Car unusable after being left for 7 days

[PappaBolt]

Let’s see… Joins the forum, makes a vague complaint and disappears. Sounds like a disgruntled short seller trying to drum up pressure on the stock ?

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[Electrified Outdoors]

This should not be the case. The 12v battery is covered unless you have gone over 36,000 miles.

Also, there is a jump start procedures to get back into the truck and get things going again.

 

[Tr4ckD4ys]

All these 12v battery issues threads make me nervous. Maybe it’s best to already order two replacement batteries just to be prepared.

 

[SDH]

I've left my truck for 5 weeks and it worked fine. Something don't stack up here.

 

[Willyspu]

Let’s see… Joins the forum, makes a vague complaint and disappears. Sounds like a disgruntled short seller trying to drum up pressure on the stock ?

Agreed. I really feel there is some type group (yes a conspiracy theory) that is trying to ruin Rivian. There are way too many posts like this that have recently joined, dis the car, and then disappear.

 

[HaveBlue]

This truck sucks! The tank leaks out all the diesel when I go to fill it up.

Actually I went to a party tonight and a friend's Subaru started draining the battery every time she parks. By the time she gets back, the battery is dead. The courtesy lights won't switch off because the rear hatch refuses to latch all the way.

 

[R.I.P.]

All these 12v battery issues threads make me nervous. Maybe it’s best to already order two replacement batteries just to be prepared.

It is the weakest part in the system. 48v LV is the answer.

 

[goldburger]

Rivian R1S was left unused for 7 days at 75% charge. All music and ventilation was turned off. Returned to an unusable vehicle. Could not gain access to unlock or charge.

Called the Rivian service center and was told to get a rental car. Rep stated the issue would not be covered under their warranty. How can they determine this prior to sending a tech out?

Rental car has been paid for out of pocket. We were told no appointment could be made until 3 weeks from now.

After five attempts, finally a rep was able to send a tech out to the location of the car. A battery was replaced and we were billed $400.

We regret purchasing a first generation Rivian. Why buy a vehicle when you cannot leave it for a week? Who has time to participate in the scavenger hunt to get the vehicle serviced?

My truck was at the service center untouched for over 15 days before they moved it to start service. Battery got down to below 30% and cabin temps as high as 130 degrees. This sounds like bullshit to me! I’m waiting for a $420 refund for an alignment that I never authorized to do AND specifically said don’t charge my card. Rivian service is getting worse, IMO.

 

[ohseedee]

No idea if the OPs post is true, only one post and it is a complaint. But that is what a lot of people do, complain once there is a problem. When my 12v batteries died this summer, I used the R1T the night before (probably ran the main battery down to around 50%) and then charged to 70% later that night, unplugged, and about 16 hours later, no access to the truck, the 12v was dead. It took 2.5 weeks to get a mobile service visit. It was covered under warranty. When the mobile tech replaced my 12v batteries, he saw my main battery was close to 70%. No idea why my 12v died. I have no kid seats, no pet leashes, nothing plugged into the seats. The mobile tech had no explanations to why they died, other than probably dead/bad 12v batteries. No recommendations on what I could have done different. If the mobile tech guy had an explanation as to why my 12v batteries died in less than a year, around 12k miles, I would have felt better. If there was a reason as to why my 12v batteries died, with my big battery at 70%, I would have more faith in the vehicle. People are saying the OP must have had left something plugged in, but I didn't, and my 12v still died. The mobile tech had complete access to the vehicle as I left it when it died, because once the 12v dies, the vehicle doesn't unlock, you can't alter or unplug or unfasten anything in the cabin.

So your story scares me. Why did it have to sit there for 2.5 weeks until mobile service could replace the batteries. If my ICE 12v dies in my driveway, I’d have it sorted in a couple hours max. Did they have you try to jump it? And if that didn't work, cant we replace the batteries ourselves? I get warranty vs out of pocket, but at 2.5 weeks I’m going to try and figure it out out-of-pocket.

Would be good to have some guide on how to address this in an emergency. Like 1) How to jump 12v, 2) how to charge 12v, 3) how to replace 12v.

 

[ATL_R1S]

Would be good to have some guide on how to address this in an emergency. Like 1) How to jump 12v, 2) how to charge 12v, 3) how to replace 12v.

Rivian has published this in the towing manual, with detailed instructions on how to jump the 12v

Page 35 here https://rivian.com/support/article/r1-tow-operator-guide


Additionally, refer to the products and methods in this post to DIY in an emergency https://www.reddit.com/r/Rivian/s/1CP4rpogh4


If mine ever dies I’m prepared with the above to skip using the leads in the rear. Instead, I’ll manually open the hood, then remove the cover under the hood to jump the 12v battery directly with my NOCO jumper to wake the vehicle then unlock and regain access to the cabin. If the 12v is completely dead, it may not be able to fully recharge and allow normal driving again, but at least I’ll never be locked out.

If in a remote location and I’m really in a pinch, I could find a way to a parts store to try and get a similarly sized replacement battery to install as securely as possible and *may* allow me to carefully drive the Rivian back to civilization but that would be very risky and only attempted in a true emergency, without an approved OEM replacement battery that’s secured properly.

 

[ohseedee]

Rivian has published this in the towing manual, with detailed instructions on how to jump the 12v

Page 35 here https://rivian.com/support/article/r1-tow-operator-guide


Additionally, refer to the products and methods in this post to DIY in an emergency https://www.reddit.com/r/Rivian/s/1CP4rpogh4


If mine ever dies I’m prepared with the above to skip using the leads in the rear. Instead, I’ll manually open the hood, then remove the cover under the hood to jump the 12v battery directly with my NOCO jumper to wake the vehicle then unlock and regain access to the cabin. If the 12v is completely dead, it may not be able to fully recharge and allow normal driving again, but at least I’ll never be locked out.

If in a remote location and I’m really in a pinch, I could find a way to a parts store to try and get a similarly sized replacement battery to install as securely as possible and *may* allow me to carefully drive the Rivian back to civilization but that would be very risky and only attempted in a true emergency, without an approved OEM replacement battery that’s secured properly.

Alright, so after doing some reading it seems like steps needed to un-f**k yourself alone and off grid goes something like this:

1. Jump the primary battery from the hitch using a jump pack. You got to store that jump back in the frunk and you need to keep a tool in the hitch receiver to be able to get to the manual frunk release. Parts needed: Jump pack, torx driver and bit

2. You can now open the doors, but still cant drive. So you now need to try and charge the secondary battery. For that you need an additional charger. To save yourself off grid, parts needed - 12v charger and some way to power it (integrated or 2 devices). I have a small Jackery and a 5amp NOCO charger (that will charge from 0volts) that I think can do the trick combined.

3. Your 12v batteries wont charger (seems unlikely) then you resort to getting a ride to an auto parts store and pickup 2-batteries as close to spec as possible. Can always get the OEM replaced from Rivian later.

4. That fails, Tow truck

So seems like if I’m going off-grid or a long road trip I should keep some extra stuff in the frunk.

How does that sound?

 

[Supratachophobia]

It is the weakest part in the system. 48v LV is the answer.

I like how this is your hill to die on. Mine was mp3 playback in the Tesla.

 

[VSG]

It is the weakest part in the system. 48v LV is the answer.

Hilarious. If the Rivian BMS has problems keeping the 12V batteries charged, it will have the same problems with 48V batteries. The problem isn't the batteries or the battery voltage.

 

[R.I.P.]

I like how this is your hill to die on. Mine was mp3 playback in the Tesla.

Not sure about dying on a hill, but as an EE I have harped for a while that we need to bump the LV side voltage with the currents we are asking from modern vehicle systems. You know, p=va... there comes a point that if you don't boost the "v" variable the "a's" start becoming unwieldy.

A lithium 48v LV battery can withstand exponetially more abuse, draw-wise, than the 12 lead-acid MC batteries Rivian is using. The "keeping it charged" portion of the problem also get's easier. The system can count wh in & out, rather than monitoring voltage. Draw 50% from your 12v pb battery, and you are done; not going anywhere. Draw 50% from your 48v lithium LV battery, & it fires your vehicle up as it would at 100%... while making a note to add wome wh's to it.

Seems a good plan to me...

 

[zefram47]

It is the weakest part in the system. 48v LV is the answer.

Unless you have high-current, low-voltage devices that you need to power the difference between 12v and 48v would be minimal. Tesla mostly did this to support steer-by-wire in the CT. Rivian would have no reason to do this and it wouldn't change anything about how they manage the DC to DC converter and maintain the low-voltage battery.

Hilarious. If the Rivian BMS has problems keeping the 12V batteries charged, it will have the same problems with 48V batteries. The problem isn't the batteries or the battery voltage.

Beat me to it, but exactly.

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