RIVIAN R1S Complaints

160 consumer complaints on file.

#11740628May 28, 2026
SUSPENSION
I am submitting this complaint after learning through a recent TechCrunch article regarding the NHTSA investigation PE26004 into Rivian rear suspension / rear toe link failures that my incident appears substantially similar to the failures currently under investigation. On March 2, 2024, at approximately 1:29 AM, my son [XXX] was driving my 2023 Rivian R1S (VIN [XXX] ) in [XXX] . While making a normal right turn from [XXX] onto [XXX] and accelerating normally afterward at approximately 30 mph, the vehicle suddenly suffered what appeared to be a catastrophic rear suspension failure. According to the driver, the left rear portion of the vehicle suddenly jolted downward, a loud mechanical breaking sound was heard, and the vehicle immediately became uncontrollable. The rear suspension appeared to collapse instantly. The vehicle then began sliding uncontrollably across the roadway and crossed into the opposite traffic lane. The driver attempted to release the accelerator and correct steering input, but the vehicle did not respond normally. Steering control was effectively lost and the vehicle could not be controlled. The vehicle ultimately impacted a tree on the left rear/driver-side rear area before coming to rest perpendicular to the roadway. Importantly, the loss of control occurred BEFORE impact with the tree. The impact was a consequence of the apparent suspension failure and resulting loss of vehicle control, not the initiating cause of the event. There was no rain and road conditions were normal and dry. Driver-side airbags deployed and Rivian’s emergency response system automatically contacted the occupants after the crash. Police responded to the scene within minutes and a traffic crash report was generated. The vehicle had approximately 7,862 miles at the time of the incident and remained under factory warranty. The vehicle had never undergone any prior suspension repair, suspension service, or suspension INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738519May 18, 2026
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LOCK, STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
When backing into a parking spot on two separate occasions the drivers door popped open while the vehicle was in motion and the doors were locked after my knee brushed against the button to open the door while the car was in motion.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735248May 2, 2026
WHEELS
I purchased a 2025 Rivian R1S Adventure (VIN: [XXX] ) new from Rivian. Since the first week of ownership, the vehicle has exhibited persistent pulling, drifting, and handling instability requiring constant steering correction. I have brought the vehicle to Rivian Tampa for five service visits over five months. The defect has never been resolved. What I am requesting: Rivian's own technicians have twice attributed this vehicle's handling problems to the factory-installed tires, and confirmed via wheel-swap testing that tire pull is the root cause. These are factory-installed tires I did not select or modify. I am requesting: (1) replacement of all four tires with a highway-appropriate set at $0 cost; (2) a four-wheel alignment after installation at $0 cost; and (3) reimbursement of $61.81 charged for a tire rotation that could not address the confirmed defect. Rivian has acknowledged enough of a problem to waive $717 in labor and convert the alignment to warranty — yet refuses to cover the tires that their own technicians confirmed are defective. That is not an acceptable resolution. I have complete documentation including all work orders, invoices, and service records supporting every claim above. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11734817April 30, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2023 Rivian R1S. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the message "Electrical System Fault - Contact Rivian Service Immediately - Avoid Fording" was displayed along with a picture of the vehicle in water. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was an internal short circuit in the HVAC system due to water intrusion or condensation from the HVAC system. The dealer determined that the HVAC system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 69,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11734816April 30, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
This complaint is associated with Complaint #11717398. My 3rd windshield has cracked after a tiny 1/8" impact point. The result was spidering all the way around the middle sensor housing area and propagating 6" down. It also spidered to the top of the windshield. This tiny impact shouldn't have caused a huge spidering effect. Whether from incorrect installation, car frame issues or defective windshield quality, this is my third heavily cracked windshield in my first 10 months of vehicle ownership. I'm heavily concerned about the safety issue from seemingly anything that strikes the windshield and the $2400 cost to replace each windshield. Thank you
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11734725April 30, 2026
SUSPENSION
Toe link failed on the driver rear side. My vehicle went out of control, veered over adjacent lanes, over the bike path, onto the side walk and back onto the road and side walk. I was left with a sore neck for several days, my apple watch kept trying to call 911 thinking I was in an accident. Anyone one the sidewalk or bike lane or adjacent vehicle lane would have been impacted. The problem has an outstanding recall with Rivian but my vehicle isn't part of the recall. Rivian is repairing the broken components. No warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms before the failure. I was traveling at ~50MPH through and intersection when as soon as I exited the intersection the vehicle turned to the right / banked to the right in an aggressive manner which I could not control. I went across and adjacent lane that was unoccupied sideways and onto the sidewalk then back onto the road.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11731212April 14, 2026
SUSPENSION, WHEELS
On [XXX], I was driving my Rivian R1S on [XXX] in the far left lane at highway speed on a smooth, straight road when I suddenly and completely lost control of the vehicle without warning. The vehicle swerved right, struck a vehicle in the middle lane, then veered left, spun, and collided head-on with the guardrail on the right side of the road. I was evaluated at the scene by EMT. There were no warning lamps, messages, or any symptoms of any kind prior to the failure. The loss of control was instantaneous and without any prior indication of a problem. Review of video footage captured by the vehicle's own cameras clearly shows the rear driver-side toe link failing and the rear wheel moving in a manner inconsistent with normal operation immediately prior to loss of control. At the scene, the rear driver-side wheel was visibly sitting at an abnormal angle, inconsistent with normal alignment, and the toe link bolt was visibly absent from its mounting location. The vehicle is currently being preserved as evidence and is available for inspection. The mounting location where the toe link bolt should be seated is visible and available for examination. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by Rivian, a dealer, or any independent service center. I am aware that Rivian issued NHTSA recall 26V003 on January 8, 2026, covering 2022-2025 R1T and R1S vehicles for this exact defect — rear toe link joint separation while driving, which increases the risk of a crash without prior warning. Rivian acknowledged awareness of at least one prior crash related to this defect prior to the recall filing. My vehicle has no open recalls on record and I was never notified of recall 26V003 or any related service campaign. This incident resulted in a multi-vehicle accident on a public highway. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11728920April 2, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
While driving on a highway, the vehicle displayed an emergency malfunction alert indicating the system was shutting down, followed by a sudden loss of propulsion. I was traveling with my children in the vehicle and had to immediately maneuver off the roadway under unsafe conditions. We were nearly struck by other vehicles while exiting. Law enforcement responded to assist at the scene, as we were stuck on the off ramp without the ability to use flashing lights due to the system shutting down. The vehicle became inoperable and required service. This incident occurred without warning and created a significant safety risk to occupants and others on the road. This vehicle has also had multiple prior service issues affecting different systems since delivery, including electrical, suspension, and other component-related repairs.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11727927March 30, 2026
SEATS
The driver seat has preset settings for seat adjustments but they do not have Obstruction Detection. We have a rear facing car seat that was placed behind the drivers seat that had to be replaced (by us) as the seat auto adjusted and did not detect the back of the car seat and snapped the car seat out of its base. We contact Rivian over phone and they did not have a remedy (over a year ago, cannot recall exact date). It happened several times where we had to force stop the adjustment to prevent damage to new car seat. Eventually we decided to place the new rear facing car seat behind the passenger car seat instead. The back of the drivers seat has permanent damage from it pushing against the car seat. I did not think about filing a complaint here until I read about the recent Hyundai incident.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11727287March 26, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Hazard lights are inoperable this will be the second time going in for repair but 4th time it has occured. It also makes SOS inoperable and the roof lights. This is a safety concern that has not caused an accident but is a big issue since hazard lights are used when accident or emergencies occur and they are inoperable and this has been a frequent issue
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11726259March 23, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
Summary of the problem: The rear liftgate on my Rivian failed to detect an obstruction while closing and continued to close despite contact with a person. What happened: While the rear liftgate was automatically closing, I was unaware it was coming down and walked into it. The liftgate made contact with my upper body/face and did not stop or reverse as expected. Instead, it continued closing and forced me to the ground. Safety issue: The liftgate’s safety sensor failed to detect a human obstruction, creating a serious risk of injury. This is especially dangerous for children or shorter individuals who may be struck in the head or face. Injuries: I sustained bruising to my face and was knocked to the ground as a result of the liftgate continuing to close after impact. Why this is dangerous: A properly functioning power liftgate should stop and reverse when it encounters resistance. This system failed entirely, posing a significant safety hazard. There were no warnings or components that alerted before or after it failed to sense.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11723046March 9, 2026
AIR BAGS
Yesterday was the 3rd time in 2 months that the vehicle displayed a "Airbag System needs service - Drive with caution until serviced" warning. I have taken it to Rivian 2 times where each time they replaced various components of the airbag system and it was reported to be fixed. Yesterday the warning returned. I am extremely concerned that Rivian does not have the ability to properly diagnose and or fix whatever the underlying issue is regarding my airbag system. I am now scheduled to take my vehicle in for the 3rd time for them to "try to figure it out".
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11721816March 3, 2026
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
The contact owns a 2025 Rivian R1S. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera displayed a black image. While attempting to roll up the driver's rear window, the window failed to go up completely. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a car wash, and water entered the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated that the trunk light remained illuminated while the vehicle was turned off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the vehicle was not inspected. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle had been to the dealer several times for the failure. In addition, the dealer instructed the contact to turn off and restart the vehicle whenever the rear-view camera displayed a black image. The contact was informed that the system would reset after being turned off and restarted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719573February 21, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
Car suddenly lost control, making zig zag movements, none of the safety sensors were working, car went off road and crashed into freeway side fence. Windows airbags deployed on driver window and passenger window behind driver seat
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717398February 11, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Component/System: Visibility – Windshield. Was replaced in January 2026, not available for inspection. Pictures attached, doesn't include largest/spider crack on bottom of windshield that was 16" Summary of the Problem: I have experienced six separate windshield failures (cracks and chips) within the first eight months of owning my 2025 Rivian R1S. The most recent windshield was replaced by Rivian, and within five days the new glass developed an 7‑inch crack from an impact. The frequency and severity of these failures are far beyond normal road‑debris damage and strongly suggest a systemic defect in the windshield glass, installation method, or vehicle structure. Detailed Description of the Incidents: • Six cracks or chips occurred on the original windshield between the delivery date of May 20, 2025 and six months of ownership. • The first and 2nd chip was repaired by Safelite, the 3rd chip unable to be fixed at same time due to location at edge of glass. • Several cracks originated without any visible impact point. • The replacement windshield, installed by Rivian Service on January 21, 2026, developed a long crack within five days of installation. • Original windshield replaced and I submitted claim through insurance. I have appointment to replace second windshield on 2/16/26. Service representative at Seattle service center stated “to be transparent with you, windshields are customer pay as they crack due to outside influence”. This is after detailing the previous five separate incidents with original windshield and that the new windshield developed a large crack within five days of install on 1/21/2026. • All cracks/chips appeared during normal driving conditions. • The pattern of failures indicates excessive fragility, potential stress cracking, or improper windshield seating/alignment. • Numerous other Rivian R1S and R1T owners have reported similar issues, suggesting a broader quality or design problem.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717397February 11, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On November 8, 2025, at approximately 8:23 p.m., the rear liftgate of my Rivian R1S activated via the Rivian mobile app without my intentional command. The vehicle was stationary at the time. The liftgate opened and struck an overhead obstruction. Rivian has stated that the liftgate was initiated through the mobile app and that the system operated as designed. However, this suggests that the app or vehicle may permit unintended remote activation without adequate safeguards to confirm user intent or prevent activation in confined environments. If the liftgate can be triggered inadvertently (for example, through unintended screen interaction or background app state), this presents a foreseeable safety hazard. In garages, parking structures, or tight spaces, unintended activation could cause bodily injury to a person standing behind the vehicle, including a child, or result in property damage. Remote vehicle functions should include appropriate confirmation, or other safeguards to reduce the risk of unintended activation. I am submitting this complaint to document a potential safety design concern involving unintended remote liftgate activation.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11715116February 2, 2026
AIR BAGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
All sensors failed. Once vehicle was parked completely and seatbelt was removed, the car automatically took off. It began accelerating on its own, full throttle (Rivian logs were retrieved to show this), then began crashing into multiple cars while still gaining speed. Logs also show that the breaks were applied during this time, but the accelerator was still engaged at full throttle. The car then launched itself into a light post. The car was able to clear the 2-3ft concrete base of the post and the metal beam crashed into the glass roof of the car (which was shattered and thankfully the surfboard racks prevented it from fully crashing into the vehicle - but the racks are completely crushed), the metal post then launched itself into two more vehicles as well as the car itself. Airbag was not deployed at any point, car was going over 30 mph when it finally stopped (the concrete base likely pierced the battery to make the car stop). Logs didn't even note that there was a crash and the vehicle is totaled. We have salvage holding off on destruction so that the EDR can be salvaged and retrieved.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11714867February 1, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
On February 1, 2026, at approximately 9:09 AM, while driving from a stop and continuing on main roads, the vehicle accelerated to extremely high speeds and would not properly slow down. When I removed my foot from the accelerator pedal, the vehicle did not decelerate as expected. Regenerative braking was nonexistent. Normally, releasing the accelerator provides noticeable deceleration, but in this incident the vehicle continued to propel forward instead of slowing. Braking was extremely difficult. The brake pedal felt abnormally stiff (“thick”) and required significant effort to depress. Even while actively braking, it felt as though the vehicle was still attempting to accelerate forward and did not slow normally. This occurred for a couple hundred yards before I was able to pull over due to safety concerns. At the same time, the vehicle was in All-Purpose drive mode, but the ride height was stuck at kneel height and would not adjust, which is abnormal. After pulling over, the vehicle would not shift into Park. I had to press the brake pedal with both feet while fully depressing it and lifting myself off the seat to keep the vehicle from moving. I then had to open the driver door in order to force the vehicle into Park. There were no warning lights or messages displayed on the dashboard. The vehicle was towed to the Rivian Service Center but has not yet been inspected because the service center is currently closed. This malfunction created a serious safety risk due to unintended acceleration, loss of normal deceleration, difficulty braking, abnormal suspension behavior, and inability to shift into Park.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713145January 24, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES
I was involved in an incident where the vehicle (R1S 2026) accelerated unexpectedly, struck the car in front of me and the brakes were unresponsive at the time. The car only stopped after crashing.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11708710January 5, 2026
AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SEAT BELTS
On five separate occasions the airbag system on my car has become inoperable. Starting in July 2025 I noticed an airbag error on the display of the vehicle. I brought the car in for service and they replaced the steering wheel. The airbag error occurred again in August, this time requiring replacement of a different wiring harness. The error occurred again and again went in for service in November, this time replacing the front seats, seatbelt control modules, and the airbag module. This past weekend the air bag alert appeared again. Rivian seems unable to fix the issue with the airbags on my vehicle creating a significant safety concern.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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