Dear Rivian Engineers who worked on the Air Conditioning

[Riviot]

I only visit Florida in March, and Arizona in April. KNOW YOUR LIMITS

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[cardad]

Sorry for delay in responding. I made an appointment with service center. They were 6 weeks out. Then within a week of my appointment, service center contacted me and informed me that I needed to wait another 2 weeks. Ugggh. Keep in mind that Phx is 105°F to 110°F during the summer. So, I gave up.

After evaluating all aspects of the R1S including the fact that the AC vents were poorly engineered such that they were too low (below display) to blow on my face no matter how I adjusted them (including the side vent that was terminally stuck blowing on the side window), I decided to sell the vehicle. The superhot glass sunroof radiating heat only my head didn't help. Note: I put best photosync sunfilm on the sunroof (rejects 97% infrared heat and UV), but still too hot.

I REALLy wanted to love the R1S since I ordered in Sept 2019. I had also wrapped it in best PPF a week after I bought it. I think the R1S is an incredibly capable vehicle, but the AC just has to work better.

I think it was your car or you just needed to precondition better. I’ve been in hot and humid Texas weather as well as 107+ Moab heat and use nothing to reflect heat on the roof and never felt like the AC didn’t work in the 2 of 3 Rivians we usually drive. I think the earlier software definitely had some issues so if you never upgraded your software that could have been the problem as well. However, it could just be that leaving your car out baking in the sun just makes it hard to cool down quickly. I would have started to precondition 30 min before you plan to leave. That’s a common strategy with EVs.

 

[gregtay]

Sorry for delay in responding. I made an appointment with service center. They were 6 weeks out. Then within a week of my appointment, service center contacted me and informed me that I needed to wait another 2 weeks. Ugggh. Keep in mind that Phx is 105°F to 110°F during the summer. So, I gave up.

After evaluating all aspects of the R1S including the fact that the AC vents were poorly engineered such that they were too low (below display) to blow on my face no matter how I adjusted them (including the side vent that was terminally stuck blowing on the side window), I decided to sell the vehicle. The superhot glass sunroof radiating heat only my head didn't help. Note: I put best photosync sunfilm on the sunroof (rejects 97% infrared heat and UV), but still too hot.

I REALLy wanted to love the R1S since I ordered in Sept 2019. I had also wrapped it in best PPF a week after I bought it. I think the R1S is an incredibly capable vehicle, but the AC just has to work better.

For what it's worth... I am also in Scottsdale and had some cooling concerns with our R1S last summer. Quick visit to the SC and adding a sunscreen completely solved the issue. To the point that we were the AC now works so well that we all laugh about getting to cold and needing to turn the temp up. We have zero concerns about this.

 

[Cactus]

Well, case closed. Sorry it didn't work out for you cactus.

Thanks. I'm not sour on Rivian. I hope they succeed. We need more EVs. Don't understand Elon's decision to slow SC expansion...but that's another thread!

I DID notice that the vent locations are different in the R2. Vent locations were part of the problem for the R1 cooling.
https://www.caranddriver.com/photos/g60129128/2026-rivian-r2-revealed-gallery/?slide=7

 

[Cactus]

For what it's worth... I am also in Scottsdale and had some cooling concerns with our R1S last summer. Quick visit to the SC and adding a sunscreen completely solved the issue. To the point that we were the AC now works so well that we all laugh about getting to cold and needing to turn the temp up. We have zero concerns about this.

Excellent. I am happy for you. As I mentioned, I couldn't get a service center appointment for >8 weeks last summer. That's too long in 110°F heat. Since, I have to park outside all day AND the AC pre-cooling/cooling in general wasn't working properly, I got tired of being drenched in sweat by the time I got home from work (15 min ride).

Maybe an R2 is in my future with smarter locations of AC vents and lessons learned from the R1 AC?

 

[Cactus]

I think it was your car or you just needed to precondition better. I’ve been in hot and humid Texas weather as well as 107+ Moab heat and use nothing to reflect heat on the roof and never felt like the AC didn’t work in the 2 of 3 Rivians we usually drive. I think the earlier software definitely had some issues so if you never upgraded your software that could have been the problem as well. However, it could just be that leaving your car out baking in the sun just makes it hard to cool down quickly. I would have started to precondition 30 min before you plan to leave. That’s a common strategy with EVs.

I know pre-cooling is a common strategy with EVs. I've owned EVs for over 10 years. But if the AC isn't working properly, you can pre-condition for an hour and if the vehicle never cools down, you're stuck with a HOT vehicle. Then if service is backed up for 6 weeks, then delays another 2 weeks, you tend to give up in 110°F heat.
Otherwise, extremely capable vehicle.

 

[gregtay]

Excellent. I am happy for you. As I mentioned, I couldn't get a service center appointment for >8 weeks last summer. That's too long in 110°F heat. Since, I have to park outside all day AND the AC pre-cooling/cooling in general wasn't working properly, I got tired of being drenched in sweat by the time I got home from work (15 min ride).

Maybe an R2 is in my future with smarter locations of AC vents and lessons learned from the R1 AC?

Agree that with the AC not working you just can't drive the car comfortably. The SC originally informed me of a long lead time, but then they understood how critical the issue was and they fit me in the next morning. We aren't really EV people... but it is my wife's car and she hates having to stop for gas every week and she loves fast cars (and she has a heavy right foot)... so there were lots of gas station stops in her Jeep SRT and Audi SQ8. She loves the Rivian and so far it has worked well for her.

 

[9527]

I decided to sell the vehicle.

OP, I’m curious what you’ve replaced the Rivian with.

 

[Cactus]

OP, I’m curious what you’ve replaced the Rivian with.

Short answer: Model S.
Long Answer: I had a 9.5 year old 2014 Model S that was the best car I've ever owned. I'm 60 and I've owned LOTS of cars. I was going to keep it until the Jeep Wagoneer S was available, but I got an email from Tesla indicating that I could keep free supercharging if I bought a new Model S, so that's what I did. However, I still want a larger vehicle, so I will be considering other EVs in the next couple of years. Maybe even the R2 since the AC vents appear to be located higher on the dash.

We all know that charging infrastructure is crucial to adoption of EVs. 45 days ago, I might have said that I would not buy an EV without access to supercharger network. Then Elon threw a monkey wrench into the future of Tesla's SC network, so I'm going to drive my new Model S for the next 2-3 years and see how this weirdness plays out. I really like the looks of the Wagoneer S. Looks like it has the charging port in the correct location to utilize supercharging network too.

 

[Riv E In]

Bringing this thread back up. Found it by searching. I found out the hard way that the third row just blows air. Not cool air.

90+ degrees today. Thought I’d watch kids practice from comfort of tailgate with AC on. Noticed air was warm, while front was blowing cold.

Tried turning front and second row air off. No luck.

Tried turning all air up and cooler, that helped slightly.

Could have tried raising third row seat up and buckling seatbelts but didn’t want to go through the hassle removing my cargo liner, etc.

Anyway, learned something new today. Very disappointing.

 

[djsider2]

Read 19 pages and was really hoping Rivian SC told you something useful. Oh well, onto the next thread.

Finally feeling this issue in outer Bay Area. Afternoon trips in 95 ambient temperature does not cool very well when coming from parking spot in the sun.

 

[SPITmadFIRE]

Read 19 pages and was really hoping Rivian SC told you something useful. Oh well, onto the next thread.

Finally feeling this issue in outer Bay Area. Afternoon trips in 95 ambient temperature does not cool very well when coming from parking spot in the sun.

I've literally started a drive with the cabin temp at 130F, full sun, and my vehicle cools just fine. Make a service appointment and have them diagnose your issue. It's a traditional AC system other than the compressor, so it's possible you just need a recharge.

 

[djsider2]

I've literally started a drive with the cabin temp at 130F, full sun, and my vehicle cools just fine. Make a service appointment and have them diagnose your issue. It's a traditional AC system other than the compressor, so it's possible you just need a recharge.

Hm ok. It's weird that right after I pull into the garage and leave it on while the kids are sleeping, it'll cool down 5-10 more degrees in no time.

Too bad I have to travel to a hotter climate with no garage this week... argh. It's either the shade or the fact that the battery cooling is forcing warmer air into cabin. I just had it preconditioned and it reached 70 in the cabin, but has increased to 73 during the ride.

 

[SRO]

Disclaimer- I live in Phoenix where it’s pretty warm right now.
However, the 5 other cars in my household: 2014 Jeep grand Cherokee, 2017Jeep wrangler, 2014 Ford Escape, 2017 Porsche Cayman and 2014 Tesla model S blow COLD air within 3-5 mins of driving-even in 110+ heat.

Engineers: Please redesign the AC so that it:
1. Cools the cabin properly within 5 mins (yes, recirculate is on and temp is set to 72F, but air is barely cool). Even after driving for 15 mins Air from vents is not particularly cool.
2. Doesn‘t make a loud weed trimmer noise. It’s embarrassing to drive what should be a “cool” vehicle that makes the weed trimmer noise. It’s pretty clear the compressor is trying unsuccessfully to cool the cabin, but can’t.
3. Please test the AC in extreme temps to evaluate performance of the system.


That’s it! That’s all I am asking. Otherwise, I am reasonably happy with my R1S.

Until it gets cooled to about the outside temp leave recirculate off. Why recirculate 130• air? The first thing I did last summer was put in a roof shade for my T. If the roof glass was an option I would not have got it. I can hardly see it from the front seat anyway.

 

[SPITmadFIRE]

Hm ok. It's weird that right after I pull into the garage and leave it on while the kids are sleeping, it'll cool down 5-10 more degrees in no time.

Too bad I have to travel to a hotter climate with no garage this week... argh. It's either the shade or the fact that the battery cooling is forcing warmer air into cabin. I just had it preconditioned and it reached 70 in the cabin, but has increased to 73 during the ride.

If it can adequately cool in the shade/garage, but not in the sun/higher ambient temps then you almost certainly need a refrigerant recharge. I'd call or message Rivian support, talk to a service advisor, and ask if they can do a mobile service for you in time. If not, ask if it's the same procedure as other vehicles and see if a local service provider can check and recharge your refrigerant for you.

My R1S has no issues blowing cold air even on the hottest days, so I can only imagine you're in need of fresh refrigerant. If not, then something more serious could be going on with your AC system.

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