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Cabin heating expectations

GA_Rivian

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Recently drove 65 mi to town in -10F or so weather, returned in zero weather. Had cabin temp set to 69F, tried fan 3-dots up to 6-dots. No back cabin heat, both front seats at 1-dot, steering wheel on. Side vents, center vents, and foot vents open and pointing more or less at driver/passenger. Defrost periodically on.

I don't know what the actual cabin temp was (not pre-heated), but I'm guessing it never got much above 40-45F. The palms of my hands on the wheel were warm, and the backs were uncomfortably cold. The only way to get my hands warm was to put them under my legs or behind my back. My feet were cold the whole time.

I was wearing a wool t-shirt, wool shirt, a wool vest, and flannel-lined jeans.

Is there something wrong with my heating system, or is this just poor design? Where is the heating element and the thermostat located? It feels like the actual heater is a long way from the ports, and all the heat is being lost heating the vehicle, not the cabin.
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smunro622

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What I know hopefully helps here...this is what I have found on my gen 1 R1S and talking to local SC

Open your Rivian app and under climate fund the actual cabin temp, if temp only needs to raise 10-12 degrees or less it does this very slowly to maintain/preserve battery. If temps are more it puts out more heat but unsure what that term means, of I want heat to "blast" I plug in and preheat and check the box draw from charger. Also this is why when DCFC or L2 charging the heat just blows super hot. All I am told there is some mysterious magical formula or algorithm on how the heat works to conserve battery. Living in MI I have 3 or 4 preheats a day while plugged in, and heat to 80 degrees and also runs the seat heaters also.
 

sub

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Recently drove 65 mi to town in -10F or so weather, returned in zero weather. Had cabin temp set to 69F, tried fan 3-dots up to 6-dots. No back cabin heat, both front seats at 1-dot, steering wheel on. Side vents, center vents, and foot vents open and pointing more or less at driver/passenger. Defrost periodically on.

I don't know what the actual cabin temp was (not pre-heated), but I'm guessing it never got much above 40-45F. The palms of my hands on the wheel were warm, and the backs were uncomfortably cold. The only way to get my hands warm was to put them under my legs or behind my back. My feet were cold the whole time.

I was wearing a wool t-shirt, wool shirt, a wool vest, and flannel-lined jeans.

Is there something wrong with my heating system, or is this just poor design? Where is the heating element and the thermostat located? It feels like the actual heater is a long way from the ports, and all the heat is being lost heating the vehicle, not the cabin.
Poor software design. You have to push it to HIGH to get it working hard.

When set to 69, it seems like it is trying to have the air coming out of the vents be 69 which isn't enough heat to ever get the entire cabin up to temperature. What it should do is blow >90 degree air until the cabin is 69, and then start blowing 69 degree air. But that doesn't seem to be what Rivian has programmed it to do so you have to manually do it by setting it to high.
 
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Zoidz

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Try turning off the climate control system completely, wait a minute and turn back on, set Auto off, and set a manual temperature around 75. This "reset" has worked for me twice when it was blowing cold air.
 
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GA_Rivian

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When set to 69, it seems like it is trying to have the air coming out of the vents be 69 which isn't enough heat to ever get the entire cabin up to temperature. What it should do is blow >90 degree air until the cabin is 69, and then start blowing 69 degree air. But that doesn't seem to be what Rivian has programmed it to do so you have to manually do it by setting it to high.
Thanks. That's what I was thinking.
 

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Glembi2

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Try turning off the climate control system completely, wait a minute and turn back on, set Auto off, and set a manual temperature around 75. This "reset" has worked for me twice when it was blowing cold air.
?that is the only way for me to get the truck to heat or cool as desired. Turn the HVAC off then back on.
 

RivianRiverRat

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I started using the defrost icon (inside truck or thru app) to bring the interior up to temp and then change over to regular HVAC/fan control set at 73 degrees
I actually have to cycle the HVAC on longer drives
 

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I have found the auto setting to be a bit aggressive with the fan, I didn't like the way it operates. So I manually set the temperature high, fan medium, and then adjust it once, when the temp is right. Never have a problem.
 

Glembi2

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?that is the only way for me to get the truck to heat or cool as desired. Turn the HVAC off then back on.
My comment was a little harsh. The HVAC works fine when on auto. When my passengers try to control everything manually in the front passenger seat and the middle row to opposite extremes, the HVAC tries to meet everyone’s needs and goes bananas in the process.

That’s the context of my comment.
1. Lock everyone else out of the system
2. Turn off the HVAC
3. Turn the HVAC on and set to auto
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