minutes including some acceleration and regen). Listen for any whine or grinding from either drive unit — fresh fluid should be quieter, never louder.
• After test drive, re-inspect both gearboxes for leaks at the plug seals. Re-torque if any weep is observed.
• Confirm no drive unit fault codes or warnings on the touchscreen.
• Log the service mileage. Tesla recommends drive unit fluid inspection at the initial ~12,500 mi mark, then every 25,000–50,000 mi depending on use (towing, off-road, and high-load duty cycles shorten the interval). Schedule the next service accordingly.
• While the truck is up, this is a good time to check brake fluid age (Tesla recommends every 2 years) and cabin filter age (every 2 years) — both are commonly missed on Teslas due to the 'no scheduled maintenance' marketing.

More procedures for this vehicle