My son used the R2 emergency door handle release for the first time yesterday.

[Dark-Fx]

For the record, I don't typically have the child locks on and didn't yesterday.

He's 6, generally now able to get out of the car on his own, so when we get home, he does just that.

Yesterday he was lollygagging for some reason, and the car locked him in. He said the button didn't work to get out, so he opened the panel and pulled on the cord. I was in the process of walking back to the car when he opened the door, still locked.

So yeah, those releases are pretty easy. Teach your child to use them, they've got better memories than we give them credit for sometimes.

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[windblowlc]

For the record, I don't typically have the child locks on and didn't yesterday.

He's 6, generally now able to get out of the car on his own, so when we get home, he does just that.

Yesterday he was lollygagging for some reason, and the car locked him in. He said the button didn't work to get out, so he opened the panel and pulled on the cord. I was in the process of walking back to the car when he opened the door, still locked.

So yeah, those releases are pretty easy. Teach your child to use them, they've got better memories than we give them credit for sometimes.

Smart and handy kid

 

[VandalSibs]

I'm trying to remember if they are one-use only, or if they 'reset'. I thought I read something saying that since they are technically emergency releases that they were single-use.

 

[Dark-Fx]

I'm trying to remember if they are one-use only, or if they 'reset'. I thought I read something saying that since they are technically emergency releases that they were single-use.

The R2 ones are designed to be put back into place pretty easily, nothing breaks from using it. I haven't used the one in my R1S because of the rumor that the panel clips might break.

 

[R2dreamer]

Hopefully kids cannot do this while the car is in gear?!

 

[Dark-Fx]

Hopefully kids cannot do this while the car is in gear?!

The emergency release works 100% of the time. It's why it's somewhat hidden. A child can't reach it from a normal seated situation.

 

[Zevo]

They aren't emergency releases. Rivian calls them "service releases" since they are designed to allow for a door to be opened when all power or multiple systems have failed. Their 'emergency door' situation is the redundant power routing and automatic unlocking after a collision (based I'm assuming on the logic that if all that has failed the door likely can't be physically opened anyway as it is crushed). My understanding is also that the service latches open the door no matter what. Locked/unlocked, parked or driving 80 mph. Hence why I'm glad they aren't just sitting out in the open where they can be used easily.

And yes, thinking through likely scenarios I'd much rather have electronic door openers with a hidden manual release, so I'm fine with all of this.

 

[Joe Hoffman]

Can you have your six-year-old stop by my house, I’m having trouble opening a jar of sauce.

 

[Millbarge]

Hopefully kids cannot do this while the car is in gear?!

could they even reach them belted into a booster seat?

 

[Mellowyellow]

Is it like the fire alarms at school that stain your hand if you pull them?

 

[Mos Eisley]

The emergency release works 100% of the time. It's why it's somewhat hidden. A child can't reach it from a normal seated situation.

Not true:

 

[Dark-Fx]

Not true:

Yes true, that's describing the e-latches, which is activated from the button. The very last line in that screenshot is the only thing that's talking about the manual service release. Their technical writers need to revisit this section.

 

[emroch]

E-for-electronic-latch, not E-for-emergency-latch. I catch myself making the same mistake when I read E-latch and have to remind myself it's not for "emergency".

 

[Mos Eisley]

Yes true, that's describing the e-latches, which is activated from the button. The very last line in that screenshot is the only thing that's talking about the manual service release. Their technical writers need to revisit this section.

Yup- I get that. FWIW a rep at the Rivian store says that applies the the service release too. That the doors cannot be opened by "any" method if the car is moving or if the redundant power is still being supplied.

 

[Zevo]

I'm surprised at that rep because as far as I know, Gen 2 is entirely electronic latches, which means there likely isn't really even a 'lock' in how people would normally think of it. Someone please correct me if they have direct first hand knowledge, but the lock is in software. Basically when any of the handles (inside or out) push their actuator button, the car decides if it should open the door for that or not. Which means that the service latch by definition bypasses that because it just physically moves the mechanical latch directly.

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