Urgent Help: Software Update Blocked on Rare So Flo Rivian

[COdogman]

I think we can all agree it's time for this thread to devolve into a gif party...

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[Killer95Stang]

You act like you modified this car yourself. You bought this truck less than a year ago and you know absolutely nothing about it. You aren't a pioneer in modifications like you are making yourself out to be... It appears you have more of a gambling problem than a truck problem. Hopefully you get some kind of resolution, but right now you are barking up the wrong tree

 

[Zoidz]

My sixth sense tells me we are not being told the full story. The vehicle was “flagged” and it will not be updated. What does that mean? It was wrecked, insurance totaled, a Lemon Law buyback, ??? What is Rivian‘s specific REASON for not updating? Warranty, legal liability, violation of sales terms and conditions, they don’t like the color of your shirt???

I have not dealt with this with Rivian, but I have seen this with manufacturing equipment. The manufacturer will not provide any support for a machine that has been modified beyond what they consider safe and legitimate. This is on you for not investigating prior to doing the mods.

 

[thrill]

 

[JetFalcon]

My sixth sense tells me we are not being told the full story. The vehicle was “flagged” and it will not be updated. What does that mean? It was wrecked, insurance totaled, a Lemon Law buyback, ??? What is Rivian‘s specific REASON for not updating? Warranty, legal liability, violation of sales terms and conditions, they don’t like the color of your shirt???

I have not dealt with this with Rivian, but I have seen this with manufacturing equipment. The manufacturer will not provide any support for a machine that has been modified beyond what they consider safe and legitimate. This is on you for not investigating prior to doing the mods.

I want to provide a full update on the vehicle and clarify our current status:

All physical damages have been repaired by a third-party certified technician. These were repairs that Rivian had previously declined to perform.

• The remaining issue is the software update that controls the axle area and ride height calibration. This update is necessary for the car to achieve smooth ride quality. Without it, the ride remains jarring and uncomfortable.
• The technician attempted a hard reset, which may have partial effect, but we have not yet achieved the desired result. The vehicle has been denied the update multiple times, even with a fully credentialed, experienced mechanic involved.
• I worked hard to get a compromise in the form of a hard reset, which involved our technician bringing a Dell laptop to the front cabin. During this process, a lead technician came out and seemed intent on removing us from the area. My technician noted that he appeared very protective of his workspace.

We are not asking for any work beyond the normal software update; the physical aspects are fully addressed. Our goal is simply to have the vehicle perform as intended in terms of ride height and axle calibration.

Could you clarify the reason this software update is being denied, and whether there is a path forward to have it applied safely?

 

[McLovin]

What I’d like to know is why th OP felt the need to bold certain phrases, but not others? There’s nothing more annoying than bolding things you want to highlight, except maybe combining bold with italics. That is quite annoying.

Then there’s the dreaded ALL CAPS, which when COMBINED WITH BOLD AND ITALICS is grounds for expulsion from the forum.

 

[thrill]

...
We are not asking for any work beyond the normal software update; the physical aspects are fully addressed. Our goal is simply to have the vehicle perform as intended in terms of ride height and axle calibration.

Could you clarify the reason this software update is being denied, and whether there is a path forward to have it applied safely?

To whom are you addressing this question? You're on a Rivian fans forum, not a corporate page, if that is your confusion. You should be able to tell from the tone here that there's little sympathy for your self-induced predicament. I can hazard a guess why you're not getting a "normal software update", and it's not a reach for the conclusion. Software that is interfacing with hardware is custom written with expectations that the hardware is within defined limits and discernible states. Neither is *known* to exist in a system that has had moving and system critical parts so heavily modified. I can imagine without much effort that the company wants nothing to do with the liability of providing any software or even service to such a situation. I'm frankly at a loss why you seem oblivious to this.

 

[COdogman]

I want to provide a full update on the vehicle and clarify our current status:

All physical damages have been repaired by a third-party certified technician. These were repairs that Rivian had previously declined to perform.

• The remaining issue is the software update that controls the axle area and ride height calibration. This update is necessary for the car to achieve smooth ride quality. Without it, the ride remains jarring and uncomfortable.
• The technician attempted a hard reset, which may have partial effect, but we have not yet achieved the desired result. The vehicle has been denied the update multiple times, even with a fully credentialed, experienced mechanic involved.
• I worked hard to get a compromise in the form of a hard reset, which involved our technician bringing a Dell laptop to the front cabin. During this process, a lead technician came out and seemed intent on removing us from the area. My technician noted that he appeared very protective of his workspace.

We are not asking for any work beyond the normal software update; the physical aspects are fully addressed. Our goal is simply to have the vehicle perform as intended in terms of ride height and axle calibration.

Could you clarify the reason this software update is being denied, and whether there is a path forward to have it applied safely?

Why don’t YOU clarify why you have been denied the update? After all this you still have not answered that simple question. I am positive Rivian has given you a reason.

 

[socaladam]

Obvious troll is obvious. Time for the OP to accept the consequences of their purchase.

I remember a quote from some time ago.

“Costs a lot of money to look cheap”

Maybe next time around you won’t buy a highly modified EV and expect the manufacturer to update the software that runs the entire vehicle.

Ask Rich from Rich rebuilds about how hard it was for him to repair wrecked Teslas and he didn’t even try to modify them, just repair damaged vehicles.

 

[windblowlc]

Simply put, there is no path forward for you @JetFalcon to have it serviced by Rivian.

 

[Ralph]

"All physical damages have been repaired by a third-party certified technician. These were repairs that Rivian had previously declined to perform."

 

[JetFalcon]

What I’d like to know is why th OP felt the need to bold certain phrases, but not others? There’s nothing more annoying than bolding things you want to highlight, except maybe combining bold with italics. That is quite annoying.

Then there’s the dreaded ALL CAPS, which when COMBINED WITH BOLD AND ITALICS is grounds for expulsion from the forum.

The bolding wasn’t intentional — the AI handled that part. I’ve been letting it take the lead so things come across clearly. Funny enough, the Rivian techs themselves mentioned they rely on AI when they need to communicate with higher-ups, especially for high-stakes stuff.

 

[JetFalcon]

What are the grounds Rivian is giving you for refusing to update the vehicle?

They said the vehicle is ‘flagged’ in their system, so they’re refusing the full software update—specifically the one for the axle and air suspension. The day before, I had arranged with one of the desk staff to do a hard reset using their laptop as a compromise. When I brought the car back for that, one of the leads became defensive upon seeing his co-worker carry out the reset, even though it had already been agreed to the day prior.

 

[JetFalcon]

I feel like we are missing quite a few details here.

What reason have you been given for them refusing to update?

Would the update register the current suspension height as “standard”? If so I completely understand why they cannot do this for you. I wouldn’t either. You have modified the suspension to a point where the software settings aren’t anywhere near accurate anymore…

Allegations like a Rivian lead “aggressively” approached you, or they were “overwhelmed and emotional”, there are “unspoken” rules or intimidation occurring seem disingenuous when they cannot share their side of the story.

They are free to share their side of the story if they choose to. I understand that some employees may browse this forum, but they might not be allowed to discuss work-related issues publicly due to company policy or unspoken rules. However, anyone can visit that service center and ask directly—the leads and floor staff should remember the modified green Rivian that has been brought in multiple times.

 

[JetFalcon]

I completely agree with you. This isn’t just about Rivian declining to work on a third-party system—what’s concerning is that they’re also blocking any other qualified technician from performing the necessary software update.

My own situation is similar. I paid a third-party tech $10k to fix all the mechanical components of my vehicle, honoring Rivian’s request to “not touch it.” But now, a software update is required for the airbag that operates the ride-height suspension, and without it, my car can’t operate.

So Flo Customs—the company that modified my Rivian and was featured on Discovery Channel’s Truck Dynasty—told me they only ever made two modified units, largely because of this software gatekeeping issue. In a way, Rivian’s policies effectively limited the production of rare vehicles due to software restrictions.

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