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

[Bigeasy70075]

I think this may be Rivians way of expanding their delivery zones. Rivian has been prioritizing deliveries near service centers, but as those get fulfilled they need to start delivering to reservations holders much further away from service centers. The costs of transporting a fleet of vehicles 10 times the current fleet size might very well bankrupt the company. Now from a customer standpoint this SUCKS!!!!!!! The only way I think this will fly long term is if Rivian drastically expands it's mobile service ( to be able to cover say 90% of service tickets) until they have a chance to build out their service center network.

Another note. I don't think Rivian can enforce this on anyone who has already taken delivery of their vehicle. The warranty policy at the time of purchase must be honored.

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[Tahoe Man]

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.

They had to IPO when they did, to get Wall Street backing and ride the EV mania. Reminds me when any company put a .com in their name back in the 90's, the stock skyrocketed.

 

[Rousie13]

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?

This is true…..heck my buddy sent me screenshots from a Tesla forum where an owner didn’t even realize they were responsible for putting their own air in the tires when they were low.

Not sure if you were asking about mobile service for wheel balance issues. I was chatting with the mobile tech that came to my house and checking out the equipment in his van. He had a full Hunter balancer in the van and equipment to replace/change tires. His van was very well equipped for MOST repairs.

 

[atebit]

Then RJ needs to get Chief O’Brien to replicate a bunch of those pronto.

 

[zipzag]

I think this may be Rivians way of expanding their delivery zones. Rivian has been prioritizing deliveries near service centers, but as those get fulfilled they need to start delivering to reservations holders much further away from service centers. The costs of transporting a fleet of vehicles 10 times the current fleet size might very well bankrupt the company. Now from a customer standpoint this SUCKS!!!!!!! The only way I think this will fly long term is if Rivian drastically expands it's mobile service ( to be able to cover say 90% of service tickets) until they have a chance to build out their service center network.

Another note. I don't think Rivian can enforce this on anyone who has already taken delivery of their vehicle. The warranty policy at the time of purchase must be honored.

Many places in the U.S. are very far from a Volvo dealership. Volvo makes money.

I once didn't buy a Volvo because I lived about 20 miles from the nearest dealer. This is normal behavior. Buying a vehicle from a new manufacturing with service center a couple hundred miles away is not typical consumer behavior. The characteristics of early Rivian buyers probably don't reflect future buyers.

Plus people who buy $100K vehicles are geographically clumped together. Tesla's first 20 sales locations were within 10 miles of a Ferrari dealer.

 

[SoCal Rob]

Not sure if you were asking about mobile service for wheel balance issues. I was chatting with the mobile tech that came to my house and checking out the equipment in his van. He had a full Hunter balancer in the van and equipment to replace/change tires. His van was very well equipped for MOST repairs.

That’s good to know, thanks!

 

[Titanium91352]

The day of delivery on my R1T the flatbed driver called and said the vehicle had a manufacturing defect during inspection. They said I can A. Accept the vehicle and it will be repaired. B. Refuse the vehicle and get back in line. Having been a reservation holder since Nov 27th 2018 for three vehicles, it was the last thing I wanted to hear on the day of delivery. After a lot of back and forth, the vehicle was delivered. The person wrote up a service request and told me they would pick up the vehicle with a flatbed (much like the Rivian Flatbed delivering) and drop of a Rivian to drive during the service period. He also said I would have my guide for the life of the vehicle. Alas, when I finally scheduled the appointment, no pickup and delivery, no replacement Rivian, nothing. Dropped it off, and was given a Kia to drive. I love my R1T. But being a reservation holder for three years now, ALL of their delivery talk is hot air. And ALL of their service talk is hot air. The only adventure they are selling as part of the Rivian is the constant changing of their customer relationships. That road map is all over the place with no end in sight.

 

[M00v0vr]

Still really conflicted here. As an owner that lives 4 hours from a SC I am frustrated, especially considering I had the impression they could provide service in Portland OR. As a stock owner I can see the business reasons behind this, I am sure tow charges and service are killing the bottom line.

So thinking about selling my truck, sure it will be the lowest priced resale offering yet based on my 18k miles. Not sure what I would replace it with, I do love the truck when it works. I could always consider a Rivian again in a few years, maybe they can actually sort all this out by then.

Why are they sending you to Seattle for service? Don't you live in Sandy? All of my service apps have been at the NW Portland location and they have been very responsive, just wish they could fix the damm click/tock issue.

 

[jjswan33]

Why are they sending you to Seattle for service? Don't you live in Sandy? All of my service apps have been at the NW Portland location and they have been very responsive, just wish they could fix the damm click/tock issue.

I had service in May in Portland but since then they have trucked it to Bellevue the most recent 4 visits. I think it depends on what service you need Or maybe they are in the process of moving, not sure which.

For alignment they couldn’t do it in Portland. Then replacing a hub, then replacing a suspension damper and a valve block.

 

[jebinc]

More feedback on my specific service incident which led to this post. I received delivery of an R1T on 9/30/2022. The vehicle was delivered with the following issues: front wheel out-of-balance, front end alignment out-of-spec, possible suspension issue in front-right corner, compressor running excessively, paint damaged in two spots on the driver-side rear door, driver-side gear tunnel missing PPF (not a big deal as I’m adding PPF), center display glass bezel not fully-attached and has glue/sealant around the entire screen, driver-side front and rear door out of alignment, frunk getting stuck in the closed position.

I had the opportunity to drive a Launch Edition R1T over Labor Day weekend that exhibited none of these issues, however it did exhibit the drive axle “tock” issue. We also participated in a test drive a few months back, so we knew what to expect when delivery time was upon us.

On 09/30/2022, I logged all service-related items in the app. I was then contacted on 10/03/2022 and 10/04/2022 regarding the issues submitted within the app, and a SC appointment was created for Thursday 10/13/2022. Rivian arranged a pick-up for the R1T from my home on 10/12/2022. I knew 10/13/2022 may not work and I did let my SA know about this. They told me to call back when I knew for sure. Later the same day, I called to reschedule and spoke with a different SA. They were having trouble getting an appointment at the Richmond SC, and told me they would call me back by close of business. No response. I called again the next day – same issue.

I called in once again on 10/06/2022 and was finally able to get a new service date. This is when I was informed of the changed policy for towing and that my “new” (not rescheduled, but new) service appointment would incur this towing fee, should I elect to have the Rivian picked up. Yes, I was heated in the moment, but was able to work with Rivian on this later in the day. I’m happy to say my SA and a manager in the SA department waived the towing charge, as I started the service request process before the notice was released to all SAs and RGs. They made good on their part, for which I am very thankful. I also wouldn’t have reacted this way if Rivian kept the much closer Rockville SC open, while also gearing up to open the new Gaithersburg SC.

To clarify, I was not being charged a “rescheduling” fee. For some reason, the previous SAs I worked with were unable to reschedule the appointment… they were cancelling the old and scheduling new.

This half-shaft “tock” has me really concerned about the driveline design, or lack there of. I’ve seen several videos and read quite a bit about this as I’m super sensitive - I suffer from a Tesla Plaid half-shaft vibration design flaw; one that remains unsolved 1.5 years later. Like the Tesla issue, Rivian’s seems to appear 1000-3000 miles AFTER delivery and (like Tesla), they call it normal and may replace the half shafts for a temporary reprieve. How many of you have suffered this affliction???

 

[RWerksman]

So, I have a not so fun story on this.

I have a pre-existing service order that was setup last month. Rivian will be picking my truck up next Sunday as the panel between my windshield and glass roof was incorrectly installed. (driving over 65mph sounds like I'm in my Jeep) I called and requested that they also look at the recall while it's there, and they stated they would be glad to do so.

I was then sent a new Work Estimate for Service. It included a charge for $66.92 - $55 for towing labor and what appears to be $6.50 for one mile of tow.

Calling back, I was informed that this was the new policy. I stated that my service order was setup prior to the new policy. After being put on hold to speak with a team lead, I was informed that if there was a serviceable event, I wouldn't have to pay it. If not, I would.

That sounds reasonable, at first glance. If, however, the tech assigned to my case looks at it and decided that he just doesn't feel like doing anything with it, or that it's 'in spec', I'm basically out $1,800 for nothing, with limited recourse. This would be extra egregious considering the pre-existing nature of the service, and that I've already sent multiple pictures in, all culminating in a, "Yeah - that's not right." in prior conversations with service advisers.

I shared this concern with them. After being placed back on hold, I was told that my maximum out of pocked would be the $66.92 I agreed to on the estimate. I asked for him to note that on the RO and he agreed to do so.


At the end of the day, I'm going to send it up and see what happens. It's clear that something is wrong and that the service order pre-dates the policy. I feel like I'm taking one for the team to see how everything will play out here.

This whole thing is repulsive though. I feel like there is a $1,800 Sword of Damocles hanging over my head. Combine that with STILL not having permanent registration from the state of Pennsylvania, despite purchasing in May, and I feel like this truck is a mistake.

I did receive a previously agreed on refund check from Rivian earlier this week though, which is nice. It only took multiple follow-up emails and weeks longer than they promised, but whatever.

 

[milliemc]

More feedback on my specific service incident which led to this post. I received delivery of an R1T on 9/30/2022. The vehicle was delivered with the following issues: front wheel out-of-balance, front end alignment out-of-spec, possible suspension issue in front-right corner, compressor running excessively, paint damaged in two spots on the driver-side rear door, driver-side gear tunnel missing PPF (not a big deal as I’m adding PPF), center display glass bezel not fully-attached and has glue/sealant around the entire screen, driver-side front and rear door out of alignment, frunk getting stuck in the closed position.

I had the opportunity to drive a Launch Edition R1T over Labor Day weekend that exhibited none of these issues, however it did exhibit the drive axle “tock” issue. We also participated in a test drive a few months back, so we knew what to expect when delivery time was upon us.

On 09/30/2022, I logged all service-related items in the app. I was then contacted on 10/03/2022 and 10/04/2022 regarding the issues submitted within the app, and a SC appointment was created for Thursday 10/13/2022. Rivian arranged a pick-up for the R1T from my home on 10/12/2022. I knew 10/13/2022 may not work and I did let my SA know about this. They told me to call back when I knew for sure. Later the same day, I called to reschedule and spoke with a different SA. They were having trouble getting an appointment at the Richmond SC, and told me they would call me back by close of business. No response. I called again the next day – same issue.

I called in once again on 10/06/2022 and was finally able to get a new service date. This is when I was informed of the changed policy for towing and that my “new” (not rescheduled, but new) service appointment would incur this towing fee, should I elect to have the Rivian picked up. Yes, I was heated in the moment, but was able to work with Rivian on this later in the day. I’m happy to say my SA and a manager in the SA department waived the towing charge, as I started the service request process before the notice was released to all SAs and RGs. They made good on their part, for which I am very thankful. I also wouldn’t have reacted this way if Rivian kept the much closer Rockville SC open, while also gearing up to open the new Gaithersburg SC.

To clarify, I was not being charged a “rescheduling” fee. For some reason, the previous SAs I worked with were unable to reschedule the appointment… they were cancelling the old and scheduling new.

Sounds horrible and is making me re-think whether I want to own a Rivian. We have a 2020 Tesla Model 3 which is not perfect, but has also not given us any problems. The one recall regarding the trunk was easily taken care of at a nearby SC. Plus, we just came back from a road trip and had easy Super Charger access plus free Tesla charging at the National Park we stayed at. There was also a Hyundai Ionic 5 charging next to us. Hmmmmm.

 

[CharonPDX]

Do they still drive or flatbed the vehicle to your house?

My delivery in late August, the delivery person drove the truck to my house, then took an Uber back to the SC. (I'm only about 15 miles from the SC.)

 

[atebit]

So, I have a not so fun story on this.

I have a pre-existing service order that was setup last month. Rivian will be picking my truck up next Sunday as the panel between my windshield and glass roof was incorrectly installed. (driving over 65mph sounds like I'm in my Jeep) I called and requested that they also look at the recall while it's there, and they stated they would be glad to do so.

I was then sent a new Work Estimate for Service. It included a charge for $66.92 - $55 for towing labor and what appears to be $6.50 for one mile of tow.

Calling back, I was informed that this was the new policy. I stated that my service order was setup prior to the new policy. After being put on hold to speak with a team lead, I was informed that if there was a serviceable event, I wouldn't have to pay it. If not, I would.

That sounds reasonable, at first glance. If, however, the tech assigned to my case looks at it and decided that he just doesn't feel like doing anything with it, or that it's 'in spec', I'm basically out $1,800 for nothing, with limited recourse. This would be extra egregious considering the pre-existing nature of the service, and that I've already sent multiple pictures in, all culminating in a, "Yeah - that's not right." in prior conversations with service advisers.

I shared this concern with them. After being placed back on hold, I was told that my maximum out of pocked would be the $66.92 I agreed to on the estimate. I asked for him to note that on the RO and he agreed to do so.


At the end of the day, I'm going to send it up and see what happens. It's clear that something is wrong and that the service order pre-dates the policy. I feel like I'm taking one for the team to see how everything will play out here.

This whole thing is repulsive though. I feel like there is a $1,800 Sword of Damocles hanging over my head. Combine that with STILL not having permanent registration from the state of Pennsylvania, despite purchasing in May, and I feel like this truck is a mistake.

I did receive a previously agreed on refund check from Rivian earlier this week though, which is nice. It only took multiple follow-up emails and weeks longer than they promised, but whatever.

We need tee-shirts:

We Come To You!
Maybe.
Nope!

 

[zipzag]

Sounds horrible and is making me re-think whether I want to own a Rivian. We have a 2020 Tesla Model 3 which is not perfect, but has also not given us any problems. The one recall regarding the trunk was easily taken care of at a nearby SC. Plus, we just came back from a road trip and had easy Super Charger access plus free Tesla charging at the National Park we stayed at. There was also a Hyundai Ionic 5 charging next to us. Hmmmmm.

As production ramps the number of reported service problems will increase here. Most people will not have problem vehicles. But if you are far from a Rivian service location you may want to wait or purchase something that can be fixed nearby. Not great choices today with EV SUV.

Tesla destination chargers will work with CCS cars with an adopter. I would not count on Superchargers become available to Rivian in the next few years, despite what Musk says. He wants both credit for being a good guy while still protecting Tesla's advantage in charging. The fact that EA has not fixed their problems as fast as expected will actually make Musk drag his feet with opening up Supercharger. Too bad Rivian isn't keeping to the schedule of opening DCFC as they promised early buyers.

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