Rivian reliability is a problem

[Steamingoat1]

I sold my Ford and purchased the Rivian. Transmission went out at 30 k. So I bought a vehicle without a transmission. ?I’ve also had GMC, BMW, Dodge, Pontiac, Audi. I’m sorry what is your point? I have 50k in Rivian stock/ Ooops. I want Rivian to be better. Can somebody tell me what I have mentioned is not true? No drive by here ding dong.

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[Placer Paul]

I have wanted a EV for years now and I have looked at the many options out there. I eventually decided I liked the Rivian the best. And when I learned that they were making the an affordable model I was all in and put down a reservation on the first day. Many of my family and friends try to talk me out of getting an EV because of all the issues they have and the negative publicity that always seems to be out there. I have just wanted to get one just to prove them wrong. But when I see Consumer reports vehicle reliability reports and Rivian is at he very bottom by a long ways I get discouraged and worry that I will end up with a problem vehicle. My friends and family are just going to be saying "I told you!". I still have high hopes that Rivian is going to learn from the past issues and start making reliable EVs. When I first saw this data last year I thought it must be because of all the issues with the retractable tonneau cover on the bed. But If you click on Rivian on the web site you can see it is the R1S that is the least reliable. I hope to see big improvements in reliability over the next 2 years or I will not be buying.
This is a screen shot of the ratings as ai was not sure if I could post a link to their site in this post or if non members would see it.

Thirteen months and over 20,000 miles and I still love our R1S. Issues? Sure. Dashboard rattle, fixed in one visit. Wind noise from driver door window; fixed with two short visits.

Only really recurrent issue is the fronk lid not latching automatically upon closure. But could still latch it manually, so the car was always still safely operable.

They're coming to my house tomorrow morning to fix the fronk, hopefully for the last time.

Issues? Sure. It's a big complex machine/computer. But every family member and friend who rides in our R1S raves about the looks, the performance and the ride.

 

[Steamingoat1]

Please post the results of your 100k plus owner survey that you conducted to speak as definitively as you are. Until you do, I’ll assume you’re talking without any actual evidence

If I had 100 K miles I wouldn’t be complaining. I have 20 K smart one.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

If I had 100 K miles I wouldn’t be complaining. I have 20 K smart one.

What? I think you need to reread what I said because this response makes no sense in the context of what I wrote.

 

[Dark-Fx]

How come I haven't seen you on the F-150 forums helping me fix my F150's TCU module, or thousands of rattling timing chains... don't even get me started on the 10 spd transmission that gives you whiplash on deceleration. They probably have about 10 million 10 speeds in service if you include Chevrolet using them as well. I get about a letter a week to join class action lawsuits covering Fords I drive currently and have owned in the past. With that said... I still think a majority of people who drive Ford's are satisfied with them and consider them reliable.

Service wise, I've had mine in for service a few times. Every time I was quoted a long wait time, then I received a call a day later stating that they could squeeze me in within the same week. When I did take it in, I always had a loaner or rental waiting and was never really incoveinanced any worse than I have been with regular ICE cars.

Do I think Rivian can improve, HELL YEAH. Do I regret buying one, not yet. I drive home everyday and see cars crashed, flipped over on their sides or dead in the road. None of them get any press, unless it is heaven forbid, a Rivian or Cybertruck that happens to have some bad luck. Then it is deemed viral news worthy. This probably also contributes to why we have so many drive bys at this forum.

My Cruze went through two transmissions before GM got it right. Entirely different design on the third one. Engine burned oil no matter what was replaced because it was a defective design.

But we can crucify Rivian here, this isn't a GM forum.

 

[YellowR1T]

I have wanted a EV for years now and I have looked at the many options out there. I eventually decided I liked the Rivian the best. And when I learned that they were making the an affordable model I was all in and put down a reservation on the first day. Many of my family and friends try to talk me out of getting an EV because of all the issues they have and the negative publicity that always seems to be out there. I have just wanted to get one just to prove them wrong. But when I see Consumer reports vehicle reliability reports and Rivian is at he very bottom by a long ways I get discouraged and worry that I will end up with a problem vehicle. My friends and family are just going to be saying "I told you!". I still have high hopes that Rivian is going to learn from the past issues and start making reliable EVs. When I first saw this data last year I thought it must be because of all the issues with the retractable tonneau cover on the bed. But If you click on Rivian on the web site you can see it is the R1S that is the least reliable. I hope to see big improvements in reliability over the next 2 years or I will not be buying.
This is a screen shot of the ratings as ai was not sure if I could post a link to their site in this post or if non members would see it.

Look at the USAF. A new fighter jet designed on a clean slate will ALWAYS have roll out issues and refinements, and these are from experienced plane production companies. Attempts at pushing the technological envelope is never trouble free, yet once the bugs are worked the plane dominates.

I love my R1T despite having to change out the center dash panel and the driver door.

 

[0explorer]

For me, Consumer Reports resonates too, especially in terms of reliability and satisfaction.

I own a 2025 R1S Large+ with approximately 1,000 miles on it.

Issues:

1. Coolant Leak: After driving the car home upon delivery, I received a coolant error. I had to drive 45 minutes to the service center, where it was repaired a few days later. It turned out to be an actual coolant leak.
2. Black Screens: One week later, my pregnant wife and 1-year-old child attempted their first drive in the car. All screens went black, and the car was effectively dead. A hard reset didn’t work. I scheduled a tow, but after trying again an hour later, the car miraculously started working.
3. Phone Key Issues: On at least four occasions, my phone key has unexpectedly unpaired. I use an iPhone 15 Pro. Now, I always carry the physical key card with me for fear of being stranded.
4. Sensor and Traction Control Failure: After the most recent update (about a week ago), all my proximity sensors stopped working, along with traction control. I had to set up a tow, and the car is still in service.

Gripes (Not Issues):

• Navigation: I live in Los Angeles and know how to get to most of my destinations. However, because traffic routing is essential here, I rely on Google Maps or Waze. Rivian’s routing is consistently inaccurate, forcing me to double-check my route with Google Maps every time. It’s frustrating and, frankly, disappointing.
• Service Center Availability: There’s only one Rivian Service Center for all of Los Angeles, which is a major problem given the high number of Rivians in the area. Turnaround times for service are painfully slow.

The Silver Lining:
Despite these issues, I love how the car looks and drives. Every time I call Rivian Support, the agents are incredibly nice and easy to talk to, which helps soften the frustrations.

 

[captainjp]

I tend to agree with you on this one. Service centers being to small, or not enough mechanics, or both.

They do seem to be addressing the issues as they crop out.

My R1 has been relatively problem free, and all the problems it has had has not made it undriveable. I too have a R2 on reserve.

That said, Rivians biggest problem for me... Promises not kept. XM radio, Youtube, etc, or taking away features (12v plugs), etc.

Thanks for reminding me, need to schedule for a mobile service. This dash rattle is driving me batty.

And this right here is part of the problem. Tying up service because you have a nuisance rattle, then complain when Service doesn’t show up the next day.

 

[ThirteenElectrics]

Three out of three Rivians I have had have had issues. Consumer Reports surveys are reliable and I agree with their conclusions. Rivian does not know how to make anything but high defect cars. Period.

 

[922110]

I'm not saying Rivian shouldn't be where it is, but CR reliability isn't cut and dry. An engine exploding at 500 miles is treated the same as a car having an issue with the radio at 80k miles.

 

[Doug]

Three out of three Rivians I have had have had issues. Consumer Reports surveys are reliable and I agree with their conclusions. Rivian does not know how to make anything but high defect cars. Period.

Sorry you have had so many issues with your Rivian's. Mine is two years old and one minor issue, just a window needed adjusting so it would go up more to prevent wind noise. I know many people have had issues but I am guessing there are thousands that have not. Just out of curiosity how do you like your XC40? My nephew is looking at them. How much does cold effect its range?

 

[Zoidz]

Three out of three Rivians I have had have had issues. Consumer Reports surveys are reliable and I agree with their conclusions. Rivian does not know how to make anything but high defect cars. Period.

My 2023 R1S has had ZERO service issues or appointments. ZERO.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

Three out of three Rivians I have had have had issues. Consumer Reports surveys are reliable and I agree with their conclusions. Rivian does not know how to make anything but high defect cars. Period.

Both of mine have been fine. Notice how you aren't listing your issues, probably because half or more of your "issues" are bullshit. Get rid of your Rivians if they are so terrible. This is a really odd place to spend your time if Rivian is as awful as you say.

 

[md2023]

I am sure there are Rivians that have had issues, some pretty major (as posted on this site), but many have had little to no issues. I am in the latter camp. 32,000 miles and it is by far the best vehicle I have ever owned. I am not diminishing others' legit issues, just adding my experience as it is understandable that negative experiences are more likely to get posted on a discussion forum..

 

[Sgt Beavis]

It’s hard for me to accept the findings without more information on the data CR is using. For instance:
1. What’s the sample size? This survey is only of CR subscribers, so how many subscribers are actually Rivian owners. The smaller that number the easier it is for the results to be skewed one way or another.
2. Exactly what issues are being reported that negatively impact Rivian’s score? Are we talking about a screen reboot, a broken tonneau cover, a failed battery or drive unit, or something much more minor like the lack of a glove box. I bring that last one up because, in the past, CR has negatively scored items for reliability when it should have been more about the user experience or design.

Overall I’m not that trusting of CR ever since they were found to have rigged driving tests on the Suzuki Samurai. They may not have the financial biases of a Motor Trend or Car and Driver, but they absolutely have their biases.

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