Snow Driving Issues

[sgtpeper]

Hi All,

First, I'm overall loving my R1S. It does so much so well and I'm still overall enjoying the ownership experience.

That said, we had a heavy snow storm last night here in Denver and my R1S was - well, not confidence inspiring.

Issue:
1. Windshield Wipers - As the snow came down the wipers just would freeze up and barely move anything off the windshield. I've never had a car with such poor wipers from the factory. I have ordered some Bosch replacements as friends told me they'll help tremendously. My windshield is ceramic coated so one would think that should help - it didn't. On my IPace, it had a heated windshield which worked beautifully to keep the windshield clear. I've also seen cars with heated cowls near the windshield to keep the wipers warm. The current system is just bad in icy/snowy weather.

2. Headlights - We all know this one. There has to be a fix right? This can't be considered a safe situation. My headlights froze over and I could only see a few feet in front of me in the snowy conditions. Not safe. Some friends have tried rainx on them and my headlights are again ceramic coated but this was pretty dangerous.

3. Winter Handling - I have the stock 20" tires. They sort of just suck in the snow. I've never had all-season tires that performed this badly. Is it just the tires or the programming? I have friends who have put on dedicated snow tires and said it is 90% better but I've never really had to go this route on any other SUV. I usually just ran Continental DWS tires year round and felt safe. I was all over the place last night and only felt safe at like 30mph on the highway. This thing has chunky off-road look at me tires that felt more like summer tires on my McLaren.

4. Winter Mode - What does this mode do besides changing up regen? I think they need to modify this mode to have less power and or torque. In winter mode it still feels too easy to just spin the tires with minimal throttle input.

Conclusions? I still love my R1S. I'm hopeful Rivian can solve these issues and I hope someone of them can be recalled/warrantied - like headlights and wipers. Reprogramming winter mode would be a great help as well.

Anyone else feeling this way?

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[COdogman]

The stock 20’s are just average in the snow/ ice, but I would say that most tires are just average in that situation too. It’s one of those things that is annoying when you get a new vehicle, but since we don’t get the option of different winter tires from the factory we need to decide if we want to immediately swap them out or just drive on the stock tires until they need to be replaced. That is what I’m doing and I just drive extra cautious if it’s icy out. IMO they aren’t so bad they are dangerous.

The wipers and HVAC system can be frustrating too, but those are minor things to me that I can live with.

 

[sgtpeper]

Has anyone found a really good replacement for the stock 20" tires that are an all-season?

This is all stuff I can live with for sure, but in a go anywhere tough off roader, I feel like it should be ready to take on the seasons a bit better out of the box. My IPace was basically a Range Rover underneath and it felt confident in any situation - even with the 22" rim option - though I did swap the summer only tires to Continental DWS in the first month.

 

[Linuturk]

I'm here in Denver as well, and I was driving last night in the snow. I have the R1T. I used snow mode and was easy on the pedals, and my truck seemed to handle it well. I'm on the stock 20".

I feel like snow mode changes the throttle response, but I'm not sure.

I hope your experience improves going forward.

 

[sgtpeper]

I think it does change throttle but not enough for that mode.

 

[wski441]

in before RIP tells you to buy the DM ??

 

[sgtpeper]

buy the DM?

 

[JKDU]

I live in Denver and earlier this winter season I swapped out my stock AT 20" tires for Blizzak winter tires because of the same issue you and others noticed about how poorly they handle in snow/ice conditions. I have never had AT tires before and was hoping that would be enough for winter driving since it's 3 peak snow mountain rated but have found winter tires are the best options. We switch to winter tires on all our cars even though they have 4 wheel drive because of how much better they are in braking and traction in snow/ice conditions. We got them done at Discount Tires b/c they have the pucks and know how to change tires on Rivians.

I agree about the headlights being covered concern and I know there are threads on here about that. What others have pointed out is that the lights don't heat up like the cars back in the day so much easier for it to get covered in ice and wet snow and stick. Open to hear what others found that worked for this issue. Someone on a post mentioned covering their fog lights in yellow film and that helped with visibility because of the coloring. Anyone tried that as well and if it helps?

 

[mtberman]

I am in Denver. First, the storm last night started as freezing rain, which will challenge any wipers. This is not historically an ice-prone area and we had a legit ice storm for a few hours. Second, the Rivian does have a wiper de-icer linked to the rear defroster. Turning that on will defrost the mirrors and wiper park area.

I have a dual motor with 21s and my mode choices are limited to all-purpose and snow. I use snow mode whenever it’s slippery. The 21s are just OK in snow and ice. The main problem for me is that the truck is heavy and I often catch myself forgetting the physics.

 

[sgtpeper]

That's interesting - I didn't realize it does warm the wiper area. I did have the rear defrost on to defrost my mirrors and such but my wipers were awful.

 

[freshpow]

Also in Denver and was driving around last night admiring how my R1T performs in the snow now that I have a proper set of winter tires (Blizzaks). Some people swear by the 20” ATs in snow but they’re never going to come close to matching the performance of a dedicated snow tire. Nor will an all season. The Blizzaks also ride a lot smoother and quieter than the stock ATs. Do yourself and your vehicle a favor and invest in a set of winters.

 

[shandel]

On my IPace, it had a heated windshield which worked beautifully to keep the windshield clear. I've also seen cars with heated cowls near the windshield to keep the wipers warm. The current system is just bad in icy/snowy weather.

Did you try the windshield heater feature? It seems to work fine for me to keep the windshield clear of ice...

 

[Cycliste]

buy the DM?

Rogue Indian Power is famous

 

[COdogman]

I live in Denver and earlier this winter season I swapped out my stock AT 20" tires for Blizzak winter tires because of the same issue you and others noticed about how poorly they handle in snow/ice conditions. I have never had AT tires before and was hoping that would be enough for winter driving since it's 3 peak snow mountain rated but have found winter tires are the best options. We switch to winter tires on all our cars even though they have 4 wheel drive because of how much better they are in braking and traction in snow/ice conditions. We got them done at Discount Tires b/c they have the pucks and know how to change tires on Rivians.

I agree about the headlights being covered concern and I know there are threads on here about that. What others have pointed out is that the lights don't heat up like the cars back in the day so much easier for it to get covered in ice and wet snow and stick. Open to hear what others found that worked for this issue. Someone on a post mentioned covering their fog lights in yellow film and that helped with visibility because of the coloring. Anyone tried that as well and if it helps?

It’s important to note that the 3 peak rating is something the tire manufacturer tests for themselves and ONLY includes accelerating on light/ medium snow. The test does not include braking or turning.

https://www.tirerack.com/upgrade-garage/what-is-the-threepeak-mountain-snowflake-symbol

That being said I have had 3 peak rated tires that are amazing in snow/ ice and others that feel truly dangerous. The stock Pirellis are probably somewhere in the middle of that. I wouldn’t say they are dangerous, but they aren’t as good as some I’ve owned.

If you really want peace of mind in the winter regardless of the vehicle, get a set of snow tires. They are the only tires specifically designed for those conditions.

 

[SteveInBend]

Rogue Indian Power is famous

Rogue Indian Power is infamous - FIFY

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