Rivian provides defective tires and won’t replace them: don’t buy their spare!

[Giulia]

Heads up!

Shortly after I bought my R1S, I elected purchase a spare tire from Rivian and have them install it. Approximately 25 months later, I got a flat. And then I got stranded because the Rivian spare tire was defective. (In a lucky turn of events, I had an unrelated mobile service visit scheduled the day after my flat.) I eagerly awaited the Rivian tech who’d said he could also change the tire. The technician was absolutely lovely… And informed me that the tire was defective. I had never seen or laid hands on this tire, and nor had anyone else apart from the Rivian team.

Both Rivian and Rivian central refuse to give me a replacement tire for the dangerous, defective tire they installed (and I even incurred vast expenses for towing and Ubering). Sometimes they say that it’s because it was out of warranty and sometimes they say that the tire comes from the gear shop which has a 30 day return policy. Seriously, Rivian?

So basically, I love my Rivian but they have stolen around $400. Because what else can you call it when they install faulty goods and refuse to replace them?

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[CharonPDX]

The Spare Tire kit has a warranty of 2 years. You're outside that warranty period.

For items that aren't used very often, it is always good practice to test them as soon as you get them to make sure they work while still under warranty - don't wait until you need it to test it.

Things fail. Sometimes they fail early. That's what warranties are for. The fact that you didn't notice it until after the warranty expired isn't Rivian's fault.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

I bought a spare from the gear shop and it worked great when I needed it. No issues. When you say "the tire was defective", what exactly was wrong with it?

And just to clarify, you had it in storage for 25 months? Tossed in the back of the vehicle?

I understand you are upset but "Rivian provides defective tires!" is hardly the kind of assessment that's going to get you much help on a public forum. In any case, Rivian doesn't make tires. You have to assume if it was actually "defective", it came from the manufacturer that way.

 

[Giulia]

I think some of you are missing the point. Perhaps I SHOULD have checked it somehow, but the RIVIAN TECHNICIAN states that it was defective and was not able to be inflated because it was defective. Not because it had gotten old. Because it was broken from day 1. Is your argument that i need to be a Rivian repair person in order to drive a Rivian? Seems like you’re standing up for companies who provide defective merchandise.

 

[CharonPDX]

I think some of you are missing the point. Perhaps I SHOULD have checked it somehow, but the RIVIAN TECHNICIAN states that it was defective and was not able to be inflated because it was defective. Not because it had gotten old. Because it was broken from day 1. Is your argument that i need to be a Rivian repair person in order to drive a Rivian? Seems like you’re standing up for companies who provide defective merchandise.

My point is that if you wait until after the warranty on something expires to check it, the seller is under no obligation to repair/replace it, because the warranty has expired.

I've bought computers for businesses. An order of 100 laptops. We didn't need them all immediately, they were deployed as needed. One was found to be defective nearly immediately (upon first attempted boot, within a few days of receiving them,) it was warranty replaced. Another failed and was warranty replaced a few months later after active use.

One that sat unopened/unused until after the warranty expired wasn't discovered it had failed until after the warranty expired.

I did not expect Dell to replace it.

Because failing to check it during the warranty period was on my organization, not on Dell.

Sure, if it was only one month out of spare tire warranty it would have been nice of Rivian to honor it, since the spare tire isn't something people usually check. But you cannot make the argument that the warranty hadn't expired on it.

 

[frostpine_82]

I think some of you are missing the point. Perhaps I SHOULD have checked it somehow, but the RIVIAN TECHNICIAN states that it was defective and was not able to be inflated because it was defective. Not because it had gotten old. Because it was broken from day 1. Is your argument that i need to be a Rivian repair person in order to drive a Rivian? Seems like you’re standing up for companies who provide defective merchandise.

i guess some of us assumed that you were the one who deemed it defective, then the technician confirmed it was that's why

This isnt a personal attack on you, but i feel that this is important to call out to everyone:

one thing people forget with all cars is that the spare tire pressure also needs to be regularly checked since it is just sitting there...aging. Ive had a fair share of deflated and dry rotted spare tires that i regret not checking in a span of 2-3 years.

rivian also informs drivers of this in the owner's guide:

it is unfortunate that the spare tire is defective for being 25 months old. so sorry that it happened to you.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

I think some of you are missing the point. Perhaps I SHOULD have checked it somehow, but the RIVIAN TECHNICIAN states that it was defective and was not able to be inflated because it was defective. Not because it had gotten old. Because it was broken from day 1. Is your argument that i need to be a Rivian repair person in order to drive a Rivian? Seems like you’re standing up for companies who provide defective merchandise.

Defective just means broken. He didn't determine it was broken from day one, just that it's broken now. You're reading too much into it.

 

[R1TCntrlMaIzzy]

I know that feeling of finding out a never used item is damaged and out of warranty. Did you pay with a CC that offers a warranty extension plan?

I do not believe Rivian stole your dinero. And believe me I find many faults with the Rivian crew, processes, my G1 R1T.

 

[smashweights]

What does "defective" mean? What is wrong with the tire? You have had it for 25 months and never checked the pressure when doing your main tires?

 

[cohall]

What does "defective" mean? What is wrong with the tire? You have had it for 25 months and never checked the pressure when doing your main tires?

I don’t think you can check the pressure on a spare tire that remains collapsed until you need to use it in an emergency. One of the issues of having the space-saving spare tire. I’ve never tested inflating the one in my R1S…seems like a pain. Maybe I should.

Sorry to the OP - that’s not a fun issue to discover right when you need it most. But unfortunately, it is outside the warranty period so Rivian doesn’t have any liability. It’s a good warning to the rest of us to check our collapsing spares.

 

[Thedude]

I don’t think you can check the pressure on a spare tire that remains collapsed until you need to use it in an emergency. One of the issues of having the space-saving spare tire. I’ve never tested inflating the one in my R1S…seems like a pain. Maybe I should.

If it’s the same style collapsible spare that most manufacturers use you are able to inflate and deflate it without a problem. It’s a little weird collapsing it back down but nothing a quick YouTube watch won’t familiarize yourself with enough to make it happen.

 

[smashweights]

I don’t think you can check the pressure on a spare tire that remains collapsed until you need to use it in an emergency. One of the issues of having the space-saving spare tire. I’ve never tested inflating the one in my R1S…seems like a pain. Maybe I should.

Sorry to the OP - that’s not a fun issue to discover right when you need it most. But unfortunately, it is outside the warranty period so Rivian doesn’t have any liability. It’s a good warning to the rest of us to check our collapsing spares.

Oh weird, I just assumed it was your typical spare tire, in that case I'd be a little upset too if it's not meant to be inflated until needed. Probably still a good habit to check it periodically but I would probably be in the same situation as OP

 

[RivAW]

i guess some of us assumed that you were the one who deemed it defective, then the technician confirmed it was that's why

This isnt a personal attack on you, but i feel that this is important to call out to everyone:

one thing people forget with all cars is that the spare tire pressure also needs to be regularly checked since it is just sitting there...aging. Ive had a fair share of deflated and dry rotted spare tires that i regret not checking in a span of 2-3 years.

rivian also informs drivers of this in the owner's guide:

it is unfortunate that the spare tire is defective for being 25 months old. so sorry that it happened to you.

Also, generally you are supposed to mix the spare into the tire rotations (I am assuming it was a full size spare - not applicable if it wasn’t).

 

[frostpine_82]

Also, generally you are supposed to mix the spare into the tire rotations (I am assuming it was a full size spare - not applicable if it wasn’t).

oh shoot, really? :O my spare hasnt touched a centimeter of asphalt so i would need to do that when i replace the tires on this truck then...

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Also, generally you are supposed to mix the spare into the tire rotations (I am assuming it was a full size spare - not applicable if it wasn’t).

1. OP has a R1S. Most likely context is the space saver spare. It's an emergency-use-only item. You do not work those into rotations.
2. Even if you have a full size spare, you should not work it into rotation if the tread depth difference to other tires is more than 3/32".

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