Master Thread: Suspension Sounds - What is and isn't normal?

[Electrified Outdoors]

Aside from the Gen2 R1S I drove....and I would like to spend more time with one of those before making a form conclusion...I have driven numerous other Gen1 R1T and R1S vehicles. Every single one made some suspension noise on the roads I drove regularly.

Some of them made more noise than others and at different times but they all made some noise.

I have noticed certain things that can reproduce noise in Gen1:

1) washboard road surfaces.
2) taking on bumps/expansion joints at certain angles
3) hitting dips at higher speed where the suspension reaches maximum amount of up/down travel.

As far as I can tell it is not a safety issue...just a very annoying design issue with the suspension/axles/sound insulation.

If you have the noise you should still get it checked out. Have them when the front end components are torqued to specs.

Agree at this price point one should expect better. I choose to look at it as these are trucks and adventure vehicles. The Rivian to me feels like a cross between an old Jeep and a high tech "computer on wheels". The noise I attribute to the old Jeep part. ?

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[dleepnw]

OK, I found grease leaking from the CV boot/joint area. its only on the front left wheel, other 3 wheels are dry. the clicking i've been hearing coming from the front left of the vehicle is likely related to this. i have a service appt in mid Sept and ive added this detail. seems like i may need the CV boot repaired or the CV joint replaced.

 

[Jonger1150]

Aside from the Gen2 R1S I drove....and I would like to spend more time with one of those before making a form conclusion...I have driven numerous other Gen1 R1T and R1S vehicles. Every single one made some suspension noise on the roads I drove regularly.

Some of them made more noise than others and at different times but they all made some noise.

I have noticed certain things that can reproduce noise in Gen1:

1) washboard road surfaces.
2) taking on bumps/expansion joints at certain angles
3) hitting dips at higher speed where the suspension reaches maximum amount of up/down travel.

As far as I can tell it is not a safety issue...just a very annoying design issue with the suspension/axles/sound insulation.

If you have the noise you should still get it checked out. Have them when the front end components are torqued to specs.

Agree at this price point one should expect better. I choose to look at it as these are trucks and adventure vehicles. The Rivian to me feels like a cross between an old Jeep and a high tech "computer on wheels". The noise I attribute to the old Jeep part. ?

Does the Gen 2 make much noise? The chatter noise at low speed. That's supposedly fixable with updated dampers, but the SC might call it normal... because it is normal for original dampers.

 

[Electrified Outdoors]

Does the Gen 2 make much noise? The chatter noise at low speed. That's supposedly fixable with updated dampers, but the SC might call it normal... because it is normal for original dampers.

Nope not suspension noise. Normal road noises. I would like to drive it for a full 24 hours though as that would allow me to compare it to our Gen1 on the same routes/roads we typically drive.

 

[Jonger1150]

Nope not suspension noise. Normal road noises. I would like to drive it for a full 24 hours though as that would allow me to compare it to our Gen1 on the same routes/roads we typically drive.

Well, at least I have that to look forward in 33 months. Hopefully we have a gen 3 by that time.

I had my jounce lines replaced, next I'll shoot for the new damper retrofits.

 

[computertom]

Nope not suspension noise. Normal road noises. I would like to drive it for a full 24 hours though as that would allow me to compare it to our Gen1 on the same routes/roads we typically drive.

Any more feedback on suspension noise from your Gen2? I sold my Gen1 and miss it. So great, except the suspension noise. Would love to get back in one, but no way I’m coming back if that front end still sounds like a clapped out high school kids Buick.

Thanks!

 

[Electrified Outdoors]

Any more feedback on suspension noise from your Gen2? I sold my Gen1 and miss it. So great, except the suspension noise. Would love to get back in one, but no way I’m coming back if that front end still sounds like a clapped out high school kids Buick.

Thanks!

I don’t have a gen2 unfortunately. I had about an hour with a Gen2 DMP Max pack. I would like to do further testing.

my gen1 T was pretty quiet originally. The only thing it had was the squeaking noise over washboard road surfaces.

I have about 21k on it now and I would say the sound started around 8k but was barely noticeable. Now it sounds like the driver front wheel is going to come off. It feels like something is loose under the truck.

if it’s a sound that develops with time we will likely need to wait a while for Gen2 and see if any of them develop it.

Every gen1 R1T and S has made some amount of noise in different scenarios. My T noise is not normal and I have a service appt in early December to address it.

our second R1S has about 8k on it and has noise over certain bump which is the classic noise I have heard from all of them. It’s intermittent and only happens in certain scenarios.

I have driven about 10 different vehicles over the last two years a mix of T and S. Some noise in these vehicles is normal which makes it complicated to address a noise that is abnormal.

 

[md2023]

I have lots of clicking in the rear suspension, in particular when first driving. I also have a 'ting' spring-like sound when I first get in the truck. No idea what it is, but it comes from the rear of the truck.
Started hearing and feeling the slight creaking (more in the pedal) when first slowly accelerating and when coming slowly to stop.
I have an appointment in about a month.

 

[sherold]

I have lots of clicking in the rear suspension, in particular when first driving. I also have a 'ting' spring-like sound when I first get in the truck. No idea what it is, but it comes from the rear of the truck.
Started hearing and feeling the slight creaking (more in the pedal) when first slowly accelerating and when coming slowly to stop.
I have an appointment in about a month.

The clicking and "ting" like noise is likely a valve/s actuating to fill or release air in the suspension. This is to reset the suspension back to the defined position. There is also usually a hiss of air that accompanies this and you can also sometimes see and feel the truck change suspension levels. I hear this usually every time I go to use the truck after its been sitting for several hours.

Depending on your location, typically ambient temps constantly change throughout the day which changes the air pressure in the suspension system and, the vehicle will make and adjustment for this if it detects the level is not where it is set to be.

 

[md2023]

The clicking and "ting" like noise is likely a valve/s actuating to fill or release air in the suspension. This is to reset the suspension back to the defined position. There is also usually a hiss of air that accompanies this and you can also sometimes see and feel the truck change suspension levels. I hear this usually every time I go to use the truck after its been sitting for several hours.

Depending on your location, typically ambient temps constantly change throughout the day which changes the air pressure in the suspension system and, the vehicle will make and adjustment for this if it detects the level is not where it is set to be.

Thanks! I appreciate the response. It sounds like something that is not out of the ordinary. I don't hear the hiss of air but the truck does change/reset the suspension level/height. I was worried that perhaps there was a leak or some other malfunction (I keep the suspension set and not on auto).

 

[sherold]

The suspension is air. No fluid, not hydraulic. If you hear fluid in the system, you've got big problems. Just sayin'....

you're right. the suspension is air and the roll control is hydraulic. i seperated those two. thanks

The suspension is both pneumatic AND hydraulic. Air springs and hydraulic dampers.

The dampers provide shock absorption, and in the dynamic system on the R1, they also are able to adjust flow rates to change the handling characteristics such as stiffness, roll, pitch, etc. It is not abnormal to hear the hydraulic fluid moving through the lines and valves as you travel over larger bumps at low speed. That said, it would be nice if this was dampened enough so that its not heard in the cab.

 

[jebinc]

Hello all. Hoping to get some thoughts on my G1 2022 R1T suspension noise -

I hear clanking (sounds like a loose shock or linkage) on the driver’s side rear (I think). It is most noticeable when on a washboard road surfaces - even more so when the suspension is set on the firmer settings (not soft), or when passing through certain dips. What would likely be the cause and Rivian response/fix? I still trying to get an appointment as the app shows none available.

 

[krb1183]

I don’t have a gen2 unfortunately. I had about an hour with a Gen2 DMP Max pack. I would like to do further testing.

my gen1 T was pretty quiet originally. The only thing it had was the squeaking noise over washboard road surfaces.

I have about 21k on it now and I would say the sound started around 8k but was barely noticeable. Now it sounds like the driver front wheel is going to come off. It feels like something is loose under the truck.

if it’s a sound that develops with time we will likely need to wait a while for Gen2 and see if any of them develop it.

Every gen1 R1T and S has made some amount of noise in different scenarios. My T noise is not normal and I have a service appt in early December to address it.

our second R1S has about 8k on it and has noise over certain bump which is the classic noise I have heard from all of them. It’s intermittent and only happens in certain scenarios.

I have driven about 10 different vehicles over the last two years a mix of T and S. Some noise in these vehicles is normal which makes it complicated to address a noise that is abnormal.

I have a Gen 2 R1S DMP max with A/T package. I haven't noticed any noises at all, outside of a light hum of the air compressor when adjusting ride height. I brought it up to my SC in Franklin Friday to a have a front radar sensor replaced, as i was getting a notice to 'check front radars'. Riv remotely diagnosed as a hardware fault so brought it up to have it fixed. Now i have a early Gen1 R1T launch edition loan, and it does make more noise, but nothing i find overly alarming...but maybe that's just because i know it's just a loaner.

 

[dleepnw]

OK, I found grease leaking from the CV boot/joint area. its only on the front left wheel, other 3 wheels are dry. the clicking i've been hearing coming from the front left of the vehicle is likely related to this. i have a service appt in mid Sept and ive added this detail. seems like i may need the CV boot repaired or the CV joint replaced.

UPDATE: Rivian service replaced both half-shafts and the click/creak sound is gone. not sure why they replaced the right side since i didn't submit a ticket for that but maybe they found an issue there too.

 

[Jonger1150]

Any more feedback on suspension noise from your Gen2? I sold my Gen1 and miss it. So great, except the suspension noise. Would love to get back in one, but no way I’m coming back if that front end still sounds like a clapped out high school kids Buick.

Thanks!

The single drawback to this vehicle. Just like you, when my lease is up in 32 months I'll only go with a new one if that half-shaft clunk is reengineered. It's the half shaft that's responsible for all of this.

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