Key fob no longer standard?

[mpshizzle]

The Lightning can't use a phone as a key??? And you can't set a temporary PIN for the keypad?

Lighting CAN use phone as a key, though it's only lariat and up iirc

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[Surferdude]

The Lightning can't use a phone as a key??? And you can't set a temporary PIN for the keypad?

We have the Lariat and it does have PAAK. It's far more reliable than our Rivian. In fact the only time I ever had to use the keypad was when my phone died. When you enter the vehicle after using the keypad you can also enter a pin to start the vehicle and drive it normally. Ford hit a home run with their entry/exit system. They literally thought of everything.

 

[electruck]

We have the Lariat and it does have PAAK. It's far more reliable than our Rivian.

When was the last time you used PaaK for your Rivian? Granted it was a little quirky early on (delayed responses) but, for me at least, it has been 100% flawless for a very long time now.

 

[Supratachophobia]

https://www.edmunds.com/car-news/new-2025-rivian-r1s-r1t-wont-have-physical-key-fob-for-now.html

This is the first I am hearing about this.. I know many don't use these physical keys but I do so this is disappointing.

What I am getting in my next Rivian still feels like a moving target which is frustrating having placed a non-refundable deposit.

I found out about this almost 3 days prior to delivery. I didn't want those stupid key cards, I wanted a tried and true physical fob with tactile buttons. The Rivian discord channel helped actually by explaining PAAK was actually something useful and I should give it a chance. Heck, it might even be a permanent solution even if the physical key becomes a purchase option later.

All that to say, PAAK is batting about 90/95% with me right now. It's not perfect, but I feel it could be improved to the 99.99% I experienced with my Tesla key fob (looking at you Home Depot with the cell tower in the parking lot causing my key fob to not work).

 

[jjswan33]

I found out about this almost 3 days prior to delivery. I didn't want those stupid key cards, I wanted a tried and true physical fob with tactile buttons. The Rivian discord channel helped actually by explaining PAAK was actually something useful and I should give it a chance. Heck, it might even be a permanent solution even if the physical key becomes a purchase option later.

All that to say, PAAK is batting about 90/95% with me right now. It's not perfect, but I feel it could be improved to the 99.99% I experienced with my Tesla key fob (looking at you Home Depot with the cell tower in the parking lot causing my key fob to not work).

Yep. For all those folks who don't use their key fob.

Me I have had my G1 Rivian for over 2 years and almost 60k miles and I have:

- Used PAAK a handful of times
- Used my wristband key between 10-20 times
- Used one of the key cards a handful of times

FWIW I contacted CS via chat and Informed them I would not take delivery of a truck without a key fob and they informed me I could buy one from a SC, which I don't believe. Also confirmed I could cancel my order but they would keep my $3k deposit. Considering other options.

Yes may seem extreme but I am to pay $107k on a truck and it should have a key fob, the answer that I can buy one for an additional $500 or whatever is not good enough. It's a shame Rivian is losing one of their biggest fans over what probably cost them <$20. Oh well I guess I can go seriously look at the Sierra EV, it's cheaper I guarantee it has a key fob and also a much larger battery capacity.

 

[BrianB]

https://www.edmunds.com/car-news/new-2025-rivian-r1s-r1t-wont-have-physical-key-fob-for-now.html

This is the first I am hearing about this.. I know many don't use these physical keys but I do so this is disappointing.

What I am getting in my next Rivian still feels like a moving target which is frustrating having placed a non-refundable deposit.

I hear you. When I picked up my 2025 R1S this month, 2 days after I had made payment in full, I was like “wait, where are the tow hooks?!?”.

 

[Dave Cundiff]

Yep. For all those folks who don't use their key fob.

Me I have had my G1 Rivian for over 2 years and almost 60k miles and I have:

- Used PAAK a handful of times
- Used my wristband key between 10-20 times
- Used one of the key cards a handful of times

FWIW I contacted CS via chat and Informed them I would not take delivery of a truck without a key fob and they informed me I could buy one from a SC, which I don't believe. Also confirmed I could cancel my order but they would keep my $3k deposit. Considering other options.

Yes may seem extreme but I am to pay $107k on a truck and it should have a key fob, the answer that I can buy one for an additional $500 or whatever is not good enough. It's a shame Rivian is losing one of their biggest fans over what probably cost them <$20. Oh well I guess I can go seriously look at the Sierra EV, it's cheaper I guarantee it has a key fob and also a much larger battery capacity.

I can confirm that @jjswan33 is one of Rivian's biggest fans, and has done a lot to help others get comfortable with their Rivians. Rivian is more careless than I think, if they don't recognize this.

That CS encounter was completely unacceptable, @jjswan33. The rep was confident, but poorly informed -- a dangerous combination in any field of work -- about something you knew about (current availability of fobs). They were probably also poorly informed about what Rivian would do if you cancelled an order because THEY had changed the terms.

If you haven't signed away your Small Claims Court rights, you might have more recourse about your deposit than they think -- but I hope it doesn't go as far as cancelling your order.

Consider escalating to someone in CS who knows what they're doing. Managers should know about a chat rep (whether it's a human or a bot) who is damaging Rivian's reputation with false information.

Very best wishes!

 

[mpshizzle]

Yep. For all those folks who don't use their key fob.

Me I have had my G1 Rivian for over 2 years and almost 60k miles and I have:

- Used PAAK a handful of times
- Used my wristband key between 10-20 times
- Used one of the key cards a handful of times

FWIW I contacted CS via chat and Informed them I would not take delivery of a truck without a key fob and they informed me I could buy one from a SC, which I don't believe. Also confirmed I could cancel my order but they would keep my $3k deposit. Considering other options.

Yes may seem extreme but I am to pay $107k on a truck and it should have a key fob, the answer that I can buy one for an additional $500 or whatever is not good enough. It's a shame Rivian is losing one of their biggest fans over what probably cost them <$20. Oh well I guess I can go seriously look at the Sierra EV, it's cheaper I guarantee it has a key fob and also a much larger battery capacity.

Hot take - if a key fob is really the differentiating factor between buying a Rivian or not, I'm gonna argue that you really aren't all that interested in the Rivian in and of itself.

And for the record, I'm not trying to sound disparaging. If Sierra sounds equally (or more) appealing to you that's totally fine. Just sounds to me like the R1T doesn't have enough merits in your mind to overcome a key fob

 

[jjswan33]

I can confirm that @jjswan33 is one of Rivian's biggest fans, and has done a lot to help others get comfortable with their Rivians. Rivian is more careless than I think, if they don't recognize this.

That CS encounter was completely unacceptable, @jjswan33. The rep was confident, but poorly informed -- a dangerous combination in any field of work -- about something you knew about (current availability of fobs). They were probably also poorly informed about what Rivian would do if you cancelled an order because THEY had changed the terms.

If you haven't signed away your Small Claims Court rights, you might have more recourse about your deposit than they think -- but I hope it doesn't go as far as cancelling your order.

Consider escalating to someone in CS who knows what they're doing. Managers should know about a chat rep (whether it's a human or a bot) who is damaging Rivian's reputation with false information.

Very best wishes!

Hey @Dave Cundiff. I appreciate the kind words but I think the rep I talked to was very professional and I had to hold a couple times as he escalated questions through his management team. I do question the information that I can just buy a fob from service but it's probably the best information they have. I did escalate this further but I doubt a resolution is coming.

Bottom line though is Rivian can offer what they want but I don't like my position as just at the will of what Rivian does and does not decide to include on a truck that I have committed to buy or lose $3k.

 

[jjswan33]

Hot take - if a key fob is really the differentiating factor between buying a Rivian or not, I'm gonna argue that you really aren't all that interested in the Rivian in and of itself.

And for the record, I'm not trying to sound disparaging. If Sierra sounds equally (or more) appealing to you that's totally fine. Just sounds to me like the R1T doesn't have enough merits in your mind to overcome a key fob

Yes as stated I won't buy a vehicle that does not include a key fob, I'm dead serious about that. For now though I will just continue putting miles on my current R1T and if the service costs become too much I will look at alternatives.

Not sure why I brought up the Sierra but for $99k you get a bigger battery and faster charging so compared to $107k for a TM R1T it's probably a reasonable alternative considering the ways I use my truck.

 

[NY_Rob]

Hopefully Rivian will get negative feedback on not including fobs any longer, but just going by the "never used it, don't want one, couldn't care less" responses we see in this thread, I'm not holding my breath. This also doesn't look encouraging for the R2 vehicles, at this point I'd guess the master plan is to not include fobs with those lower price vehicles either

 

[mpshizzle]

Yes as stated I won't buy a vehicle that does not include a key fob, I'm dead serious about that. For now though I will just continue putting miles on my current R1T and if the service costs become too much I will look at alternatives.

Not sure why I brought up the Sierra but for $99k you get a bigger battery and faster charging so compared to $107k for a TM R1T it's probably a reasonable alternative considering the ways I use my truck.

Yup. Sounds like R1T isn't for you

 

[jjswan33]

Yup. Sounds like R1T isn't for you

So I guess you are trolling then. Stupid comment.

 

[oskeei]

Just my pennies worth, but the frustration seems familiar to when car companies went from keys to the fob. For myself the fob is a nice to have, but it's become an option to use when I don't have the phone on me which is rare.

Maybe a security expert can ring in, but wouldn't the use of the PAK be more secure than the key fob? I suspect more car companies will go the way of having folks use their phones or keycards.

 

[jjswan33]

Just my pennies worth, but the frustration seems familiar to when car companies went from keys to the fob. For myself the fob is a nice to have, but it's become an option to use when I don't have the phone on me which is rare.

Maybe a security expert can ring in, but wouldn't the use of the PAK be more secure than the key fob? I suspect more car companies will go the way of having folks use their phones or keycards.

I mean for the record they can't do away with all keys. They have to offer something and their choice is to offer the cheapest and IMO the most user unfriendly option and to just force everyone to use PAAK.

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