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Oil leak - maybe rear drive? [RESOLVED]

3121

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I'd recommend taking off the lower shield and inspection of mating surfaces on DU assembly, as tradition with all leaks, it good to wipe, spray brake clean, wipe,use leak detection spray, on fittings and seals, drive on freeway for 3 exits, bring back for inspection. You'll like find the problem urself. I specialize in EV inspections, EV purchase inspections, and DIY assistance is primarily my experience after release from Rivian.
Why did you leave Rivian? We’re you in SD service center? I’m in N. County. Beers or Coffee on me if you are up for a chat Sometime
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FormerRIVTech

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DM me but for the record, I don't disclose my employment reasons due to NDA but I just want to help people understand their product. It's tough as a consumer and owner of an emission free vehicle and service support in general needs alot of objective factual information IMO.
 

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Thread marked [RESOLVED] ???

What was the resolution?
 

MidnightRivian

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Thread marked [RESOLVED] ???

What was the resolution?
[UPDATE] Rivian inspected the leak and found a failed seal on the upper drain plug of the rear drive unit. They replaced the seal, drained and refilled the unit with fluid, road tested it, did general diagnostics, and returned it to me. Overall it was a very good service experience. They provided me a rental car and coordinated to pick up the truck (on a flatbed) around my schedule.
 

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CommonSense

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[UPDATE] Rivian inspected the leak and found a failed seal on the upper drain plug of the rear drive unit. They replaced the seal, drained and refilled the unit with fluid, road tested it, did general diagnostics, and returned it to me. Overall it was a very good service experience. They provided me a rental car and coordinated to pick up the truck (on a flatbed) around my schedule.
What was your mileage when you noticed the leak? I've got 230 miles on my R1S and it is leaking drive train oil / fluid. Rivian charges for the tow now, so it will cost me $1300 bucks (round trip) to get this fixed. I'm going to try and see if I can figure out if it was an overfill vs. a leak before shelling out that much to fix a brand new car.
 

brancky3

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What was your mileage when you noticed the leak? I've got 230 miles on my R1S and it is leaking drive train oil / fluid. Rivian charges for the tow now, so it will cost me $1300 bucks (round trip) to get this fixed. I'm going to try and see if I can figure out if it was an overfill vs. a leak before shelling out that much to fix a brand new car.
Pay for a tow? For a warranty item?
 

CommonSense

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Pay for a tow? For a warranty item?
I called the regular service line and the rep repeated multiple times that they are now charging for any tows. She said it is $50 + $6.50 per mile. Being 90 miles away from the service center that's a $635 tow for me.
 

brancky3

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I called the regular service line and the rep repeated multiple times that they are now charging for any tows. She said it is $50 + $6.50 per mile. Being 90 miles away from the service center that's a $635 tow for me.
BIG oof, even Tesla pays for towing. That's not cool.

"Towing For vehicles that cannot be driven as a result of a malfunction attributable to a warrantable issue, Tesla covers transportation services for the first 500 miles (800 km)* to the nearest Tesla Service Center."

Honestly in that situation it would be more reasonable to drive it as far as you can expecting a mechanical breakdown.
 
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What was your mileage when you noticed the leak? I've got 230 miles on my R1S and it is leaking drive train oil / fluid. Rivian charges for the tow now, so it will cost me $1300 bucks (round trip) to get this fixed. I'm going to try and see if I can figure out if it was an overfill vs. a leak before shelling out that much to fix a brand new car.
I had about 1500 miles on it when I noticed the leak. They came and picked it up on a flatbed. I would probably drive it gingerly.
 

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CommonSense

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Agreed, I don't know what to say about that change in policy.

I ordered this R1S three years ago and did not realize I was going to have to get the car back to Brooklyn just to get it serviced - 90 miles itself wouldn't be that bad in the suburbs, but in the daytime that's easily a 3 hr minimum drive, it took me four hours each way when I did the initial pickup. So I have to take a day off from work to get it serviced?

It was a fun experiment, but I'll probably trade the R1S in for a brand that has a local service network, I can't afford the time that servicing this vehicle seems to require.
 

godfodder0901

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What was your mileage when you noticed the leak? I've got 230 miles on my R1S and it is leaking drive train oil / fluid. Rivian charges for the tow now, so it will cost me $1300 bucks (round trip) to get this fixed. I'm going to try and see if I can figure out if it was an overfill vs. a leak before shelling out that much to fix a brand new car.
Pay for a tow? For a warranty item?
Yes, they will charge to tow the vehicle even for warrantied repairs. The caveat is that if the vehicle is disabled, undriveable, or unsafe to drive, they will pay for the tow as long as the cause is warrantied.
 

CommonSense

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I had about 1500 miles on it when I noticed the leak. They came and picked it up on a flatbed. I would probably drive it gingerly.
Thanks that's helpful! I'm scanning the forums to see if I can find any information on the reported overfills that folks are mentioning, since it happened so much earlier in mileage for me, I'm hoping that is the issue and I can self-diagnose, rather than paying the $1300 bucks to tow the vehicle.
 

CommonSense

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Yes, they will charge to tow the vehicle even for warrantied repairs. The caveat is that if the vehicle is disabled, undriveable, or unsafe to drive, they will pay for the tow as long as the cause is warrantied.
So you are saying to drive it until it fails and then I can get a free tow? :rock:
 

godfodder0901

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So you are saying to drive it until it fails and then I can get a free tow? :rock:
No, I'm saying that if it is a safety concern, you won't have to.
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