2026.03 12v battery details gen1

[tcbrady23]

Look under the cowl. Early Gen 1 is 2 12v, later Gen 1 and all Gen 2 is a single 12v.

Good to know! I have a 2024 so that answers my question.

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[Beachbum]

I too have a Sept '22 build, 31k miles on original 12v batteries with no indication of issues. Maybe we received a stellar lot? I have the toe link joint service in 2-weeks and I'll see if they comment on any 12v concerns.

I picked up my R1T in Sept 2022. I have TWO 12V batteries.

Neither of my batteries has failed or needed to be replaced. When I had my tires rotated at the SC a few months ago I also had them check the battery health, and they both tested good.

The consequence of a 12V battery failure can be pretty severe, so I understand why people complain, but I really don't think a large percentage of people have a battery problem. Maybe a greater percentage than acceptable, but I would be surprised if the true number of failures (not pro-active replacements or mounting bracket recalls etc.) is greater than 10%. Likely much less.

Rivian HAS made a number of improvements in battery monitoring over the years, and now notifies you if your battery is going bad. I expect that most of the firmware changes are not customer facing, and simply improve how the BMS manages the 12V charge/discharge cycle and monitors/notifies drivers about battery health. The goal is to prevent an emergency tow to the SC for warranty replacement, and make sure any battery problems become a maintenance issue that's the responsibility of the customer.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Look under the cowl. Early Gen 1 is 2 12v, later Gen 1 and all Gen 2 is a single 12v.

Except for the ones that have 1x 12v battery and 1x capacitor. Suspect these kind of "mid year model changes" will continue to befuddle owners for years. Sort of like on my wife's car, they changed from a spin-on oil filter to a cartridge-style filter halfway through the year. I'm sure that's a fun one for owners first figuring out which filter they need, as well.

 

[IPTV65]

Got the latest SW update Friday. 12v battery warning Saturday and new batteries installed today for $830. We have a 2022 R1S with 46k miles on it. Just plan to budget about $200-$300 per year in 12v battery costs. About the same as oil changes, filters and other fluids on an ICE vehicle.
Our R1S is the best car we have ever owned.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Yeah, I asked them to check my battery health just before I hit 36,000 miiles. Rivian said it was fine. Less than two months later it wasn't.

It’s not because Rivian set out to screw you. They’ve got better things to do. Sudden decline and failure is exactly what battery failure can be like. It’s a chain reaction in chemistry, causing ability to hold and accept charge to fall off a cliff.

Random question - how do you know if you have more than one 12V battery?

And if you’re not sure what you see once the cowl trim is removed, take some good pictures to post/ask. There is also an old thread with pictures when single battery version first surfaced. It has a few pictures for reference.

 

[zymolysis]

It’s not because Rivian set out to screw you.

I wasn't implying that. However, for the person (who I replied to) that said he would have Rivian check it out prior to crossing the 36,000 mile threshold - that's a snapshot that is good for that day only. It could fail a few miles or days later. And, as long as it meets whatever the minimum requirements are, in their analysis, they aren't going to put a new battery (ies) in under warranty.

Edit: On the other hand, when they quoted me $900 to replace the two batteries, they *were* trying to screw me. It was a bad design, using impossible to acquire batteries, which fail sooner than they should, and limit the ability of owners to replace. So Rivian thought that this was a good place to add an enhanced revenue stream.

 

[SteveInBend]

Got the dreaded 12V battery warning today at exactly 09:33:08 AM PST with 29,641.8 miles on the odometer and two days short of 42 months from delivery.

Trying to get mobile service to do the replacement as I'm not comfortable driving over to the Portland area (about 170 miles) with a suspect battery. I'm already scheduled to drop the truck off at the Tualatin SC in 3 weeks for the FSAM-1794 recall work.

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