PSA: Careful Parking on ANY Incline...

[RealBillNye]

Do all EVs only lock the back wheels?

All cars do this. The parking brake is only ever on the rear wheels. The difference is that with ICE vehicles typically you also have some gear train/engine resistance on the front wheels or a parking pawl on the driven wheels.

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[srnyoung]

I have a steep driveway as well, so now I'm a bit worried about this happening.

Curious for the experts - if you parked with the rear towards the house, would this change anything?

YES!
Transportation wonks call it "fancy" parking (and it's safer because you are looking at the street when you pull in) and it would likely have held since the locked wheels would have been on a flat surface at the top of the driveway.

 

[Rivian_Hugh_III]

I disagree with those who say this isn’t a Rivian problem. Rivian should definitely offer a way or invent a way to lock all four wheels in park. With children around and the vehicle being heavy, expensive, and a "adventure vehicle" this tendency should be addressed.

I’m especially not convinced by the argument that others vehicles do this too. Rivian was designed from the ground up to be he best truck on earth. Let’s ask the best truck designers in the world if they can think of a solution to this issue. I bet they can think of ten such solutions before breakfast.

Finally, I wonder if a small speed bump on the driveway would help. Even something one inch high that is well anchored on the driveway might stop the truck when it’s rolling so slowly.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

I have a solution for everyone. Rivian doesn't even have to do anything, it's a neat invention called road salt. Carry a bag in your car, put a bag in your garage. Then when you park stop short. Get out, take this new fangled salt stuff and put it under the spots of the tires where you plan on parking. Then pull forward and park over the top of the salt. For extra credit now put a little salt behind all 4 tires.

This will never happen again now.

 

[genepopemt]

most cars only put the parking brake on one end, usually the rear. What happened there had nothing to do with TVs or the Rivian, any car could have done the same thing. (look for ice, look at what tires you are using, etc. Rivian is doing enough crap that they don't need to be called out on things that could happen to any car.

 

[a76marine]

Different incident? Reported by autoweek 2/17/2023

“An owner in Seattle told NHTSA that the R1T, in the “park” position, started moving backwards down a moderate slope. “I was able to reproduce this effect multiple times on similar slopes that day,” the owner said.”

https://www.autoweek.com/news/a42940161/lucid-and-rivian-ev-owners-reporting-problems/

Yes, different incident as I'm in Chicagoland. Interesting that they took it to the NHTSA though.

 

[jbronkoR1T]

Interesting that nobody has mentioned these (although someone mentioned using firewood or something like that).

IC-10 Ice Wheel Chock, 9-1/4" Height x 8" Width x 10-1/2" Length https://a.co/d/hbhrnms

I just bought two of them after seeing this video b/c I've been terrified of ice and snow after seeing some posts on these forums. I have a very (VERY) steep driveway and it leads directly into a retaining wall. I also bough Nokian snow tires. Ironically we have had no snow this year at all. But now I'm ready!

I presume I would put these two in front of the front wheels if it's downhill forward?

I should also note, a few times I've parked on the driveway, the truck has warned me about parking on grades.

 

[yizzung]

I just bought two of them after seeing this video b/c I've been terrified of ice and snow after seeing some posts on these forums. I have a very (VERY) steep driveway and it leads directly into a retaining wall. I also bough Nokian snow tires. Ironically we have had no snow this year at all. But now I'm ready!

I presume I would put these two in front of the front wheels if it's downhill forward?

I should also note, a few times I've parked on the driveway, the truck has warned me about parking on grades.

This is what the internet told me but some websites said to use four if you can. I’m definitely not an expert on these.

 

[SciGuy]

Here’s a clip of a Model Y doing the same thing. Clip from Wham Baam Teslacam

 

[CharonPDX]

I disagree with those who say this isn’t a Rivian problem. Rivian should definitely offer a way or invent a way to lock all four wheels in park. With children around and the vehicle being heavy, expensive, and a "adventure vehicle" this tendency should be addressed.

I’m especially not convinced by the argument that others vehicles do this too. Rivian was designed from the ground up to be he best truck on earth. Let’s ask the best truck designers in the world if they can think of a solution to this issue. I bet they can think of ten such solutions before breakfast.

Finally, I wonder if a small speed bump on the driveway would help. Even something one inch high that is well anchored on the driveway might stop the truck when it’s rolling so slowly.

I've seen posts on Reddit in just about every car subreddit of this happening to many other brands.

Yes, the fact that is a "known to happen" thing, it would be great if carmakers found a way to make this less likely to happen - but depending on the conditions, it will happen even if all four wheels are locked.

 

[PowerBugs]

I believe the parking brake is on the rear tires and automatically turns on when you put the car in park. If you look close enough, the front tires roll but the back tires slide on the snow.



Car was locked, but a combination of the snow and weight of the vehicle on the incline appear to have been more than physics could withstand.

I did report it to Rivian, but I don't think it's totally the truck's fault. I just need to know how to get a new charger cable.

Parking break is only on the rear.
If you Jack up to change your rear tire, the manual says to chock the front wheel to prevent accidental rolling.

 

[AlpMan]

I disagree with those who say this isn’t a Rivian problem. Rivian should definitely offer a way or invent a way to lock all four wheels in park. With children around and the vehicle being heavy, expensive, and a "adventure vehicle" this tendency should be addressed.

I’m especially not convinced by the argument that others vehicles do this too. Rivian was designed from the ground up to be he best truck on earth. Let’s ask the best truck designers in the world if they can think of a solution to this issue. I bet they can think of ten such solutions before breakfast.

Finally, I wonder if a small speed bump on the driveway would help. Even something one inch high that is well anchored on the driveway might stop the truck when it’s rolling so slowly.

I'm sorry I disagree. While it would be awesome for Rivian to develop a way to lock all 4 wheels; this is not a "Rivian problem". My 4Runner is exactly the same way. Its RWD (unless I specifically put it in 4WD) and parking brake and "P" only locks the rear wheels. Same would be true with most trucks and body on frame SUV's unless they have AWD.

 

[Count Orlok]

scary but could happen with a lot of vehicles. user error as much as a Rivian problem.

 

[CascadianApe]

Was it on? Parking brake? With the wheels rolling like that it looked like it hadn't actually been put in park.

Vehicle goes into park automatically when you leave the driver seat.

 

[CascadianApe]

Mine did this in the snow as well back in December. Parked walked about 3 feet and the truck slid back down the driveway. Removed the dusting of snow that was on the Driveway at the time and parked it again. 30 minutes later it rolled backwards again about 6 feet. Did this a total of 3 times. Parking was engaged and it has only ever done this in sub 30F temps for myself.

I've also got a major issue of brakes not disengaging when going into reverse. Had the brakes drag last night actually. Could hear the car fighting with the braking system.

I got the "normal" Rivian response at this point "that's normal" just like my changing steering geometry and my clunk/bangs in the front end are "normal"................

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