Tesla Cybertruck driven into Grapevine Lake

Grapevine police said a man drove a Tesla Cybertruck into Grapevine Lake on Monday night to test the vehicle’s “Wade Mode,” then was arrested after the truck became disabled near the shoreline. Local station WFAA identified the driver as Jim McDaniel, citing police, and reported that he told officers he had used the setting before without problems. The vehicle was recovered after a water rescue and tow, according to local and national reports. Tesla’s own owner’s manual says Wade Mode is designed for shallow water, not deep submersion. ### Who said the driver did this on purpose? WFAA reported on May 19 that Grapevine police said McDaniel intentionally drove into the lake to test Wade Mode. USA Today, citing a Grapevine Police Department Facebook post dated May 19, likewise reported that the man was arrested after allegedly driving the truck into the lake on purpose. (wfaa.com) Grapevine Lake is in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and WFAA said the truck went in Monday night before getting stuck. Officers then took the driver to jail, the station reported. ### What exactly is “Wade Mode”? Tesla says in the Cybertruck owner’s manual that Wade Mode “protects Cybertruck for up to approximately 32 in (815 mm) of water” at slow speeds of 1 to 3 mph. (wfaa.com) The manual says the mode raises the suspension, appears on the touchscreen when enabled, and is limited to 30 minutes. Tesla’s off-road documentation separately says Wade Mode is meant to protect the vehicle “while navigating shallow bodies of water.” The same materials describe it as an off-road setting, not a general-purpose water-driving feature. ### Why did the truck still end up disabled? WFAA reported that McDaniel told police he had used Wade Mode before “without any issues,” but that he went too deep this time and got stuck. (tesla.com) That account matches the basic sequence reported by other outlets: the Cybertruck entered the lake, became disabled, and had to be recovered near shore. (tesla.com) Tesla’s manual does not say Wade Mode makes the truck capable of floating or operating like a boat. The published guidance instead ties the feature to shallow-water travel at very low speed and for a limited duration. ### Who was involved in the recovery? WFAA said the disabled Cybertruck was pulled from Grapevine Lake after emergency crews responded. (wfaa.com) USA Today reported that authorities recovered the vehicle after it took on water near the shoreline. The reports do not indicate broader injuries from the incident. (tesla.com) The central law-enforcement account, as carried by WFAA and USA Today, is that the episode ended with a rescue response, vehicle recovery and the driver’s arrest. ### What is the clearest takeaway from Tesla’s own guidance? (wfaa.com) Tesla’s published specifications set a concrete limit: about 32 inches of water, slow speeds and a 30-minute window. That matters because the feature’s name and online discussion can suggest more capability than Tesla’s manual actually describes. (wfaa.com) As of May 21, 2026, the most detailed public reporting on the driver’s identity and his statement to police remains WFAA’s local account, while Tesla’s owner’s manual remains the clearest source for what Wade Mode is intended to do. (wfaa.com) (tesla.com)