[Un-Resolved again!] Why am I doing this to myself - long time Rivian customer close to giving up.

[Ngkgb]

I’m a fan of Rivian, own stocks, and want them to succeed. I, however, am also reaching my whits end, mostly due to service. My truck has been to the service centers multiple times for various issues. The most egregious of which is poor alignment. The Costa Mesa service center “fixed” it numerous times but it wasn’t until I took it to the Lake Forest service center that they finally changed the subframe, which was the culprit. Even then, when I picked it up, the truck was undrivable since they didn’t do an alignment after changing the subframe, so I had to bring it back the same day. It was finally fixed, but my truck has been in service every month for at least the last 5 months. Now it’s going to have to back again Teusday since mobile service couldn’t fix my passenger seat that doesn’t recline. Very frustrating. One of my best friends is looking to buy an EV after his Tesla got totaled, but Rivians are off the table after he’s seen what I’m dealing with. Honestly, I can’t blame him and wouldn’t currently recommend one to a friend. The service and QI have to improve.

On a positive note, they gave me a Rivian hoodie for free and I must say it is the most comfortable and warm hoodie I Own.

edit for grammar

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[portdirect]

@CANCERDOC Sorry, I missed the second part of your post the first time I read it. A seatbelt nonfunctional at delivery is honestly mind-blowing, I find it amazing Rivian would hand over a new vehicle like that, even after my experiences. It’s even scarier that we’re both talking about with failures in safety systems. Minor cosmetic defects or paint flaws are one thing; but when a seatbelt, braking or driver assistance system is acting up, it crosses a line no vehicle should cross within the first 500 miles—let alone right off the lot—especially one marketed on its safety and a commitment to families and kids.

Your buyback situation sounds uncomfortably close to mine. Though one (hollow) bit of luck you had was a compressed timeline, this ordeal has devoured so much of my time and patience. It’s alarming how fast things can escalate, and once they start tearing into the truck to “fix” things, it’s like a domino effect. The more parts they replace or adjust, the more chances there are for new problems to crop up. It’s exhausting and, frankly, unacceptable.

 

[portdirect]

I’m a fan of Rivian, own stocks, and want them to succeed. I, however, am also reaching my whits end, mostly due to service. My truck has been to the service centers multiple times for various issues. The most egregious of which is poor alignment. The Costa Mesa service center “fixed” it numerous times but it wasn’t until I took it to the Lake Forest service center that they finally changed the subframe, which was the culprit. Even then, when I picked it up, the truck was undrivable since they didn’t do an alignment after changing the subframe, so I had to bring it back the same day. It was finally fixed, but my truck has been in service every month for at least the last 5 months. Now it’s going to have to back again Teusday since mobile service couldn’t fix my passenger seat that doesn’t recline. Very frustrating. One of my best friends is looking to buy an EV after his Tesla got totaled, but Rivians are off the table after he’s seen what I’m dealing with. Honestly, I can’t blame him and wouldn’t currently recommend one to a friend. The service and QI have to improve.

On a positive note, they gave me a Rivian hoodie for free and I must say it is the most comfortable and warm hoodie I Own.

edit for grammar

That sucks. I read your post and can definitely empathize—it really seems like there’s a potentially systemic QC issue, especially in service, and it’s costing them both customer confidence and money. I’m no fan of the typical “cult-like” management buzzwords, but it feels like someone at Rivian should at least read the Wikipedia pages on Kaizen and Six Sigma.

I’m still waiting on my T-shirt at the end of all this

 

[Ngkgb]

That sucks. I read your post and can definitely empathize—it really seems like there’s a potentially systemic QC issue, especially in service, and it’s costing them both customer confidence and money. I’m no fan of the typical “cult-like” management buzzwords, but it feels like someone at Rivian should at least read the Wikipedia pages on Kaizen and Six Sigma.

I’m still waiting on my T-shirt at the end of all this

The reason I got he sweater was because they took off some trim pieces and just left them in the trunk. If I didn’t open the frunk before leaving it would be a while before I noticed.

 

[Electrified Outdoors]

I don't think USB power has been resolved yet has it? Its giving the s00nish folks issues still, I'm watching pretty closely as their chargers are great in our gen1 and the factory gen2 charger is really only marginally better than the gen1 was.

Good to hear from another person who went through a buy-back though, I assume you got a replacement R1S and things were good after then?

Been good except for a recent deer hit…but that’s not a Rivian issue. We have put 19k on the replacement R1S since May 2024. The 2023 only had about 14k on it.

It's not fixed. The just fixed the part that was causing very frequent resets. It still doesn't negotiate power correctly.

I’m sorry to hear this. Wassym had said it was corrected in an update and I saw release notes a couple updates back and assumed it was fixed. Sounds like partial fix …hopefully the software team can get it resolved soon.

 

[adatel]

Really tough experience for the OP. I think I would have given up in his shoes.

Manufacturing (hardware and software build) is hard but can be improved. It is always a balance of cost and resources and when in startup mode that is even harder since you need to scale and also continue to evolve and differentiate your product.

There still seems to be a lot of variability in quality of outcome/build.

We should all recall that there is a selection bias in what gets discussed in any forum: more (rightly) frustrated people will post proportionally for understandable reasons.

I am at 3500 miles in my Gen2 R1S Perf Dual Max and never been to a SC, three soft resets and one hard. That’s all. Love the drive, love the updates, love the range even in cold weather, and I love accelerating up mountains and passing everything. And in snow 22” Pirellis are fine; when they wear out will switch out to Michelins like my Benz had. Very happy to have ditched my MB GL450 that at 100K miles was costing me $10-15K/year just to service.

Again, YMMV.

 

[portdirect]

Really tough experience for the OP. I think I would have given up in his shoes.

Manufacturing (hardware and software build) is hard but can be improved. It is always a balance of cost and resources and when in startup mode that is even harder since you need to scale and also continue to evolve and differentiate your product.

There still seems to be a lot of variability in quality of outcome/build.

We should all recall that there is a selection bias in what gets discussed in any forum: more (rightly) frustrated people will post proportionally for understandable reasons.

I am at 3500 miles in my Gen2 R1S Perf Dual Max and never been to a SC, three soft resets and one hard. That’s all. Love the drive, love the updates, love the range even in cold weather, and I love accelerating up mountains and passing everything. And in snow 22” Pirellis are fine; when they wear out will switch out to Michelins like my Benz had. Very happy to have ditched my MB GL450 that at 100K miles was costing me $10-15K/year just to service.

Again, YMMV.

You are spot on about the selection bias, @adatel: I haven’t posted much about our R1S because there’s simply nothing to complain about—that vehicle (so far) demonstrates that Rivian can build something truly amazing. That contrast makes these experiences all the more frustrating: how can one R1 be rock-solid while another turns into a never-ending quality-control experiment, seemingly due to inconsistent attention to detail?

Our current track record seems to stand at roughly a one-in-three success ratio on these vehicles.

edit: removed irrelevant content

 

[ktray]

Expanding on this topic - I also have had significant service issues, ultimately resulting in a current buyback of my 2024 R1S gen 1. While I enjoy the vehicle, I am struggling to decide whether to commit to purchasing a second Rivian. I was ready to order a new Gen 2 R1T from the shop, but after reading this post I am questioning the decision. I have been in a Gen 1 loaner R1T for months, and I have enjoyed the vehicle. While I would like to order a new R1T, I fear that my first experience may not have been isolated. I am open to the collective wisdom of the forum - particularly any owners with previous buybacks - would you again purchase a 100k truck from Rivian based on your experience? Thanks for the input.

 

[EVfanboy]

Have you considered filing under Lemon Law?

 

[dl4060]

I haven't read through the entire thread, but I can't deny that the OP has certainly had a rough history.

I myself have had very good luck, for the most part.

I have a gen 1 quad/large that I got in May of 2023. I would have preferred a dual/max, we drive to Mammoth from Newport every other weekend in the winter so some extra range would be appreciated, but I can get by with the large pack.

The car has been absolutely incredible for me. The only issues I have had have been relatively minor. While the NAV is good, Alexa absolutely sucks. I have asked Alexa to take me to the closest RAN, and it has offered to take me to the one in Olancha (California, on the way to Mammoth) when I am in Colorado!!!

I have been lucky so far. I don't really know what to say to the OP, and I can certainly understand the frustration.

I am definiely a fan boi of the highest caliber. This is simply an incredible car. The only car I have liked better is the Nissan Pathfinder I drove in college, and for a number of years after. I drove it across the country before my sophmore year, and it accompanied me to Tahoe for a few years of postgrad skibumhood, then to grad school after. Even when I put on a corpo casual uniform and bought a BMW (I was in Newport and in a cubicle, so something of a requirement) I kept the Pathfinder as a mountain/beach car, it was 9 years only by then. I eneded up selling it to a buddy who needed a surf car about 18 years after I got it. Subjectively, nothing will ever top that car.

But I really love the R1T. My wife is not a fan, she would love an R1S, but it is truly a pleasure to drive. The gear tunnel allows me to store wetsuits/ski boots easily, it handles amazingly well, the acceleration is off the charts and it is just the right size. The cameras even make parallel parking for a Saturday session in Huntington or Newport somewhat tolerable.

The quality control with Rivian will keep on getting better. There are always going to be bugs early on. Let's hope everything goes a bit more smoothly for you.

 

[portdirect]

Expanding on this topic - I also have had significant service issues, ultimately resulting in a current buyback of my 2024 R1S gen 1. While I enjoy the vehicle, I am struggling to decide whether to commit to purchasing a second Rivian. I was ready to order a new Gen 2 R1T from the shop, but after reading this post I am questioning the decision. I have been in a Gen 1 loaner R1T for months, and I have enjoyed the vehicle. While I would like to order a new R1T, I fear that my first experience may not have been isolated. I am open to the collective wisdom of the forum - particularly any owners with previous buybacks - would you again purchase a 100k truck from Rivian based on your experience? Thanks for the input.

I’ve had one success (my Gen1 R1S is nearly flawless) and two disasters so far—that’s a 1-in-3 success ratio right now. We were planning on calling it a day with Rivian after our first R1T experience, but the buyback team laid it on thick with promises of a “press-level” inspection and a flawless replacement, so we stuck it out. Despite those assurances, the new R1T came loaded with QC and service issues that should’ve been caught by even the most cursory PDI. I’m honestly kicking myself for not just walking away then and telling Rivian to come back with another truck or give me my money back.

If you’re set on a new R1T, go in with eyes wide open. Rivian has a very small window to fix things for me or I’m done. I can’t offer a blanket recommendation—if, despite my experience, you decide to proceed, just be prepared for the worst and hope you land one of the good ones.

 

[EVfanboy]

I agree with most criticism. Had some panel issues. I kept my Mach E for this precise reason. I knew this nascent company will have lots of kinks. I have new found respect for Legacy automakers. Zero problems with Mach E. I’m on both forums - Rivian and Mach E. Lot more serious and trivial problems with Rivian. More complaints about Mach E ride quality. Also, if curious, please visit Lucid’s forums. Again lot less complaints about service center/ major or even minor issues. More complaints about User interface software. So Rivian better step up.

 

[Ngkgb]

I agree with most criticism. Had some panel issues. I kept my Mach E for this precise reason. I knew this nascent company will have lots of kinks. I have new found respect for Legacy automakers. Zero problems with Mach E. I’m on both forums - Rivian and Mach E. Lot more serious and trivial problems with Rivian. More complaints about Mach E ride quality. Also, if curious, please visit Lucid’s forums. Again lot less complaints about service center/ major or even minor issues. More complaints about User interface software. So Rivian better step up.

My wife has a Mach-E going on three years. Except for a wind noise issue and an occasional issue with CarPlay, it has been flawless. Will prob buy it out at the end of our ford options lease.

 

[portdirect]

Have you considered filing under Lemon Law?

In Missouri, the lemon-law protections don’t trigger until a vehicle has been in service for 30 working days during its first year—which excludes weekends and company holidays. That’s how my first R1T managed to rack up ~70 days in service before I finally pulled the rip-cord. With “Muffin,” it’s only officially at about eight working days so far, although if I hadn’t opted for on-site waits and mobile service to minimize downtime, it’d be closer to eleven. Right now, I’m keeping track because it’s looking like this might stretch on longer than anyone wants.

Updates From This Week
Confirmation of VIP level inspection
Rivian confirmed that my truck got a “VIP-level” inspection at the factory—the same scrutiny they’d give a truck for “RJ himself.” However, no such inspection was done at the Service Center, so they’re theorizing the misaligned doors and other issues might have arisen in transit. It’s still unclear whether the local SC is expected to run any kind of PDI at all. That realization makes me think that if you don’t do a thorough inspection yourself at delivery, nobody else will. I used to roll my eyes at folks bringing printed PDI checklists to pickup, but now I’m convinced they’re absolutely essential. We are effectively the last line of QC.

Front Camera / Highway Assist
The front camera module was replaced, and Highway Assist seems to be working fine again. If that holds, it’s a definite step in the right direction.

Startup Failure / Software Resets
A software team is helping the service center track down the repeated infotainment resets. They suspect USB interference, even though I’m only using a Samsung SSD and tried an Anker dual USB‑C charging cable—both common accessories. If such routine devices can disrupt essential vehicle functions, it raises bigger questions about firmware robustness - its frankly worrying that they suspect these devices to be the cause.

Braking Inconsistencies
Service couldn’t replicate the brake glitch, but they think it could be related to the same resets. A random near-full-stop from a light touch on the brake is unnerving in any car, but doubly so if ultimately triggered by a USB device (@Sojhinn - you should be aware of this if not already). I’ve done failure mode analysis on wind turbines and telecoms infrastructure, and from that perspective, it really feels like there’s a missing layer of fault tolerance here. Did they cut one too many ECU's in the shift to zonal architecture? ‘They’ make digital isolators for a reason.

Rattles & Noises
They claim the squeaks and rattles (in the passenger door and dash) have gone away. That’s great—if true—but I won’t know until I drive the truck again.

Charging Concerns
Not touched on here in detail previously as its not specific to my truck. When temps drop below about 50°F, the L2 charging rate falls off a cliff around 80% SOC, and then stair-steps down further as the SOC increases. Rivian says it’s “normal” for Gen2 hardware, and there’s no plan to match the more robust Gen1 charging behavior. That’s a real headache in Midwest winters if you count on off-peak charging. In retrospect, had I known about these permanent cold-weather limits, I might have refused the buyback/trade-in on my Gen1 altogether and just taken the money. I told myself that swapping torque vectoring, affirmative regen and good door handles for more range was worth it—but if the truck can’t effectively charge in the cold WHEN YOU NEED THE CAPACITY MOST, that’s a major drawback.

The Irony
There’s talk of Rivian unveiling a new Gen2 spec that closely mirrors our original R1T (yellowish quad - AKA "Bingo") right around the date of my next call with them, February 19. If “Muffin” keeps acting up and making me feel like a beta tester, I might push for an exchange—though I’m still annoyed that Rivian refused to let me hold out for the quad during the buyback on the grounds they “wanted to get me happily back on the road ASAP” (read: needed to move inventory before quarter’s end). At this point, I’m not sure how many more resets—literal or figurative—I’m willing to endure unless Rivian shows me they can fully restore my confidence in reliability and safety. I still hope I'm back on the road soon - and out of the forest green quad R1S with chipped windscreen that I've actually driven for two months over the last year or the blue R1T I had for a couple of weeks last fall .

 

[LL75]

man, that sucks. You must have patience of a saint !! Even though i'm a big rivian supporter and owner of two mostly troubles free Rivians, I would have gave up already if I'm in your shoes. One thing that I am glad, that both of my rivians are Gen 1.

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