Conserve Mode should only be selected while the vehicle is stopped? (says Rivian Service Center technicians)

[connoisseurr]

Over the past two weeks, I’ve read two unrelated posts on Reddit about owners being told by service center technicians that conserve mode should only be selected while the vehicle is stopped. This is being shared by Rivian service AFTER owners are having rear drive units replaced due to drivetrain malfunctions.

I’d like to know if any other owners have heard this directly from Rivian? There’s nothing in the owners manual, nor within any forms publication from Rivian.

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[Marchin_MTB]

I almost always select conserve on the fly, while getting on a freeway usually. If true, this is concerning.

 

[EVnewb]

Thanks for the heads up on this! Going to do it when stopped from now on just to be safe.

 

[Andystroh]

I am sure there are best practices, but if this was the concerning at all I bet Rivian would have required that through the software?

 

[popoga]

Seems like an easy to enforce thing, and they have plenty of other constraints enforced in the mode selection UI. Weird if true.

 

[connoisseurr]

I almost always select conserve on the fly, while getting on a freeway usually. If true, this is concerning.

Agree. My standard practice is to throw it into conserve mode when I'm at at highway speeds and know I won't be in any stop and go for a while.

Thanks for the heads up on this! Going to do it when stopped from now on just to be safe.

Not so much a heads up, but more of a poll to see if anyone else has heard this rumor.

I am sure there are best practices, but if this was the concerning at all I bet Rivian would have required that through the software?

Agree. Someone else on Reddit also mentioned this exact comment. If it were by design, there would be a software limitation to active Conserve mode while in motion.

 

[IRun]

I was having issues on a 2 hour trip switching from conserve to sport on the fly, could clearly feel the 4 wheel drive kick in with a clunk feeling.

 

[jpa5635]

FWIW I had a "service suspension soon" with hold failures and loss of pedal soon after switching to conserve on the fly last weekend. After a reset and staying in conserve the warnings were still present. After reset and changing to all purpose while parked, the errors cleared and I haven't seen them since. I've been running in all purpose since and have no plans to return to conserve.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

If that were true, then they should restrict the mode change in software.

 

[atebit]

Not to say “anecdotal” (on the part of the technician),but…anecdotal.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

The only times I changed were on the fly. I don't need conserve unless I'm on the freeway and I was under the understanding that conserve was only intended for things like freeway driving not driving around town. We are getting some real mixed messages here.

 

[Jack Smoke]

Being a bit n the older side, 49, and growing up with locking hubs. It’s an old habit to ”change modes” 2x4 to 4x4 while in neutral (best practice) or Park usual practice. Neutral only to go into 4x4 low range, as per every OEM. I know “shift on the fly” has been around for decades. But something about old dogs and new tricks. You guys do what you want, but I’ll either start in the mode I plan on doing most of my driving in or wait for a stoplight.

 

[kurtlikevonnegut]

Being a bit n the older side, 49, and growing up with locking hubs. It’s an old habit to ”change modes” 2x4 to 4x4 while in neutral (best practice) or Park usual practice. Neutral only to go into 4x4 low range, as per every OEM. I know “shift on the fly” has been around for decades. But something about old dogs and new tricks. You guys do what you want, but I’ll either start in the mode I plan on doing most of my driving in or wait for a stoplight.

I'm the same way and when I have changed to Conserve while driving I wince. Whenever possible if I do go to Conserve I try to do it on the onramp or at a light before getting on the interstate. The more I drive and get comfortable with the range the less I see a need for Conserve. I think I'd only even use it if I absolutely need it to get where I'm going since it really only makes a 20-30 mile difference at highway speeds. I see similar efficiency gains by going 65-70 instead of 75 as going to Conserve from AP, so I'd rather just drive slower honestly.

 

[Sgt Beavis]

I don’t usually switch drive modes while in motion but you’d think they would put this in the code so users can’t change drive modes unless they are stopped.

 

[Jack Smoke]

I’m a fan going slow and appreciating the scenery. Ive only used dynamic mode on my motorcycle twice, once to make sure it worked on a test drive, the other on an empty on-ramp. I imagine that I’ll use sport in the R1T a fair bit at first, then after I get bored of scaring myself, and showing off for friends and family. I’ll do most of my driving in conserve. Unless I know there’s a free charge at the end of the line

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