RIVIAN R1S Complaints

160 consumer complaints on file.

#11760135August 27, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
While I was traveling, I suddenly got a brake light fault, turn signal fault, and front camera fault warning messages that appeared on the computer. Rear driver's side tail light/turn signal light stopped functioning and the rest of the brake lights are stuck on, including the rear third tail light while driving and when vehicle is locked/idle. Rivian had me perform soft and hard resets, but that did not solve these problems. Rivian states they are unable to assist me further until I drive it to a service center located near my home.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11758022August 19, 2026
SEAT BELTS
The contact owns a 2023 Rivian R1S. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken for service, and the service tech stated that all three rear seat belts had a wire that had been severed from the buckle. Additionally, the vehicle failed to detect an occupant seated in the rear seats. The dealer stated that the seat belt buckles needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was 29,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11757671August 18, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2026 Rivian R1S. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the GPS feature on the center digital screen failed to provide the accurate miles per hour traveled as designed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the GPS feature was delayed by approximately 2 MPH. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 500.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11756055August 10, 2026
SUSPENSION
I own a 2023 Rivian R1S, early production vehicle #531, with approximately 93,000 miles. While driving, I noticed the vehicle's suspension was not functioning normally. After parking, the front passenger side of the vehicle dropped significantly lower than the other side, leaving the vehicle visibly uneven. I also received suspension warnings indicating that the suspension system was too hot and needed to cool. I brought the vehicle to a Rivian Service Center. Rivian diagnosed a failed/leaking damper and a failed air compressor. I was informed that only one damper had failed, but that all four dampers must be replaced because Rivian changed the manufacturer of the dampers and the replacement components are not compatible with the original dampers installed on my vehicle. The estimated repair cost is approximately $8,000. I am concerned that this may represent a safety-related failure of the early-generation R1S suspension system rather than normal wear. The suspension failure resulted in a substantial and visible change in the vehicle's ride height and occurred after I had experienced suspension behavior changing while driving. I have also found reports from other Gen 1 Rivian owners describing leaking hydraulic dampers, damper failures, suspension sag or collapse, multiple damper replacements, and air-compressor failures. Some owners report Rivian replacing their original dampers with subsequently revised components. I am particularly concerned that Rivian has informed me that the original dampers on my vehicle can no longer be replaced individually because the damper manufacturer/component has changed. Although only one damper on my vehicle failed, Rivian states that all four must now be replaced. I am submitting this complaint because a suspension failure that causes a significant unexpected change in vehicle ride height may affect vehicle handling and safety, and I believe NHTSA should determine whether similar failures are occurring in other early-product
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753900July 30, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On XXX, at approximately 12:19 PM, I was in the drive-through lane at a Chick-fil-A in [XXX], with my child as a passenger. I was using one-pedal driving mode and had come to a complete stop with my foot off the accelerator. I turned briefly to hand my child an ice cream cup, and when I looked back at the road, the vehicle was accelerating at full power with no contact from either pedal. To avoid striking the vehicles stopped ahead of me in the drive-through line, I swerved left into the Chick-fil-A building, causing a collision with the building. This put myself, my child, and nearby pedestrians and drivers at serious risk of injury. Cedar Park Police Department responded to the scene and a report was filed. I have video footage of the incident. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. I believe the accelerator pedal and/or its sensor malfunctioned, possibly related to a known issue some other Rivian owners have reported involving cabin temperature affecting the pedal sensor; this has not yet been confirmed by a dealer or manufacturer. I am requesting that the manufacturer pull the vehicle’s black box/EDR data and perform full diagnostics on the pedal and sensor. [XXX] 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
#11749529July 10, 2026
SUSPENSION
Tension noise and creaking coming from suspensions. Special washers were needed in order to fill gaps in build tolerances.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749527July 10, 2026
AIR BAGS
When an adult passenger is in the vehicle passenger seat, the passenger airbag light shows "airbag off" Approximate weight 130 pounds
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749354July 9, 2026
STEERING
Within 48 hours of picking up my new 2026 Rivian R1S Dual Standard, I experienced a power steering fault while on a public roadway to where the vehicle entered a crawl mode and the power steering stopped working. The car was not steerable. I spent an hour on the phone with Rivian emergency roadside support and they had me perform a reset of the vehicle which restored the steering. However, it was still recommended by roadside service that the vehicle be looked at by the service team so it was towed to Gaithersburg service center. The problem was later identified in the system logs as a known firmware condition that is currently under investigation with no permanent fix at this time. There were no warnings or indication of this issue prior to it occurring. The issue has not happened again since it was at the service center.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11748472July 6, 2026
STEERING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The vehicle experiences recurring, uncommanded high-speed steering "lurches" where the Lane Keep Assist (LKA) system initiates aggressive, sudden steering inputs at highway speeds (65+ mph). These inputs force the vehicle out of its lane and require immediate, significant manual driver counter-steering to prevent collisions. These events occur without warning, despite no perceived environmental triggers. This issue involves the vehicle's automated steering and Lane Keep Assist software suite. This safety defect renders the vehicle inherently dangerous to operate at highway speeds for the driver, occupants and everyone on the freeway. This issue is not isolated to this vehicle; numerous owners have reported identical, terrifying high-speed steering shoves on public forums for over a year. There is credible evidence indicating that the manufacturer's executive leadership, including the CEO, has been aware of these fleet-wide issues for well over a year. Despite this knowledge, the manufacturer continues to characterize these life-safety events as "Operating as Designed" or "No Fault Found" (NFF). This issue has been reported to the manufacturer’s service center repeatedly over several months by myself and other owners. Despite the manufacturer claiming to be "diagnosing" or "duplicating" the steering failure, telemetry data from the vehicle (including odometer audits) confirms that the vehicle remains stationary at the service facility for extended periods with zero diagnostic miles driven during these "repair" attempts. Other service appointments show minimal miles driven. The manufacturer has replaced safety-critical steering hardware, including the steering column assembly, without resolving the persistent software-driven steering lurches. The manufacturer’s refusal to acknowledge the defect or conduct meaningful, speed-appropriate road validation, despite being notified of the systemic safety risk, suggests a failure to address an acute life-safety hazard.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11747311June 29, 2026
SUSPENSION
Right rear toe link to knuckle bolt snapped off while driving causing a deadly situation.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11743786June 12, 2026
STEERING, SUSPENSION, WHEELS
Recurring front suspension fastener and component failures causing severe asymmetric inner-shoulder tire wear and steering vibration. Vibration was reported to the manufacturer's service center from delivery (Feb 2024) and repeatedly called "normal." Jan 2025: front left hub bearing and halfshaft replaced under warranty after metal-on-metal grinding. Oct 2025: torn right front lower control arm bushing replaced under warranty; rack measurements before that repair showed front total toe 2.04 deg (spec 0.00-0.40) and rear camber -2.2 deg (spec -0.6 to -1.4); two tires worn to the wear bars on inner ribs were replaced. Mar 2026: vehicle towed in (parking brake would not release, 12v battery failed); technician found front suspension fasteners not torqued to specification, including previously replaced components, and replaced the front left hub a second time. No alignment was performed after the re-torque. Jun 2026: the Oct 2025 tires are again worn to near the wear bars on inner shoulders after ~12,000 miles - the third consecutive set destroyed by the same geometry-driven pattern. The manufacturer has confirmed in writing that only one alignment has ever been performed on this vehicle (Oct 2025) in 26 months and ~41,000 miles - none after the March 2026 suspension re-torque. The manufacturer has two federal recalls acknowledging suspension fasteners loosening after assembly or service: 22V-748 (under-torqued front fasteners that "could cause excessive wheel camber") and 26V003 (rear toe links that may separate), the latter reopened by NHTSA in May 2026 under PE26-004 with review expanded to ~114,922 vehicles. This vehicle exhibits the same failure mode - fasteners confirmed loose by the manufacturer's own technician - but is not in either recall population. Tires worn to the belts and loose suspension hardware at highway speed create a risk of loss of control. Work orders, the alignment report, and photos are available upon request.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11743785June 12, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
SUPPLEMENTAL COMPLAINT — This filing supplements VOQ No. XXX filed XXX for the same vehicle and incident. The original complaint contained factual inaccuracies that this filing corrects. PROPULSION FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEED — KNOWN DEFECT — NHTSA MFR COMMS 11026123 & 11026124 VEHICLE: 2026 Rivian R1S Dual Standard, VIN [XXX], LFP battery. Delivered XXX. ~700 miles at incident. INCIDENT XXX: Navigation showed 8% SOC buffer on arrival at destination 5 miles away — active system assurance of sufficient range. Simultaneous audible alarm and dashboard warning then fired with approximately 15-20 seconds to act at ~60 mph on busy [XXX]. Emergency pull-over executed under extreme time pressure. Complete propulsion loss on highway shoulder. ~80°F. Rivian Roadside quoted 3-hour response; independently hired private tow. Approximately 45 minutes after stall, 12V battery died and hazard lights failed — disabled vehicle on live busy interstate shoulder with no hazard lights in 80° heat. Zero residual power. Towed to West Gardiner Service Plaza. 4 hours on highway shoulder, 3 hours at rest area. $225 out-of-pocket (tow + Lyft). DEFECT: Rivian Hudson NH service (WO-XXX, INV_XXX) confirmed 13% HV battery cell capacity imbalance — dashboard SOC does not reflect actual cell capacity. Factory calibration defect. Firmware update only; HV hardware NOT replaced. Defect unresolved. PRIOR NHTSA FILINGS: Before my May 2026 delivery Rivian filed mandatory EWR communications: - Mfr Comm XXX: warned owners of fast range drop below 20% SOC, instructed to stay above 20%. - Mfr Comm XXX (Nov 24 2025): described progressive inaccuracy below 20% SOC. Component: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM. Both on NHTSA 2026 R1S vehicle page. NON-DISCLOSURE: Neither filing disclosed at sale/delivery May 22 2026. Calibration-complete confirmation never sent to this VIN. BBB Auto Line Case XXX active. VOQ XXX filed. 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
#11743765June 12, 2026
POWER TRAIN, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
PROPULSION FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEED — KNOWN DEFECT — NHTSA MFR COMMS XXX & XXX VEHICLE: 2026 Rivian R1S Dual Standard, VIN [XXX], LFP battery. Delivered XXX. 702 miles at incident. INCIDENT XXX: Complete unwarned propulsion failure on [XXX] at highway speed. Dashboard showed 8% SOC immediately before failure — no warning, no alert. Vehicle lost all propulsion 5 miles from nearest charger. Stranded 7 hours. $225 out-of-pocket towing/transport costs. DEFECT: Rivian Hudson NH service (WO-000002294461, INV_20260608-150458) confirmed 13% HV battery cell capacity imbalance via diagnostics — dashboard SOC reading does not reflect actual cell capacity. Factory pre-delivery calibration defect. Firmware update performed; HV battery hardware NOT replaced. Defect unresolved. RIVIAN'S PRIOR NHTSA FILINGS: Before my May 2026 delivery, Rivian filed mandatory EWR communications acknowledging this exact defect: - Mfr Comm 11026123: SMS warning owners range "will drop fast below 20% SOC" and to "stay above 20% SOC until issue resolved." - Mfr Comm XXX (112425_SOCImbalance_Email, Nov 24 2025): Email describing progressive range inaccuracy below 20% SOC. Component: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM. Both appear on NHTSA 2026 R1S vehicle page. NON-DISCLOSURE: Neither communication was disclosed at sale (May 18) or delivery (May 22, 2026). Rivian sold this vehicle with a known active propulsion defect without informing me. Calibration-complete confirmation was never sent to this VIN. REQUEST: I ask ODI to assess whether this constitutes a safety defect requiring recall under 49 USC 30118, and whether Rivian's continued sale of LFP vehicles after these filings without disclosing the 20% SOC limitation warrants investigation. BBB Auto Line Case XXX active. 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
#11743492June 11, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
Vehicle was inoperable and over 100F in our driveway, with a flashing "critical high voltage battery fault". My wife injured her hand attempting to get in the vehicle. The service center has claimed that moisture inside the HVAC system caused the High Voltage (HV) battery system to fail, throwing a critical high-voltage battery fault. Rivian is attempting to deny warranty coverage based on this moisture. Linkage to Warranted Component: At 85,690 miles, my vehicle is fully covered under Rivian’s 8-year High Voltage Battery Limited Warranty. The critical high-voltage fault and subsequent component failures were directly caused by water entering the electrical/battery system. Proximate Cause via Known Manufacturing Defect: Rivian has an active Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) regarding moisture ingress via the HVAC assembly for 2022–2024 R1S models. The moisture that caused the battery fault is a documented, inherent design defect of the vehicle, not user negligence or external environmental damage. An inherent defect in an out-of-warranty system cannot be used to void coverage for a failure it causes inside a component that is still heavily protected by an active warranty. The photograph provided by the service center does not depict superficial 'moisture in the HVAC' causing external damage. It shows severe fluid ingress and terminal corrosion inside the Woory Industrial High Voltage Cabin Heater assembly. Because this is an internal, high-voltage powertrain component operating directly off the traction battery system, it falls squarely under Rivian's 8-year / 175,000-mile High Voltage System Warranty. The corrosion present on the high-voltage circuit board is a direct result of the factory HVAC water ingress defect acknowledged in Rivian's technical service bulletins for 2022-2024 R1S vehicles. A manufacturing defect that allows water to breach a sealed, high-voltage housing cannot be used to deny warranty coverage on a high-voltage system that is actively w
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11743356June 10, 2026
SUSPENSION, WHEELS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While driving at city speeds, I heard a rubbing/grinding noise from the right rear of the vehicle and noticed that the suspension no longer felt normal. After stopping to inspect the vehicle, I found that the right rear wheel had shifted rearward within the wheel opening and was contacting the wheel liner. The condition appeared suddenly without prior warning messages or warning lights. I do not recall any curb strike, pothole impact, collision, off-road event, or other significant impact prior to the failure. The vehicle was towed to a manufacturer service center and inspected. The manufacturer determined the damage was impact-related and not covered under warranty. Recommended repairs include replacement of the right rear knuckle, upper longitudinal link, toe link, hub bearing, and halfshaft. The failure resulted in a significant change in rear suspension geometry and raised concerns about vehicle safety. The damaged components are currently in the possession of the manufacturer service center and may be available for inspection.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11743166June 10, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Rivian identified the recalls on our car model and are failing to get the vehicle to repair them since we are unable to get to the dealership.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11742583June 7, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, STEERING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Driver was making a left hand turn and as the turn was initiated the driver had no control of the vehicle. The vehicle system took over driving, causing substantial damage to the vehicle. Weeks leading up to the incident, the display and certain systems were not responding or provided errors. Following a reset each time, the vehicle would be operational.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11741159May 31, 2026
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Vehicles autonomous driving has failed several times. The system changes from autonomous driving to adaptive cruise control without giving the normal alerts for the driver to take the wheel, giving me or my spouse no time to properly react. This system failing resulted in the vehicle going into a ditch. The autonomous driving automatically switched to adaptive cruise control without warning, the lane keeping system also failed as it gave no warning and did not push the vehicle back into the lane either. Although the vehicle cameras recorded the incident the vehicle did not register any faults or system failures. The shop was not able to find system recorded failures which causes us concerns since the autonomous driving has automatically switched over to adaptive cruise control with no notice.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740672May 28, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The vehicle's infotainment, driver gauge cluster and on display safety systems all fully lock up and reboot after about 30 minutes of driving. If you have highway ADAS engaged, warning sounds will occur but no display explaining the warnings. If you're using the vehicle's safety systems you suddenly do no have blindspot monitoring, or enabled ADAS. Additionally, navigation will not be available causing immediate confusion.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740638May 28, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Our 2024 Rivian came to a stop at a light with three cars in front of it. We have the video from a home on the street. ABout 12-15 feet behind the next car. Rivian comes to a complete stop. Sits about 5 seconds. Then car surges forward to rear end the car in front. that car hits another car and another car. THe rivian only makes direct contact to the car in front then hits aa parked car next to that one, through a 2' block wall and hits a building. No one hurt on site. TO add to the exact problem...Just prior to the vehicle coming to a stop a passenger in the front seat and a passenger in the back seat were listening to an audio book. its started skipping forward and slowing down. Car comes to a stop. screens go blank/black in the car. ALl three people can attest to this. The driver had her foot on the break as this happened and the car surges forward and proceeds to do the damage it does. IT is this unintended surge that was the issue. Seems a few people have had this issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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