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

[avigneault]

While IMHO it's a bit extreme to suggest only engaging conserve while stopped, the principle of mechanical sympathy would suggest it's good practice to avoid engaging/disengaging while putting the drive train under heavy stress (acceleration/deceleration), right? Flip it on while cruising. Don't flip it on while launching up an on ramp at 1g. Common sense.

Sponsored

 

[Yellow Buddy]

I thought it was the reverse. It seems to go smoothly when I’m at speed. And seems to do a hard/rough disconnect if I do it at a stop then get moving.

 

[HaveBlue]

Sound like descendants of the all wheel drivers who dropped the clutch at full tilt.

 

[jollyroger]

I thought it was the reverse. It seems to go smoothly when I’m at speed. And seems to do a hard/rough disconnect if I do it at a stop then get moving.

yea I would think it might be less stress if you disengaged the rear drive during motion, and re engage the rear drive while stopped out at least really slow.

probably a game of telephone between engineers and service centers. “There is more stress on the system when switching modes while in motion” turned into SC tech saying “Don’t do that”

 

[AdamUCF]

someone in a management position without the same exposure to idiots that the engineers have.

Management does have the experience -- they just don't realize it because they are the idiots

 

[Count Orlok]

does this mean I have to start locking-out the hubs?

 

[zefram47]

Even my Tacoma with it’s prehistoric transmission can switch from 2WD to 4WD and back at 50 mph.

Not really a valid comparison. The Taco and most 4x4s are using a synchronized mechanism in the transfer case for 2H to 4H and still require coming to a stop and usually going into neutral to get from 4H to 4L. Rivian is basically using an electromechanical dog-clutch for the rear disconnect. I could see disconnecting being similar to Toyota's ADD front axle where you need to release load on the drivetrain for it to disconnect properly, but shouldn't need to stop. To engage it though, those dogs are going engage HARD if you do it with any load on the drivetrain. Others have mentioned a bang when going from Conserve to AP while moving. IIRC, the Munro video even showed how it works.

 

[Kuro-Rivian]

3 pages of responses and no other reports or confirmation. And two instances from a reddit post. I think we need to call this rumor likely b/s.

 

[srazz]

As others have said I’ve switched to conserve mode many times on the freeway. I just try not to have the drivetrain under load when switching. Meaning not under severe acceleration and or de-acceleration.

 

[Mickey]

My R1T has quad motors. I was told during my orientation that the Conserve Mode disconnects the two rear-wheel motors. Thus, the better economy from using only half of the motors. I haven't experienced any issues or odd sounds while changing modes "on the fly". In fact, mine is actually unnoticeable.

 

[Zoidz]

The OEM marketing material states “It allows the components to couple and decouple smoothly, with on-demand functionality imperceptible to the driver. Developing efficient, seamless, on-demand AWD and 4WD systems for EVs is of particular importance for sport-utility vehicles (SUV) and crossover-utility vehicles (CUV), as they are the fastest-growing segments globally. “

It says on-demand twice, so it implies while driving.

With that said, I am also old school 4WD. My Avalanche has on the fly capabilities, but I only change it a 5 mph or less. I’ve found it changes most smoothly while rolling along slowly at idle and moving straight forward. It really does not like changing if I am turning even at low speed.

I’ll do the same when I get my R1S.

 

[R1Tom]

Real question is why did Rivian engineering decide to decouple rear motors and not the front? I would have made exactly the opposite decision they made.

 

[jollyroger]

I always thought it had to do with better regen if you let up on the pedal with the front wheels engaged

 

[3121]

Hella dumb if tru

 

[TxBeachRivian]

I have an appointment on the 3rd of January, to get the rear half shafts and motors looked at and serviced. While I attempt to recover all wheel drive capabilities. I will let you know what I am told about the ability to switch and how it affects the vehicle.

I can say that I have never had any issue or perceivable problem, until moving into Conserve while coming to a stop, something I rarely do. I actually rarely use conserve, but was trying to get some efficiency estimates in the cold weather and had forgot to switch on my way home, so switched when I remembered.

it was at that point I got the following diagnostic messages.

Sponsored