It is exhausting driving my R1T (alignment & steering issues)

[Joneholland]

Decades ago, I learned to drive in my Dads F100. This truck had rotted away bushings and you could move the wheel an inch before the truck followed. It definitely required an active driver.

The r1 reminds me of this. Except it’s brand new. Non stop adjustments. Sometimes it’s pulling to the right. Sometimes it’s pulling to the left. It’s truly baffling how sloppy the wheel feels.

I noticed that if I’m pulling to the right I can usually get it to track straight again by changing the ride height. I don’t think all the alignment complaints I see here are strictly due to sloppy alignment from the factory.

I also occasionally have the dreaded lower front right. When that is happening it always pulls to the right. I can usually get it to go away by playing with the ride height.

I’m extremely frustrated with this truck. All the reviewers say it handles amazing. Mine handles like it has 20 year old bushings. Are we driving the same thing?

I am seriously considering selling it.

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[Atlrivian]

You may have a lemon. Granted I've only put 100 highway/city miles on mine, but Ive had nothing like you describe.

 

[milliemc]

wow--had no idea. Thanks for posting. We just recently reserved one.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

Decades ago, I learned to drive in my Dads F100. This truck had rotted away bushings and you could move the wheel an inch before the truck followed. It definitely required an active driver.

The r1 reminds me of this. Except it’s brand new. Non stop adjustments. Sometimes it’s pulling to the right. Sometimes it’s pulling to the left. It’s truly baffling how sloppy the wheel feels.

Mine is the same way. The alignment is bad. A lot of us have bad alignments from the factory. You need to contact Rivian Service and get the alignment checked. Some people have had to bring it back a couple times to get it really sorted out.

I think it's a combination of Rivian being "new" and not really figuring out how to dial-in the alignment, plus the difficulty of aligning air suspension with so much variable geometry.

The good news is that people who have kept on top of Rivian and held them accountable seem to eventually get their alignment issues sorted out and are happy.

I'm waiting for my SC to have time to squeeze me in to get my alignment sorted. Until then, I'm with you... Constantly tugging at the wheel.

 

[manitou202]

Mine is only a week old, but nothing like you describe. Alignment is spot on and the steering feels great. The steering is sensitive (which I prefer) meaning you feel the road versus many modern cars have numb steering, but this wouldn't cause anything like you describe.

 

[Sgt Beavis]

I’ve only had it for two days, but my R1T is pretty much dead on with no drift. My bigger challenge for me is that lane keeping assist is very picky. I don’t usually keep right in the middle of the lane but get fairly close to the line between me and the emergency lane. Lane keeping keeps nudging me back over.

 

[Dark-Fx]

Sounds like you have something loose. My alignment is bad, but it does not feel sloppy at all.

 

[atebit]

Some days I get this floaty, boat-like forwards/backwards ride. Other days it rides ok. Not sure if normal or not since I have nothing else to compare it to.

 

[atebit]

I’ve only had it for two days, but my R1T is pretty much dead on with no drift. My bigger challenge for me is that lane keeping assist is very picky. I don’t usually keep right in the middle of the lane but get fairly close to the line between me and the emergency lane. Lane keeping keeps nudging me back over.

My LKA seems to be a little off in terms of it always showing the truck either hugging or over the center line. I’m pretty sure this is not that case because in order to satisfy it, my right tires would have to be off beyond the shoulder. Maybe we just have narrow roads here.

 

[Joneholland]

Some days I get this floaty, boat-like forwards/backwards ride. Other days it rides ok. Not sure if normal or not since I have nothing else to compare it to.

The variability is why I don’t think this is just an alignment issue. The truck literally feels different from drive to drive. I think it has to do with the air suspension, or maybe erroneous torque vectoring, and not that the alignment is shifting.

The truck was just at the Bellevue WA SC and they are pretty good at test driving for 30 seconds and saying things are fine.

 

[Joneholland]

My LKA seems to be a little off in terms of it always showing the truck either hugging or over the center line. I’m pretty sure this is not that case because in order to satisfy it, my right tires would have to be off beyond the shoulder. Maybe we just have narrow roads here.

I had to turn LKA off because it was way too aggressive consider the amount of drifting the truck does.

 

[yizzung]

Nope. Not driving the same vehicle. Schedule service IMO.

 

[COdogman]

I understand the frustration but I don’t understand wanting to sell it before you have even talked with Rivian to find out if there is something wrong with your truck? Why not have them take a look at it?

 

[cbuckley]

Definitely not normal. Before you gnash your teeth or wring your hands any further, call service and put in a ticket.

Once you get your vehicle back from service, your steering may not be fixed but there’s a good chance that you will have some new cosmetic damage that can occupy your concerns instead.

 

[RivnSoon]

Sorry to hear about your experience.

I've put 1800 miles on my truck is polar opposite to what you describe. I feel much more relaxed after my daily commute now. It doesn't pull, wobble or anything like that. It has been a dream, albeit not involved driving experience.
Hopefully a service appointment will cure yours.

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