Rivian headlights at night in snowstorm = zero visibility

[Gorilla5]

Love my Gen 1 R1T. However, recently drove in a snowstorm at night and experienced something I do not wish to ever again. The R1's headlights, which are fantastic in normal conditions, are far too bright when in a snowstorm at night. They reflect off of the snowflakes, and bounce right back into your eyes.

Normally, I would turn on the fog lights for these types of conditions. However, in the R1 there is no option to run with fog lights only, it is only a combination of regular headlights + fog lights. And before you ask, yes, I turned off the auto high-beams. In every other car I have driven, there is an option to have fog lights only, which makes sense given that in high fog conditions, you do NOT want the super bright LED headlights to be reflecting light back at you (that is the whole point of fog lights). Seems like for the sake of safety, there should be a fog light only option. I've searched on this forum and found that other owners have hacked their vehicle by removing the fuse for the headlights, when driving in a snowstorm. There should be a software solution to this.

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[Donald Stanfield]

I think it's illegal to run fog lights only when you're driving in an area that requires lights. I understand what you're saying but I don't think Rivian can address this.

 

[Gorilla5]

Depends on the jurisdiction I’m sure, but in BC, Canada where I live:


Fog lamps
4.11(1) A motor vehicle may be equipped with 2 fog lamps, mounted on the front of the vehicle below the headlamps, that are capable of displaying only white or amber light.
(2) Each fog lamp must be
(a) mounted not more than 30 cm below the headlamps, and
(b) adjusted and aimed so that, at a distance of 8 m from the lamp, the centre of the beam is at least 10 cm below the height of the fog lamp.
(3) The fog lamp wiring and switch must permit simultaneous operation of the parking lamps, tail lamps, licence plate lamp and, if required, clearance lamps.
(4) The operator of a vehicle may use fog lamps instead of headlamps when atmospheric conditions make the use of headlamps disadvantageous.
[en. B.C. Reg. 476/98, s. 2.]

 

[Osyras]

Also all factory fog lights (At least in Ontario) turn off when you engage high beams.

 

[CharonPDX]

In every other car I have driven, there is an option to have fog lights only...

In five cars each from a different manufacturer with factory fog lights, *NONE* of them have ever let me turn on only the fog lights. Ford, Toyota, Audi, BMW, Rivian. Every single one required the main headlights to be on to turn on the fog lights. Either by fog lights being a "further turn than main headlights on" like Rivian, or by the dash button simply not doing anything at all unless the main headlights were on.

I know aftermarket mods are/were available for all (but Rivian) to let you turn just the fog lights on, but from the factory, every single car I've ever owned with fog lights wouldn't allow fog-lights-only. (And on a few of them, that made the fog lights pointless. Toyota and BMW both had regular halogen fog lights with HID main headlights that completely overpowered the fog lights into uselessness.)

 

[Gorilla5]

In five cars each from a different manufacturer with factory fog lights, *NONE* of them have ever let me turn on only the fog lights. Ford, Toyota, Audi, BMW, Rivian. Every single one required the main headlights to be on to turn on the fog lights. Either by fog lights being a "further turn than main headlights on" like Rivian, or by the dash button simply not doing anything at all unless the main headlights were on.

I know aftermarket mods are/were available for all (but Rivian) to let you turn just the fog lights on, but from the factory, every single car I've ever owned with fog lights wouldn't allow fog-lights-only. (And on a few of them, that made the fog lights pointless. Toyota and BMW both had regular halogen fog lights with HID main headlights that completely overpowered the fog lights into uselessness.)

My Range Rover and Porsche allow me to turn on fog lights only.

 

[Gorilla5]

In five cars each from a different manufacturer with factory fog lights, *NONE* of them have ever let me turn on only the fog lights. Ford, Toyota, Audi, BMW, Rivian. Every single one required the main headlights to be on to turn on the fog lights. Either by fog lights being a "further turn than main headlights on" like Rivian, or by the dash button simply not doing anything at all unless the main headlights were on.

I know aftermarket mods are/were available for all (but Rivian) to let you turn just the fog lights on, but from the factory, every single car I've ever owned with fog lights wouldn't allow fog-lights-only. (And on a few of them, that made the fog lights pointless. Toyota and BMW both had regular halogen fog lights with HID main headlights that completely overpowered the fog lights into uselessness.)

The issue is that in older cars, it hasn't really been a huge issue because the main headlights were not super powerful LEDs. In fact, I didn't really care that I could turn on just the fog lights on my Porsche, as the halogens are not that strong and I typically would want to use both anyway. In the Rivian however, with those super bright piercing LEDs, the reflection back creates a big safety issue. Essentially makes the car unsuitable to drive. If you go to the other thread on this forum (https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/threads/driving-in-blizzard-with-fog-lights.13513/), the poster has a picture of what it looks like.

So the point is, even if other vehicles force you to turn on main headlights + fog lights together, in the Rivian it becomes a safety issue as driver visibility goes to near zero. It would be in fact, better for forward visibility to drive with no lights on at all.

 

[Hereforthesnacks]

In five cars each from a different manufacturer with factory fog lights, *NONE* of them have ever let me turn on only the fog lights. Ford, Toyota, Audi, BMW, Rivian. Every single one required the main headlights to be on to turn on the fog lights. Either by fog lights being a "further turn than main headlights on" like Rivian, or by the dash button simply not doing anything at all unless the main headlights were on.

I know aftermarket mods are/were available for all (but Rivian) to let you turn just the fog lights on, but from the factory, every single car I've ever owned with fog lights wouldn't allow fog-lights-only. (And on a few of them, that made the fog lights pointless. Toyota and BMW both had regular halogen fog lights with HID main headlights that completely overpowered the fog lights into uselessness.)

My ford and Honda let me turn on only the fog lights. In fact, I just did this last week while up in the mountains skiing. Headlights were too bright, but fog lights were great.

 

[Gorilla5]

My ford and Honda let me turn on only the fog lights. In fact, I just did this last week while up in the mountains skiing. Headlights were too bright, but fog lights were great.

Exactly. As another data point, from the other older thread: "My 2010 Avalanche and 2016 BMW X3 allow you to turn on the fogs independent of the headlights. "

I too, was on a ski trip. For an adventure vehicle like the R1, this seems like a simple software feature that should be added, particularly as it is safety related.

 

[riv-e-in]

Welcome to the club…?

Send feedback to Rivian thru [email protected] (we’ve tried the method below and have received no response) the app.

1. From the Vehicle Tab (vehicle icon) scroll to the bottom
2. Tap Share feedback
3. Tap No - this step ensures that your feedback is not a service request or question on warranty.
4. Select a topic from the dropdown list and share feedback

You’ll likely receive a canned response. Have sent about 5 ideas to Rivian and the response is the same.

If you center your idea around safety or attentiveness, that may give it more legs?!?

 

[mpshizzle]

I have a feeling this effect has less to do with the headlights themselves, and more to do with the light bar

 

[Fes]

I experienced this very thing just a few weeks ago. I was on the NYS thruway. Ultimately had to abort the trip and turn around but for a solid 20 minutes, I turned my headlights off and just operated with the parking lights and flashers and it was a complete and utter sigh of relief to be able to see where I was going.

Growing up in upstate NY and experiencing lake effect snow falling fast and massive flakes-- I can say what I experienced wasn't unusual in terms of the snow, but how the lights were on the other hand, that 100% was the problem.

 

[malditofman]

Love my Gen 1 R1T. However, recently drove in a snowstorm at night and experienced something I do not wish to ever again. The R1's headlights, which are fantastic in normal conditions, are far too bright when in a snowstorm at night. They reflect off of the snowflakes, and bounce right back into your eyes.

Normally, I would turn on the fog lights for these types of conditions. However, in the R1 there is no option to run with fog lights only, it is only a combination of regular headlights + fog lights. And before you ask, yes, I turned off the auto high-beams. In every other car I have driven, there is an option to have fog lights only, which makes sense given that in high fog conditions, you do NOT want the super bright LED headlights to be reflecting light back at you (that is the whole point of fog lights). Seems like for the sake of safety, there should be a fog light only option. I've searched on this forum and found that other owners have hacked their vehicle by removing the fuse for the headlights, when driving in a snowstorm. There should be a software solution to this.

Tell Rivian support. Drive well.

 

[Gorilla5]

I experienced this very thing just a few weeks ago. I was on the NYS thruway. Ultimately had to abort the trip and turn around but for a solid 20 minutes, I turned my headlights off and just operated with the parking lights and flashers and it was a complete and utter sigh of relief to be able to see where I was going.

Growing up in upstate NY and experiencing lake effect snow falling fast and massive flakes-- I can say what I experienced wasn't unusual in terms of the snow, but how the lights were on the other hand, that 100% was the problem.

Yes, a serious safety issue. I also agree with some of the other posters that the culprit could be a combination of the super strong headlights + the horizontal lightbar. I am going to put in a feedback ticket with Rivian, I suggest you and others do the same and hopefully they will come out with an improved "Snow Mode" that reduces the intensity of the light bar and gives an option for fog lights only.

 

[Dark-Fx]

My GMC Sonoma was way worse about this than any other vehicle I've ever been in. I've maybe only had one day in the last three years where it was annoying in my R1T. And it certainly wasn't "zero visibility". I could still see beyond the near snow- the trick is to avoid looking at it. Same as oncoming cars that don't turn their brights off.

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