Bricked

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Does anyone know if there is a video (perhaps on YouTube) for this procedure? The instructions and diagrams in the Owner’s Manual are barely adequate.

If video exists, you'd find it on YouTube. IMO, the instructions and diagrams are clear as can be. Undo the three screws at the front of the driver side front wheel well, as illustrated. Peel back the wheel well liner and reach in for the looped cable release and pull to release hood latch. Don't yank too hard though. I think I read of one post where they pulled too hard and broke it.

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[R1Tom]

You won’t melt their cars. These leads are for providing electricity to the main 12v, not directly connected to the high voltage pack. Read info in tow operator guide I linked. Once successfully jumped, you should at least be able to operate frunk, charge port and work the doors. If still not drivable, you can then wait for adequate charge or gain access to the 12V and hook it up to a regular car battery charger and charge it full (instead of going through the manual hood release process).

And you added that you had the HVAC going to warm cabin. Depending on how hard the system was working, it’s plausible to weaken 12V enough to not be able to flip the relay needed to activate the HV pack. The 12V doesn’t necessarily need to fully fail to create this problem. It just need to be weak enough to not do what’s required of it… just like how a ICE can struggle to crank over with a weak battery.

I hope remote activation of heating system, seats, and steering wheel...won't be enough to prevent the HV contactors to close, if simply leaving a door open and hvac for a while is.

 

[R1Tom]

Yeah, I’m not really sure. I bought one big enough for my X5’s engine size. The cold really did a number on it a few times at the cabin and once a tow drivers pack simply didn’t have enough juice.

I don't think it is big enough...I have a JNC770R that has alot bigger capacity than the new small jump starters.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

I hope remote activation of heating system, seats, and steering wheel...won't be enough to prevent the HV contactors to close, if simply leaving a door open and hvac for a while is.

Yeah I keep thinking this over in my head. Plausible, but at the same time not adding up. 12V chemistry gone bad or more systems were awake and drawing power.

 

[iansriv]

Yeah I keep thinking this over in my head. Plausible, but at the same time not adding up. 12V chemistry gone bad or more systems were awake and drawing power.

I did not select the seats or steering wheel; only heat. Did not select anything else. Not sure if there are other systems that need to be awake for this. Also, without selecting the heater the car usually reads the cabin temps at about 55 degrees when it's about 40 outside. I was selecting 65 to warm it up.

 

[R1Tom]

Yeah I keep thinking this over in my head. Plausible, but at the same time not adding up. 12V chemistry gone bad or more systems were awake and drawing power.

I am guessing OP hopefully had a unique component failure, but I do wish the 12v was more robust. Your explanation does make sense that if the 12v for some reason has a draw that exceeds what Rivian thinks it would, that the truck wouldn't catch it fast enough to get those contactors closed.

 

[NY_Rob]

As long as the 400V battery has a decent charge, like above 20% maybe, there should be nothing an owner could do over a 30min period that should be able to kill the 12V battery period. The big 135kWh 400V battery and buck converter should be able to easily keep up with all 12V accessories turned on at max settings without depleting the 12V battery. Something on the OP's vehicle failed, my guess is the 12V battery was marginal to begin with and this use case pushed it past it's breaking point.

 

[SPITmadFIRE]

This begs the question; if Rivian is using unreliable, or cheaper construction AGM batteries and a LiFePO4 battery isn't the correct application (constant high-amperage draw), then what's the most sensible replacement? Does a reputable brand like OPTIMA make a red top that fits in the same footprint? Or are we stuck with OEM or similar quality replacements?

 

[NY_Rob]

^ it seems that a nominal/non-defective OEM 12V is generally up to the task, but there have way too many that have failed prematurely leading to questions about a lack of QC from the OEM battery manufacturer.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

This begs the question; if Rivian is using unreliable, or cheaper construction AGM batteries and a LiFePO4 battery isn't the correct application (constant high-amperage draw), then what's the most sensible replacement? Does a reputable brand like OPTIMA make a red top that fits in the same footprint? Or are we stuck with OEM or similar quality replacements?

There's this: https://www.ohmmu.com/product-page/12v-lithium-battery-for-r1t-r1s. And they started advertising it not long after production/deliveries began. Makes me wonder if they had info that no one else outside Rivian had. Optima was working on something. The Weistec/DCE folks previewed it many moons ago but has not been talked about since. Maybe after realizing Rivian has gone to a single battery config, they didn't think there'd be a business case any more. Who knows.

Yeah, I’m not really sure. I bought one big enough for my X5’s engine size. The cold really did a number on it a few times at the cabin and once a tow drivers pack simply didn’t have enough juice.

I don't think it is big enough...I have a JNC770R that has alot bigger capacity than the new small jump starters.

I too have a jump pack held over from when I owned a 35d (E70), NOCO Boost X GBX45. No published info on constant current, only peak (1250A). Have a question out to them, but doubt I'll hear back.

 

[NineElectrics]

Also your Rivian is not bricked. If you can release the hood you can charge it; 12V leads are near the hitch iirc, to get enough power in to put a proper charge on the battery.

Bricked would be the failed cert update. Your Rivian has a flat 12V which is common enough in all of automobiles.

If the car can’t drive and they’re sending out a mobile service tech, isn’t it bricked? You can’t drive a brick. Or repair it yourself

 

[LoneStar]

I know this is a ‘hindsight 20/20” comment but get a rechargeable unit with jumper cables to leave in Rivian. A very affordable way to self-jump the 12V.

 

[SPITmadFIRE]

I know this is a ‘hindsight 20/20” comment but get a rechargeable unit with jumper cables to leave in Rivian. A very affordable way to self-jump the 12V.

A variety of responses have already discussed this -- there's no consensus on a jumper pack that would reliably work. If OP was unable to sufficiently charge the 12V from the hitch pigtails using another vehicle and an hour of time, what sort of jumper pack would work? Other than expensive, industrial battery chargers, I don't know of anything that would reliably work.

 

[R1Tom]

I know this is a ‘hindsight 20/20” comment but get a rechargeable unit with jumper cables to leave in Rivian. A very affordable way to self-jump the 12V.

Maybe someone will develop a key operated release we can retrofit the trucks to have to release the frunk to get at the jump pack, to get at batteries to hook it up.

 

[Magicbus]

I don’t know, but thinking about carrying around a backup battery for my R1T just doesn’t sit well. I wonder how many of all Rivians on the road have experienced this failure. I also have a ‘21 Bronco Sport and there are a number of owners experiencing battery issues. My BS complains about low battery all the time, but since it disables the auto stop/start feature for me I don’t care.

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