Door Handle Safety

[dleepnw]

This is very concerning considering Gen2 has gone a similar route with the power actuated door handles as Tesla. Especially worrying is the interior back doors. Everyone needs to knows exactly how to open this door in case of emergency.

Rivian too simply copies Tesla design and needs to slow down, especially when it comes to safety. Lexus has a good design they should look at. You don’t want to be lumped into the same category as them on this. I hope they do change this for the R2 as they’ve stated.

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[Donald Stanfield]

How many threads do we need on this? Also, is your job spreading FUD? This is your second BS post in the past week. First, it was spreading uncertainty about the R2, and now it's rehashing an old topic that's already been beaten to death on this forum. What's your motivation here?

Are you really a short seller trying to make a few bucks off your puts on Rivian, or did you just get a case of the Debbie Downers? Either way, you need to chill out.

 

[Dark-Fx]

How many threads do we need on this?

I call dibs on the next one!

 

[Dave Cundiff]

Emergency exit is a legitimate safety issue. This is the primary reason why I plan to hang onto our Gen 1 Rivians until they begin R2 delivery.

OP is a member of this forum since 2021 -- way before me. We mostly teased him for the post about being told about R2 delays by an anonymous employee in a nameless Rivian Space. We don't need to attack other Rivian owners, especially when milder measures can convey the same message.

I'm happy to keep reading about this as long as there are new folks wanting to talk about it.

Best to all!

 

[COdogman]

 

[lefkonj]

My Audi A7 had electric door handles and that was 5-6 years ago. Tesla has had it for a while. I get it but this isn't new nor shocking. Plenty of vehicles have had this,

 

[CrazyOne]

If I had a gen 2, I would remove the cover and stow it with aero covers in the garage. Function over form for me.

 

[Mr. Ham]

Doesn’t every 4 door car in the last 30+ years have child safety locks? What happens if a passenger needs to open a door in an emergency? Isn’t this the same problem then?

 

[godfodder0901]

Doesn’t every 4 door car in the last 30+ years have child safety locks? What happens if a passenger needs to open a door in an emergency? Isn’t this the same problem then?

No, since thay are owner selectable on or off.

 

[mikehmb]

I would like an actual tutorial on how to get to the rear door mechanical pulls on the Gen2. It is NOT intuitive, and it is destructive, so there's no playing around to find out.

Service has not been helpful, with the response (more politely) of RTFM.

 

[Mellowyellow]

I would like an actual tutorial on how to get to the rear door mechanical pulls on the Gen2. It is NOT intuitive, and it is destructive, so there's no playing around to find out.

Service has not been helpful, with the response (more politely) of RTFM.

i think it’s a good idea for service centers and spaces to have a real life size model of the door and handle and you can practice going through the steps of using the emergency mechanical pull.

 

[1stPlace]

This will keep coming up until there is policy regulation in the US market or the main "trend setters", Tesla and Rivian, have a reasonable solution. Interestingly, I was just in someone's rented Jeep Wagoneer and noticed that when child safety lock is on there is no manual override option on the inside, which Tesla and Rivian actually do have, though they are often not apparent.

If I were a policy maker or automotive CEO, I would ensure both manual apparent options for internal and external front row exit exist, as well as manual external 2nd row. Apparent internal 2nd row manual override would obviously defeat the purpose and ability of child safety locks.

I think the engineers at Rivian are smart enough to figure this out. The executives above them that do the kind of calculations from the commercial flight scene in Fight Club should be also.

 

[David_C_]

I would like an actual tutorial on how to get to the rear door mechanical pulls on the Gen2. It is NOT intuitive, and it is destructive, so there's no playing around to find out.

i think it’s a good idea for service centers and spaces to have a real life size model of the door and handle and you can practice going through the steps of using the emergency mechanical pull.

A few of us went through this on Reddit the other day, see below. My posts are the ones with the yellow/green pull cord, if you have questions. (I’m also happy to bring the content here, if anyone wants it on this site for posterity.)

I contend that removing the panel to access the mechanical pull is impossible without tools…and likely impossible even with tools, as the closed door prevents the ability to use them. I have relatively strong hands; I know I couldn’t get it off. Besides needing gorilla strength, you need leverage you really can’t get with the door closed. Further, your thighs block the panel that needs to be removed, so it’s necessary to have space to move yourself toward the middle. Lastly, I don’t think your fingers can reach where they need to easily, if at all. Make no mistake: this cannot be used in an emergency. It just checks some box for NHTSA standards compliance.

That said, the process we run through to install a cord (via the linked post below) is VERY easy, and 100% non-destructive. It works perfectly, and my 8- and 10-year olds are now successfully able to open doors without the button.

 

[1stPlace]

That said, the process we run through to install a cord (via the linked post below) is VERY easy, and 100% non-destructive. It works perfectly, and my 8- and 10-year olds are now successfully able to open doors without the button.

Works for 8-10 yr olds, but definitely not 3-5 yr olds.

There should be a more universally appropriate standard for emergency 2nd row door exit with and without child safety lock. This will eventually develop either through market force or government regulation. For the moment, your foresight for your situation is warranted.

 

[David_C_]

Works for 8-10 yr olds, but definitely not 3-5 yr olds.

My opinion: a child who is too young to use this should have child security locks engaged. (Not that Rivian shouldn’t recall and fix ASAP!)

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