Rivian R1T Problems — All Years, Common Issues & Reliability

12 volt battery was replaced under warranty on date 07/08/2024 at miles 14059. Again, 12 volt battery needs to be replaced at 29343 miles as of today's date 04/12/2026. This is highly unusual. Please look into it. Prakashkumar Patel, MD

Passenger front suspension failure due to failed hydraulic pump (at 67k miles), resulting in wheels rubbing against interior, making vehicle almost inoperable without placing occupants at risk. It was immediate and without warning inside vehicle. When I spoke with technician they informed me that it was occasionally reported in earlier models. I was unable to view component.

We were driving on the highway going 70 MPH when we heard a loud bang, and then the car immediately catapulted to the right off the road and slammed into the concrete right median, spun around hit a sign and then ended up in the right bridge barrier (shoulder). During the crash 6 airbags deployed from the impact of the crash. The highway patrolman stated that you could see the driver-side rear wheel started skidding based on the marks on the road. We thought it was a blown tire. But the tires were all in tact. The driver-side rear wheel was turned out and it was clear that the toe-link joint had separated from the wheel axel and this is what caused our crash. The car has been totaled by insurance company and taken salvage yard in Knightdale, NC. We were both wearing seatbelts, and I (the passenger) was thrown around during the crash and ended up going to the hospital with neck and back pain. I have severe neck misalignment and soft tissue damage on my neck and back. I was unable to work for 4 days after the accident and still am not able to sleep well due to pain. We were in the right hand lane of the highway and did not hit any other cars, but if we had been in a different lane we could have hit another car and caused more injuries and damage. The problem that caused the accident was the problem that was listed on the product recall, we had an appointment to get it fixed the next day. We had the car towed to the Rivian service center where they verbally confirmed it was the toe link that separated. It was inspected by the police, the Rivian Service Center and our insurance adjuster. There was zero warning prior to the loud bang other than the recall notice We

I was driving late night to a campsite in a very rural part of the Big Island of [XXX] , about 45 minutes from where I live. I was by myself except for my dog, in the passenger seat. I was on a country road with a 30 mph speed limit, going about 25 mph. I engaged the cruise control and it immediately went up to 40-45 mph, far faster than the limit and far faster than was safe given the wet conditions and windy road. As I tried to slow the car down, using the steering while cruise control adjustment buttons, I steered through a curve and rather than turn with the road, as I had intended, the truck slid off the road to the left, effectively hydroplaning, into two trees, at about 40 mph. The airbags deployed as the truck came to a complete halt against the two trees. The car automatically called 911 as I sat there trying to assess what had just happened, whether I was hurt, and whether my dog was hurt. I told the 911 operator that the truck had called them automatically adn that I was ok and I would call in the morning after assessing what had happened. I am waiting for the police report and also waiting for the incident report from Rivian, which has an on-board log of events. I don't know why the cruise control engaged at such a high speed, rather than at the posted speed limit, but this appears to be a known flaw with Rivian's cruise control that I was not aware of. The cruise control and software are available for inspection by NHTSA. There is also an active recall on this vehicle that I was aware of but had been unable to schedule for service yet b/c it required shipping the truck to [XXX] on a barge. I had only had the truck on island for a little more than a month. From previous operations I had no reason to believe that the cruise control was faulty. It is possible that the recall issue may have been a contributing factor to the crash but I don't know b/c the vehicle has not been inspected yet by Rivian. They have scheduled an adjuster to come on April 14. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2025 Rivian R1T. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH on a local road, the driver’s side charging port door detached from the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local service center but was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 800.

2022 Rivian R1T, VIN [XXX] . Recurring suspension defects since delivery June 2022, documented across 18 service visits over 3.5 years. Rivian performed multiple repairs including Gen 2 suspension component replacement. This defect has never been permanently resolved. On July 11, 2025, El Segundo service center [XXX] ) repaired the front end lowering in standard parking mode — causing the vehicle to sit unlevel and knock the tires out of alignment when driving off. They repaired the suspension and corrected the alignment. In August 2025 a related defect appeared: when exiting camp leveling mode, the vehicle does not return to drive height. Instead it behaves as though still entering camp mode, forcing a slow drive-away during which the vehicle behaves erratically, knocking tires out of alignment — the same mechanism as the July parking mode issue. I reported this to Rivian in fall 2025. Despite scheduling three appointments — January 21, February 10, and March 14, 2026 — El Segundo failed to complete service all three times due to inability to provide a promised loaner vehicle. Suspension unserviced since July 11, 2025 — 9 months. On March 31, 2026 I filmed the front end lowering in parking mode recurring — same defect supposedly repaired July 2025. Vehicle self-leveled when I manually raised the suspension, but recurrence after a Rivian repair attempt is a safety concern. Video dated March 31, 2026 available. Service appointment also deleted from Rivian app March 14, 2026 including active recall remedies FSAM-1795 and FSAM-1794 — addressed in separately filed NHTSA complaint. Surviving record altered by Rivian Service to state ride height appears normal before any inspection, contradicting my report and app video submitted January 2, 2026 at 9:34am. Formal complaint delivered to Rivian CEO via USPS Certified Mail March 18, 2026. No substantive response as of April 1, 2026. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

2022 Rivian R1T, VIN [XXX] . On March 14, 2026, my service appointment at El Segundo Rivian service center [XXX] ) was deleted from the Rivian app along with all service requests and a timestamped customer message thread documenting my visit that day. Deleted items included active recall remedies FSAM-1795 (seat belt retractor bolts improperly torqued, NHTSA notification mailed ~March 9, 2026) and FSAM-1794 / NHTSA 26V003 (rear toe link improper reassembly, risk of joint separation while driving, notification mailed ~February 24, 2026), plus tire rotation, windshield replacement, and suspension repair. Both recalls were issued within 3 weeks of the deletion. This was the third of three consecutive failed appointments — all failed because El Segundo could not provide a promised loaner vehicle (January 21, February 10, March 14, 2026). The only surviving record [XXX] ) was altered by Rivian Service — they inserted the statement that ride height appears to be as expected and does not show variance before any inspection, directly contradicting my written report and a video I submitted through the Rivian app on January 2, 2026 at 9:34am documenting the defect. Rivian also added an all-caps requirement to replicate the issue on a test drive prior to intake despite existing written and video documentation. Rivian has a federal obligation to complete FSAM-1795 and FSAM-1794. Neither has been reinstated as of April 1, 2026. Formal complaint delivered to Rivian CEO via USPS Certified Mail March 18, 2026. Only response was a generic form letter (Inquiry #xxx) stating matter appears resolved. See also separately filed NHTSA complaint re suspension defect, same VIN. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident Overview: In late February 2026, at approximately 114,000 miles, this 2022 Rivian R1T suffered a comprehensive failure of its kinetic (hydraulic) suspension system. The failure occurred during normal on-road operation at approximately 60 mph in temperate (60F) conditions. The vehicle has no history of off-road use or heavy hauling. Safety Risk & Critical Failure Mode: The suspension is a safety-critical system essential for vehicle stability, emergency braking, and predictable handling. A loss of hydraulic integrity in this system directly compromises the vehicle’s ability to maintain ride height and damping control. High-Speed Exposure: The initial failure manifested while traveling at 60 mph. Although a warning lamp was triggered, the vehicle’s functional safety logic failed to initiate a "limp mode" or restricted speed state. This allowed the 7,000lb vehicle to continue at highway speeds with a compromised high-pressure hydraulic circuit, posing an unreasonable risk of loss of control. Lack of System Redundancy: A localized hydraulic leak resulted in a cascading collapse of the entire architecture. Per the 10,662 service estimate, the repair requires replacing the front and rear dampers, hydraulic pump, manifold, and all fluid lines. This suggests a design-level vulnerability where a single-point failure in the hydraulic circuit necessitates a total system overhaul, indicating a lack of modularity or redundancy. Safety Protocol Gap: After diagnosing the leak, the authorized service center deferred to my personal judgment regarding operational safety. This forced an untrained consumer to make a critical safety determination on a high-pressure system while the vehicle remained capable of full highway speeds. Technical Confirmation: An authorized Rivian service center confirmed the failure on March 3, 2026, and determined a full system-wide replacement is required. All components are available for inspection. No prior warnings or symptoms were presen

The half shaft axel on My Rivian R1T broke in under 6000K miles. Rivian tried hard to deny it, but did finally concede and fix it. But upon return there is still something wrong with the drive train.

The vehicle experienced a failure of the air suspension system, initially presenting with warnings indicating the vehicle was raising and advising not to drive to avoid damage. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle became visibly uneven, tilting approximately 2–3 inches to the driver side. I took the vehicle to Rivian service, where they confirmed the air suspension had failed. The repair was not covered under warranty, so I initially declined service while attempting to escalate the issue. During this time, the condition worsened significantly, with the vehicle continuing to tilt and the suspension actively lowering while driving. On multiple occasions, the vehicle became unstable and began bouncing uncontrollably, making it difficult to steer and maintain control, creating a serious safety risk and potential for collision. The issue was ongoing and reproducible. I ultimately proceeded with the repair and had the suspension system replaced; however, following the repair, the vehicle is now tilting in the opposite direction (passenger side), indicating a continued or recurring failure. The vehicle is available for inspection, and a follow-up service appointment is scheduled. The cause appears to be a failure of the air suspension system and/or improper repair, though the exact root cause is unknown.

No changes to the car happened before the airbag system went out.

My vehicle is subject to an active safety recall involving a rear toe bolt that Rivian has identified as potentially shearing and causing loss of vehicle control and a crash. I am located in Ketchikan, Alaska. Rivian does not offer mobile or field service for this recall and requires the vehicle to be transported to either Anchorage or Seattle for repair. Transport to Anchorage is not possible, and while transport to Seattle is possible, there is no viable or predictable way to return the vehicle to my location, potentially leaving me without my primary vehicle for several months. Rivian has stated they will not cover transport and has not provided a feasible alternative. This leaves me without reasonable access to a safety recall remedy and effectively requires me to either operate a vehicle with a known safety defect or surrender it indefinitely. I am reporting this as a lack of reasonable access to a safety recall repair.