Is there a way to manually open a powered tonneau?

[Hopper]

My Gen 2 R1T powered tonneau is saying “Object Detected” and refuses to open. Is there a way to manually open it? I need access to the pickup bed.

TIA!

Richard

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[Donald Stanfield]

In all seriousness, I think you need to disassemble it to open it manually. There is a calibration procedure a few people were doing on here for the gen 2, and the update that's being pushed out is supposed to have a fix for the tonneau issues.

 

[RivianRiverRat]

pages 356 thru 360 in the owners manual describe how to open/close with the button, app, main screen.
also describes the reset/calibration procedure with the button and main screen

 

[Hopper]

pages 356 thru 360 in the owners manual describe how to open/close with the button, app, main screen.
also describes the reset/calibration procedure with the button and main screen

Yes, the powered button is not working. I am looking for a way to mechanically open the cover.

 

[RivianRiverRat]

Yes, the powered button is not working. I am looking for a way to mechanically open the cover.

if the screen or button don't work you will probably have to have service look at it
in this thread a few had issues with the version software
a couple did hard resets to fix issue
Tonneau Cover Won’t Open | Page 2 | Rivian Forum - R1T R1S R2 R3 News, Specs, Models, RIVN Stock -- Rivianforums.com

 

[Hopper]

Hard and soft resets have not worked. I have an appointment to drive 4 hours to a service center where they will open it, but cannot guarantee that they will be able to do diagnostics on it that day. As it has been for 3 years of Rivian ownership - love the truck, but service is often painful.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Yes, the powered button is not working. I am looking for a way to mechanically open the cover.

No. It's a stacking design, of individual panels, not a scroll. There is nothing to crank on and pull the panels into the storage compartment. If the motor isn't turning on its own, you have no other means to motivate the PTC. If you can drop the tailgate, you can gain access to the bed without ever needing to even sneeze on the PTC. Cargo too far of a reach? crawl.

 

[Hopper]

Thanks. Obviously I know that I can drop the tailgate. I have items to move that are too large to fit under the cover.

 

[Chas60422]

Have you done the reset/calibration for the tonneau. 3 short presses then a long hold on the tonneua button?

 

[FamDocDon]

Hard reset plus tonneau reset (3 short presses + hold on the button) fixed mine. Seems to have been a bug introduced by the March update, supposedly fixed in the latest update.

 

[Hopper]

Hard reset plus tonneau reset (3 short presses + hold on the button) fixed mine. Seems to have been a bug introduced by the March update, supposedly fixed in the latest update.

The tonneau reset worked! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

 

[FamDocDon]

The tonneau reset worked! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Always glad to help a fellow fly fisherman!

 

[Johnus]

The 2025.10.30 update I installed today caused my powered tonneau cover to stop working as well. The tonneau reset procedure fixed it.

Still need to submit a ticket for it jamming occasionally after the first slat...

 

[Frankie]

I updated to version 2025.10.30 with my Gen 2 R1T (delivery in 9/24) and now my PTC is not working (closed; won’t open). I did soft reset and the a hard reset. Tried the 3 quick pushes and long hold on the button….and nothing. Called Rivian Service and am scheduled for mobile service ….for June 10. Getting “Object Detected” error message that has been reported before.
Hoping a future update might fix?

 

[Frankie]

Well, just did some more research on PTC issues here in the Forums (so helpful) and found that there is a specific methodology in how to manually reset the PTC. The 3 quick pushes need to be “really fast” followed by holding down the button until the PTC opens. When I tried this earlier I must have done the 3 presses too slowly (even with the Rivian Service guy on the phone). This new method just worked for me! Hopefully this resolved the issue.

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