Clarified: Rivian Service and Towing Policy Changes (10/07/2022)

[Guy]

Thanks for the clarifications at the top of the thread. I am pleased they know they have to mitigate more QC issues at the source and that more SCs need to open along with mobile service. That should have been a focus throughout even if just to deliver the increased number of vehicles. But better late than never to ramp up SCs hopefully in places like Baltimore, Wilmington, Columbus, Cincinnati and Binghamton to help customers in Ohio and the tristate PA/DE/NJ area.

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[Kuro-Rivian]

So who gets to decide what is "safe to drive in" to the SC? Is a vehicle w/a steering wheel that shakes above 55mph and pulls to the right safe to drive on high speed roadways for what could be a 100+mi trip for some? How about one that's lower on the right front corner, or one that does all three of those things?

And what happens when they don't actually fix the issue like the infamous "tocking" that comes back after driving 100mi or the vehicle that still pulls to the right directly after coming out of the SC? Are they going to reimburse you if you had it flatbedded in and now it needs to go in again for the same issues?
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This policy shift opens a huge can of worms and concerns for owners...

Kind of funny cause your post sounds exactly like the "death panel" fears everyone was up in arms about when obamacare was about to pass!

 

[camaroz1985]

If a service center was a reasonable distance from me I would say this new policy is acceptable. Unfortunately, the closest one is listed at 3.5 hours, but last time my truck went there it took over 7 hours each way. Even if you could make it in the normal time, that is a full 8 hour day of driving to drop off a truck and then again when it is time to pick up.

That said, my experience with mobile service has been great. Of course that was only necessary due to damage sustained from the tow driver who took my truck to the SC (strapped through the wheels and damaged both rears, which were replaced), so maybe they have a point with the new policy....

 

[rlawsoncrew]

This is why Rivian shouldn't have IPOd when they did. Being publically-traded forces them to do things that hurt their brand.

RJ once said something about only getting one chance at their handshake with the world. Well, you brought in public shareholders and now your handshake is limp as F.

They had money from Ford and Amazon. They could have delivered excellence then IPOd in a year or two. They decided to sell out early.

I would add that if they had waited on doing an IPO they would have had all these other issues (price increase, lack of delivery, service issues as stated in these posts, crashed market, etc, etc.... They wanted to get the money while the getting was good. I'm SOOOOOO glad that I said, Thanks, but no thanks to there "special preorder holder stock offer." The only reason I turned it down was because they had already shown themselves as manipulating there pre-order info. Dishonest in one place, you remain untrustworthy in other places, and boy was I right.

 

[DB-EV]

This is why Rivian shouldn't have IPOd when they did. Being publically-traded forces them to do things that hurt their brand.

RJ once said something about only getting one chance at their handshake with the world. Well, you brought in public shareholders and now your handshake is limp as F.

They had money from Ford and Amazon. They could have delivered excellence then IPOd in a year or two. They decided to sell out early.

Just would note that given the market, it was prudent to IPO when they did (whether best for us customers, is a different issue). Who knows if they would be able to IPO on markets alone.

Amazon and Ford may have had something in their agreements about best efforts to IPO, etc. in a certain period of time, too.

Not saying you are wrong, just saying their are different perspectives (including equity holders in the medium term/short term / long term)

 

[elektrode]

$(55 * 2) + (144 * 6.50 *2) = $1982

Or 6hr drive plus full day off work.

This truck may be out of my league.

This pre-exiting condition just flared up in my driveway. Not INOPERABLE, but warranty covered and known problem and existed before delivery.

 

[DaveA]

$(55 * 2) + (144 * 6.50 *2) = $1982

Or 6hr drive plus full day off work.

This truck may be out of my league.

This pre-exiting condition just flared up in my driveway. Not INOPERABLE, but warranty covered and known problem and existed before delivery.

Within spec!

 

[wicked2112]

I’m not sure if the status. My first service visit was taken on a flat bed to the St Johns bridge location, second visit was mobile. Since then 4 service visits have all been taken to Bellevue, which was a PIA already, this new policy would make that far worse.

I have heard rumors that they may be moving to a Beaverton location (that will also be temporary) and maybe they will offer more service there. The long-term location near the Ross Island bridge feels a long way off.

Great information. I had also heard that they were looking to put the SC in the same area near Telsa in the MacaAdam area near Johns Landing. Who knows, maybe that has changed based on the business. But again, great info to share. The one thing folks have to consider is that the infrastructure has to be in place well before - for this to be successful. Not to be critical of Rivian, but they have even more work here if they are trying to hit that 25K mark with vehicles and limited SC locations, plus launching the R2 platform.

 

[SoCal Rob]

So who gets to decide what is "safe to drive in" to the SC? Is a vehicle w/a steering wheel that shakes above 55mph and pulls to the right safe to drive on high speed roadways for what could be a 100+mi trip for some? How about one that's lower on the right front corner, or one that does all three of those things?

And what happens when they don't actually fix the issue like the infamous "tocking" that comes back after driving 100mi or the vehicle that still pulls to the right directly after coming out of the SC? Are they going to reimburse you if you had it flatbedded in and now it needs to go in again for the same issues?

This policy shift opens a huge can of worms and concerns for owners...

It opens a huge can of worms for liability, too. Using your example of a vehicle w/a steering wheel that shakes above 55mph and pulls to the right it could be completely safe to drive for hundreds or thousands of miles. On the other hand, if the vibration causes something in the front suspension or steering to loosen from vibration or break from the stress and the driver loses control resulting in an accident, yikes. I certainly wouldn't want to be the Rivian employee who was relying on the owner's description of the type and severity of the problem to determine drivability.

 

[Dirty_B]

Delivery inspection just got alot more important.

And the 7 day window to return... But then they'll charge you to come get it! ?

 

[SASSquatch]

Delivery inspection just got alot more important.

Pay the man!

Also, and I mean this with gratitude and respect towards all you brave early adopters: thank you for dealing with this ? so that maybe, just maybe, those of us down the line in 2023 or beyond may not have too (as much).

 

[Rousie13]

It opens a huge can of worms for liability, too. Using your example of a vehicle w/a steering wheel that shakes above 55mph and pulls to the right it could be completely safe to drive for hundreds or thousands of miles. On the other hand, if the vibration causes something in the front suspension or steering to loosen from vibration or break from the stress and the driver loses control resulting in an accident, yikes. I certainly wouldn't want to be the Rivian employee who was relying on the owner's description of the type and severity of the problem to determine drivability.

Assuming the shaking is from wheel balance problems, then you could do a Mobile Service to have the wheels rebalanced or take it to any local tire shop for that matter. Wheel balance issue now fixed…..safe to drive to the SC for the rest of the items.

 

[atebit]

The lack of a formal announcement is vexing. It would be better if this was timed with a serious increase in Rivian’s mobile servicing capability. But methinks not.

 

[Count Orlok]

That towing rate is outrageous. As I said earlier, this towing "service" is probably Rivian's only profitable venture.

 

[SoCal Rob]

Assuming the shaking is from wheel balance problems, then you could do a Mobile Service to have the wheels rebalanced or take it to any local tire shop for that matter. Wheel balance issue now fixed…..safe to drive to the SC for the rest of the items.

Not all owners have the skills to self-diagnose an issue like this.

Many owners who don’t have those skills would think that in the absence of knowledge, when it comes to safety, making an assumption isn’t the best course of action.

Some owners would probably think it’s Rivian’s problem since the vehicle spontaneously exhibited the issue and if Rivian won’t do a mobile service wheel balance* they shouldn’t have to take it to another service provider to have the issue professionally diagnosed.

* Sincere question: Is that even a thing Rivian has been doing?

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