Powered Tonneau Curveball

[R1Tom]

I decided this one warranted a new thread/topic. In case people are ignoring the other since the subject was something different.

It appears Rivian has made a major stance change for existing owners who have powered tonneau covers.

Most of us believed all existing customers would ultimately get the new and improved updated design eventually. That no longer appears to be the case, based on careful wording by Rivian on their support page of the Rivian website.

https://rivian.com/support/article/why-will-some-r1t-powered-tonneau-covers-be-replaced

First...it literally is now called "Why will some".

Second....it says "you bring into service and we will fix"....word is fix....not replace. Seems to open concept they may just bandaid existing till original warranty terms are up...which is the next point.

Third.....says warranty terms are not extended. Still only get to 5 years or 60k. So many have been without for extended periods of time or been rarely using....yet no added time for warranty.

Maybe this is simply poorly worded.....I certainly hope so....as this is a pretty poor behavior if I am actually interpreting this correctly.

What do you all think? Am I crazy? Could be...I hope so....

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[bd5400]

I presume the terms are vague because they aren’t planning to guarantee replacement for every single truck that has the old design. Covers that aren’t broken or ones that need service but not in the same way as the truly broken ones likely won’t qualify, so explanations are worded to avoid giving the impression that you can just make a service appointment to have the upgraded design added even if yours is working.

 

[cohall]

As long as I'm within warranty and my PT is functioning, I'm a happy camper. I don't care if it's new or redesigned or fixed or whatever. If it works it works.

I'll change my stance if I ever get near end of warranty and am worried about it crapping out.

 

[R1Tom]

I presume the terms are vague because they aren’t planning to guarantee replacement for every single truck that has the old design. Covers that aren’t broken or ones that need service but not in the same way as the truly broken ones likely won’t qualify, so explanations are worded to avoid giving the impression that you can just make a service appointment to have the upgraded design added even if yours is working.

This is where an extended warranty would have been nice. They could have said...we know we had issues...however...some are operating fine. For those cases, please continue to use them with the added assurance that Rivian will replace malfunctioning covers until an extended period of 7 years or 100k miles, whichever comes first. That way if they were good covers....shouldn't they last that long anyway? I am thinking that would be a typical customer expectation. Rather than leave those with original designs, admitadly less robust than the new, with assurance that if it does have a problem even after the 5year....60k miles...Rivian will take care of you. Not to mention making up for the lost time many have had?

 

[R1Tom]

As long as I'm within warranty and my PT is functioning, I'm a happy camper. I don't care if it's new or redesigned or fixed or whatever. If it works it works.

I'll change my stance if I ever get near end of warranty and am worried about it crapping out.

Like my last post.....extended warranty would be the way they should have gone here for all customers of existing covers that work.

 

[tjmsquared]

I'm glad you pointed this out -- I'm going to start using mine again and stop worrying about it breaking.

Am I misremembering that Rivian asked us to stop using them until the redesign was done? I've kept mine closed and untouched for close to a year now because I thought the guidance was to put it in the position you want the most until the redesign is complete.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

I think you're just reading too much into this. They are saying some covers because covers like mine work 100% as designed. I am not asking for, nor do I want, a new cover unless something changes.

 

[jjswan33]

As long as I'm within warranty and my PT is functioning, I'm a happy camper. I don't care if it's new or redesigned or fixed or whatever. If it works it works.

I'll change my stance if I ever get near end of warranty and am worried about it crapping out.

The real question is what functioning means. If functioning means that it opens or closes as intended >90% of the time then great. If it means 50% of the time then we have a problem.

In my experience mine will work but a large percentage of the time it won't open or close all the way and I have to press and hold the button to force it. This is not a functioning cover in my opinion, its one that still works but not as designed.

 

[R1Tom]

I think you're just reading too much into this. They are saying some covers because covers like mine work 100% as designed. I am not asking for, nor do I want, a new cover unless something changes.

I differ. I feel they should all be replaced. I don't know your operating conditions and maybe you are taking really nice care of it? Mine works too, albeit very noisy and can tell motor stressed at times, but I baby the crap out of it. Rarely use it.

I feel it is appropriate to either fix them all, or extend warranties to all potentially affected vehicles, so that customers can continue to use them without fear of failure, past the original terms of warranty, especially since they refused to fix any now for about a year I believe.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

I differ. I feel they should all be replaced. I don't know your operating conditions and maybe you are taking really nice care of it? Mine works too, albeit very noisy and can tell motor stressed at times, but I baby the crap out of it. Rarely use it.

I feel it is appropriate to either fix them all, or extend warranties to all potentially affected vehicles, so that customers can continue to use them without fear of failure, past the original terms of warranty, especially since they refused to fix any now for about a year I believe.

I use mine at least 3 times a week and it works well. It makes no strange noises, it works really well. You still have 5 years left on your warranty. Use it a lot and break it if you're worried about it. Don't baby it, use it as you need to, that's what I do.

 

[goldburger]

Am I crazy?

Yes. It says replacement like a million times including where it says. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I am going to start using it daily in the hopes of it fully breaking soon.

 

[R1Tom]

I use mine at least 3 times a week and it works well. It makes no strange noises, it works really well. You still have 5 years left on your warranty. Use it a lot and break it if you're worried about it. Don't baby it, use it as you need to, that's what I do.

Except I am at almost 30k miles....so more like another 1.5 years of warranty left for me. I will start using it once I feel I won't be stuck with a broken one half open anymore, for an extended period of time.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

Except I am at almost 30k miles....so more like another 1.5 years of warranty left for me. I will start using it once I feel I won't be stuck with a broken one half open anymore, for an extended period of time.

If you feel like it is going to break start using it ASAP so you can get a service ticket before your warranty expires.

 

[R1Tom]

Yes. It says replacement like a million times including where it says. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I am going to start using it daily in the hopes of it fully breaking soon.

I agree...I was a bit more stretching that fix it idea....hopefully if one fails it is just a complete new one and no repair attempts on existing.

 

[R1Tom]

If you feel like it is going to break start using it ASAP so you can get a service ticket before your warranty expires.

I agree. I am certainly not going to avoid it anymore. The laboring and clunk now and them seem to be indicators of potential failure.

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