Sponsored

WFTV - Florida woman can't get out of bricked R1S for 45 min. PSA: check your emergency release access panels

Zoidz

Well-Known Member
First Name
Gil
Joined
Feb 28, 2021
Threads
159
Messages
4,249
Reaction score
9,391
Location
PA
Vehicles
23 R1S Adv, Avalanche, BMWs-X3,330cic,K1200RS bike
Occupation
Engineer
WFTV Video - In a nutshell, she was driving, the R1S bricked on the road and smoke came out of the vents. Rivian or Roadside Assist told her to call 911. She could not get out of the vehicle for 45 minutes until someone discovered there is a manual emergency door release.

She was on the phone with "Rivian Support" - not sure if it was truly Rivian or the Roadside Assistance. But why did they not tell her about the release? Isn't that a basic responsibility for Roadside Assistance even if it is a 3rd party provider? It should be.

This should serve as a PSA for everyone to remember/check out the Emergency Release access panels in our RIvians AND tell our family members about it.

Rivian said it was an electrical short. They offered $1k as goodwill compensation, but the owner didn't trust the vehicle and Rivian took it back.

Rivian R1T R1S WFTV - Florida woman can't get out of bricked R1S for 45 min. PSA: check your emergency release access panels 1734097909031-q1
Sponsored

 

R1Tom

Well-Known Member
First Name
Tom
Joined
May 19, 2022
Threads
37
Messages
3,621
Reaction score
4,839
Location
Wisc
Vehicles
Riv R1T
Occupation
Sales
NHTSA should require backup door release to the push button stuff is mandatory and not hidden under panels.

I have seen way too many stories of people trapped and perishing in Telsas and what does Rivian do....adopt that design in G2.

Bad decision.
 

good2go

Well-Known Member
First Name
Dean
Joined
Oct 15, 2024
Threads
5
Messages
166
Reaction score
198
Location
WY
Vehicles
R1S
NHTSA should require backup door release to the push button stuff is mandatory and not hidden under panels.

I have seen way too many stories of people trapped and perishing in Telsas and what does Rivian do....adopt that design in G2.

Bad decision.
There is a manual lever on my gen 2. Are you saying that will not open the door if there is no power? I assumed it was for safety purposes.
 

R1Tom

Well-Known Member
First Name
Tom
Joined
May 19, 2022
Threads
37
Messages
3,621
Reaction score
4,839
Location
Wisc
Vehicles
Riv R1T
Occupation
Sales
There is a manual lever on my gen 2. Are you saying that will not open the door if there is no power? I assumed it was for safety purposes.
Are there manual releases in the back seats too? I thought they were hidden under a cover....maybe I am wrong?

Edit...sorry...not sure about the front manual release. I assume they don't need power but not sure.
 

Sponsored

Donald Stanfield

Well-Known Member
First Name
Donald
Joined
Jul 31, 2022
Threads
49
Messages
6,091
Reaction score
12,061
Location
USA
Vehicles
2025 R1S Tri Ascend, 2024 i4 M50
Occupation
Stuff and things
The manual handle for the front doors of the Rivian is easy to find. So easy to see that a friend of mine thought that was the default door handle and used it to get out when I took her for a test ride.
 
OP
OP
Zoidz

Zoidz

Well-Known Member
First Name
Gil
Joined
Feb 28, 2021
Threads
159
Messages
4,249
Reaction score
9,391
Location
PA
Vehicles
23 R1S Adv, Avalanche, BMWs-X3,330cic,K1200RS bike
Occupation
Engineer
Are there manual releases in the back seats too? I thought they were hidden under a cover....maybe I am wrong?

Edit...sorry...not sure about the front manual release. I assume they don't need power but not sure.
I recall a post that mentions manual releases in the rear also.

A couple of thoughts:

My Gen1 R1S has the double pull function for locked doors, like our BMWs have had for decades. If the door is locked, you pull twice. In the BMW it's a mechanical system. In the R1S it sounds like a mechanical system, so I wonder why she could not get out, unless it was broken, or does it need power. 🤷‍♂️

I just searched through the manual. The emergency release is not documented. Rivian needs to fix that!
 

COdogman

Well-Known Member
First Name
Brian
Joined
Jan 21, 2022
Threads
32
Messages
9,949
Reaction score
28,585
Location
Colorado
Vehicles
2023 R1T
Occupation
Dog Wrangler
Clubs
 
I believe in Gen 1 both front and rear passengers do the same thing (pull twice) but Gen 2 is different. Gen 2 front pull once and rear passengers have to remove a little panel next to the door handle and pull on a wire or something… I recall seeing some folks upset about that after the refresh.

Not sure why this wouldn’t be part of the manual, but it should be!
 

electruck

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2019
Threads
71
Messages
3,826
Reaction score
7,150
Location
Dallas, TX
Vehicles
2023 Rivian R1S
Gen1 uses a fully mechanical door handle, so not dependent on vehicle power but does require a double pull as commonly used on ICE vehicles for decades. Assuming the story is about a Gen2 vehicle.

Sorry, but emergency release for Gen2 is clearly documented in the User's Manual (note: there are different versions of the manual by model year). And for the front door, the manual release is in plain site - not even hidden behind a panel as in the 2nd row or in a Tesla.

Rivian R1T R1S WFTV - Florida woman can't get out of bricked R1S for 45 min. PSA: check your emergency release access panels 1734100277059-
 

rkalbiar

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ruben
Joined
Feb 21, 2022
Threads
27
Messages
366
Reaction score
297
Location
Oregon
Vehicles
2022 Rivian R1T , 2024 Rivian R1S
I though Gen 1 was manual. Is it not? Is there a emergency release? Front and Back?
 

Sponsored

lefkonj

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jeff
Joined
Feb 6, 2021
Threads
28
Messages
1,021
Reaction score
1,649
Location
New Jersey
Vehicles
A7/Q3 R1S ordered
Clubs
 
Sounds like someone didn't listen when they were told how to use their vehicle. There are plenty of stories of people forgetting to unlock buttons, or break a window or anything that could have done. The front door release was widely discussed on numerous videos.
 

electruck

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2019
Threads
71
Messages
3,826
Reaction score
7,150
Location
Dallas, TX
Vehicles
2023 Rivian R1S
Sorry to hear about the vehicle failure but being "trapped in the vehicle for 45 mins" is purely on the owner who didn't RTFM. Presumably she was too overwhelmed by the situation to notice the manual pull handle on the door. I think the news story is simply an attempt to pressure Rivian to let them out of the lease.
 

COdogman

Well-Known Member
First Name
Brian
Joined
Jan 21, 2022
Threads
32
Messages
9,949
Reaction score
28,585
Location
Colorado
Vehicles
2023 R1T
Occupation
Dog Wrangler
Clubs
 
In the Gen 1 manual it doesn’t specifically note it for emergency purposes but this is what the manual says about doors.

Rivian R1T R1S WFTV - Florida woman can't get out of bricked R1S for 45 min. PSA: check your emergency release access panels IMG_0183
 
OP
OP
Zoidz

Zoidz

Well-Known Member
First Name
Gil
Joined
Feb 28, 2021
Threads
159
Messages
4,249
Reaction score
9,391
Location
PA
Vehicles
23 R1S Adv, Avalanche, BMWs-X3,330cic,K1200RS bike
Occupation
Engineer
Gen1 uses a fully mechanical door handle, so not dependent on vehicle power but does require a double pull as commonly used on ICE vehicles for decades. Assuming the story is about a Gen2 vehicle.

Sorry, but emergency release for Gen2 is clearly documented in the User's Manual (note: there are different versions of the manual by model year). And for the front door, the manual release is in plain site - not even hidden behind a panel as in the 2nd row or in a Tesla.

1734100277059-jg.jpg
I searched the 2022-24 owners manual as linked on the Rivian web site here . Text searching for either DOOR or MANUAL, that page does not exist.
Rivian R1T R1S WFTV - Florida woman can't get out of bricked R1S for 45 min. PSA: check your emergency release access panels 1734100782530-tc
 

electruck

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2019
Threads
71
Messages
3,826
Reaction score
7,150
Location
Dallas, TX
Vehicles
2023 Rivian R1S
I searched the 2022-24 owners manual as linked on the Rivian web site here . Text searching for either DOOR or MANUAL, that page does not exist.
1734100782530-tc.jpg
Apparently you need to brush up on your search skills because the info is in the manual:


Rivian R1T R1S WFTV - Florida woman can't get out of bricked R1S for 45 min. PSA: check your emergency release access panels 1734100957197-ro
Sponsored

 
 





Top