Most passenger vehicles are equipped with open differentials on the drive axles. When a vehicle with open differentials turns on a corner or paved road, the wheels on the outside of the curve rotate more quickly than the wheels on the inside of the curve to prevent wheel hop and reduce vehicle instability. However, in low-traction scenarios (such as off-roading or driving in snow), additional torque can get directed towards the wheel(s) with less traction, which may lead to the vehicle getting stuck.

Cybertruck is equipped with locking differentials for increased traction during certain low traction and off-road conditions.

Locking differentials lock both wheels of an axle together, which forces the wheels to rotate at the same speed. This distributes the torque across the same axle based on the available traction in each wheel. When one of the locked wheels has significantly reduced traction (on sand, ice, etc.) more torque is applied to the wheel with greater traction. This distribution of torque helps the vehicle continue moving in low traction environments.

Dual Motor Variants: are equipped with mechanical front and rear locking differentials.

Tri-Motor (Cyberbeast) Variants: are equipped with a mechanical front locking differential, and a virtual rear locking differential to provide sufficient torque in each rear wheel. The rear locking differential automatically engages in certain drive modes and speeds, and cannot be manually engaged or disengaged.

Engaging locking differentials while driving on roads is intended for specific situations where you temporarily need extra grip on loose or uneven terrain, such as getting un-stuck from a snow bank. Do not engage locking differentials unless it is needed for the road conditions. Navigate to Controls > Dynamics > Engage Rear Locking Differential. When enabled, Slippery Surface also enables (see Slippery Surfaces). Engage Rear Locking Differential should not be used for regular driving on slick surfaces.

When you engage locking differentials while driving on roads, your speed is limited to 35 mph (56 km/h). The stability control icon may appear momentarily while the locking differentials disengage (see Vehicle Status).

Or touch the associated locking differential icon in the vehicle status area and select which locking differential(s) you want to engage:

Gray: Locking differential is disengaged.

Orange: Locking differential is engaged. This icon may blink orange while the locking differential is engaging or disengaging.

Orange question mark (?): Unknown locker position.

Red exclamation point (!): System fault or locking differential unavailable (see Troubleshooting).

You may need to drive a short distance to engage or disengage once enabled.

Once the locking differentials are fully engaged, the vehicle may slightly rock side to side when turning at low speeds. This is normal behavior when the touchscreen indicates a fully engaged locker (solid orange icon).

The locking differentials may cancel or delay engaging in various cases. If the locking differentials are unable to engage, a chime sounds and a message displays on the touchscreen. See Troubleshooting for more information.

To disengage, touch the differential icon on the touchscreen and select Off. You may need to drive a short distance to disengage. The locking differentials also automatically attempt to disengage whenever the vehicle shifts out of Drive, or when a different drive mode is selected.

When you disengage the locking differentials, the icon may blink orange before disappearing from the touchscreen. Ensure the locking differentials are disengaged before you drive on paved roads or at speeds higher than 35 mph (56 km/h). Check the vehicle wheels are not skipping when turning.