Rivian R1T CV axle failure missed by service center

[opnwide]

So the Google front page popped up this thread as a suggestion for me and I was surprised to see my YouTube video linked, haha! I am the creator of the original video on the front in clunking noises.

To date my truck has been to Atlanta twice. The first time I drove it the 3.5hrs there, drove a rental home, then drove the rental back to pick it up. Nothing at all was done to fix the clunking issue.

I waited 2 weeks listening to the clunking and then made that video. I sent the video link to Rivian and they lined me up with an early production loaner. My truck went back to Atlanta but this time they brought me the loaner and picked up my truck.

After a few days the service team in Atlanta called, said they'd checked everything, thoroughly driven my truck, driven other trucks, and they all made the same noise. I asked them how they were able to adequately test drive and diagnose a potential problem while putting only 2 miles on my truck and the fall back was that well we drove other trucks and they all sound the same.

I told the service manager that just because they all sound the same does not mean that it is a normal noise, it means it is a common noise. I requested a call from Rivian engineering and they obliged.

The engineer assured me that he thoroughly investigated the issue and that the noise and clunking is normal. We said that because the truck is so performance oriented that it's more racecar-ish and less luxury like. He assured me again that it was "as designed and acceptable". I then informed him that the loaner I'd been driving which was built in January, 2022 did not make the clunking noises that mine makes. I asked him why, if the noise is a side effect of proper design, does the loaner not also make the noise? He had no answer but assured me he's dig further and get back to me with an answer...... It's been 2 weeks now.

So my truck came back to me again with nothing done to it other than super greasy arm crud on the center arm rest. In the last 2 weeks the clunking has not gotten significantly worse but it's just as strong as before. 5 days ago and again yesterday I experienced a loud pop from the driver's side while turning sharply coming out of parking with moderate throttle. I submitted a ticket for that and told them it was just me documenting the worsening conditions in the front suspension/drivetrain and that I was planning on just driving the truck until it catastrophically fails since "all is normal and as designed". I have not heard from service about that ticket.

I'll try to keep you guys updated here if I make progress on figuring out what is making the clunking.

Really appreciated your video. Thanks! They didn’t have anything specific to say about the play in the inner CV joints? (Or the continuously running power steering pump?). Thank you for the update and keeping us updated.

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[R1Tom]

Thanks for pushing them on this. It seems until this gets enough pressure from owners experiencing it, they aren't going to give it proper arrention. Or they have and the fix is too expensive to implement?

 

[PracticalRivian]

Really appreciated your video. Thanks! They didn’t have anything specific to say about the play in the inner CV joints? (Or the continuously running power steering pump?). Thank you for the update and keeping us updated.

So the cv axles are roller spline design, you can look them up on a Google image search. The cv joints are both fixed and the center of the axle is splined to allow for the axle length changes necessary during suspension articulation.

Roller spline axles have been used by subaru, Chevrolet silverado zx2, and racing applications. I cannot find a definitive answer on if the lateral shaft play is reasonable or not. The Rivian engineer said that the focus was on making the truck perform off road so it is looser vs tighter to make sure nothing binds....? That's the best information I have at this moment.

I reached out to the owner of Raxles.com but he's not familiar enough with roller spline design to give a definite opinion.

 

[dcpdx]

I have an R1S, 1400 miles. My rear end went out, similar to whats posted here. Grinding noise full time. Clunking noise starting and stopping. Right away the R1S went into Turtle mode with an icon on the dash. Said it was FWD from here on, and to get it serviced.

 

[dleewla]

So the Google front page popped up this thread as a suggestion for me and I was surprised to see my YouTube video linked, haha! I am the creator of the original video on the front in clunking noises.

To date my truck has been to Atlanta twice. The first time I drove it the 3.5hrs there, drove a rental home, then drove the rental back to pick it up. Nothing at all was done to fix the clunking issue.

I waited 2 weeks listening to the clunking and then made that video. I sent the video link to Rivian and they lined me up with an early production loaner. My truck went back to Atlanta but this time they brought me the loaner and picked up my truck.

After a few days the service team in Atlanta called, said they'd checked everything, thoroughly driven my truck, driven other trucks, and they all made the same noise. I asked them how they were able to adequately test drive and diagnose a potential problem while putting only 2 miles on my truck and the fall back was that well we drove other trucks and they all sound the same.

I told the service manager that just because they all sound the same does not mean that it is a normal noise, it means it is a common noise. I requested a call from Rivian engineering and they obliged.

The engineer assured me that he thoroughly investigated the issue and that the noise and clunking is normal. We said that because the truck is so performance oriented that it's more racecar-ish and less luxury like. He assured me again that it was "as designed and acceptable". I then informed him that the loaner I'd been driving which was built in January, 2022 did not make the clunking noises that mine makes. I asked him why, if the noise is a side effect of proper design, does the loaner not also make the noise? He had no answer but assured me he's dig further and get back to me with an answer...... It's been 2 weeks now.

So my truck came back to me again with nothing done to it other than super greasy arm crud on the center arm rest. In the last 2 weeks the clunking has not gotten significantly worse but it's just as strong as before. 5 days ago and again yesterday I experienced a loud pop from the driver's side while turning sharply coming out of parking with moderate throttle. I submitted a ticket for that and told them it was just me documenting the worsening conditions in the front suspension/drivetrain and that I was planning on just driving the truck until it catastrophically fails since "all is normal and as designed". I have not heard from service about that ticket.

I'll try to keep you guys updated here if I make progress on figuring out what is making the clunking.

did you get the recall to tighten the wheel fastener done? if so, wondering if that resolved your noise issue.

 

[Offgrid]

So this is what happened with my rear driver side shaft. Spline pulled out of the disconnect and stripped the splines on the shaft and disconnect and apparently the hub side as well. Sc replaced all three. It would make a rhythmic clunking occasionally. When it finally stripped, there was a spline grinding noise and I got the turtle mode with rear motors unavailable error.

 

[seajayseven]

I had cv joint clicks under accel the morning of my front drive unit failure @ sub 800 miles.

 

[Mike TDM]

I had cv joint clicks under accel the morning of my front drive unit failure @ sub 800 miles.

Man only 800 miles! that just sux!

 

[itselectric]

My suspension is making more and more noise each day. I have the gamut of sounds including clicking, squeaking, clunking. Now in addition to the usual knock on acceleration it makes a relatively loud crunch or rub(?) sound but only on initial acceleration. 600 miles in.

I only drive in conserve mode so only using the front two motors at it is. No issue reported in the display.

Thankfully, my service visit is only two weeks away. I'll probably avoid driving it until that date.

 

[dcpdx]

So this is what happened with my rear driver side shaft. Spline pulled out of the disconnect and stripped the splines on the shaft and disconnect and apparently the hub side as well. Sc replaced all three. It would make a rhythmic clunking occasionally. When it finally stripped, there was a spline grinding noise and I got the turtle mode with rear motors unavailable error.

Just had this happen on my R1S.

 

[Offgrid]

Just had this happen on my R1S.

Did you happen to recently cycle the suspension to the highest setting?

 

[jffkm]

Just had this happen on my R1S.

Did your vehicle have the same pattern of behavior? (i.e. height changes preceding the clunking sound and then failure)? that is concerning, please keep us updated. thx

 

[dcpdx]

Did you happen to recently cycle the suspension to the highest setting?

No, no changes on ride height. Just made a grinding sound slowing to a stop, then pulling away from a stop heard it pop and make a grinding noise, could feel it slip and I got the Turtle mode.

 

[itselectric]

Did your vehicle have the same pattern of behavior? (i.e. height changes preceding the clunking sound and then failure)? that is concerning, please keep us updated. thx

I have changed my ride height a few times and that seemed to have made it much worse. On top of that, I notice when my suspension is set to "standard" when I'm driving the vehicle will lose height slowly and when I stop, the air suspension readjusts the height to where it should be. Very concerning behavior.

 

[dcpdx]

Did your vehicle have the same pattern of behavior? (i.e. height changes preceding the clunking sound and then failure)? that is concerning, please keep us updated. thx

I have changed my ride height a few times and that seemed to have made it much worse. On top of that, I notice when my suspension is set to "standard" when I'm driving the vehicle will lose height slowly and when I stop, the air suspension readjusts the height to where it should be. Very concerning behavior.

I have a 2019 Land Rover Defender with the air ride. It makes the same adjustments while driving or you notice it most when stopped. Haven't seen issues with the CV's on it though.

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