Door Handles Closing on your Hand

[Polar]

I did it intentionally after the first complaint about this years ago. It's only using the same spring force that's required to pull the handle. Which really is not that strong.

I suspect it's not actually hurting anyone, but the surprise is too much for younger kids.

Absolutely - if it were strong, no one would be able to push on the opposite side to manullypresent the handle when in car wash mode.

The handles are mechanically presented by a motor. They are not mechanically closed via a motor that is done with a retention spring.

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[Nixapatfan]

I suppose you read that somewhere on the Internet and now you're treating it as a fact?

Please don't throw around "facts" like this unless you're able to back them with your own experience.

I have been reading this forum for years, and I don't recall one person who has complained about this happening. And the people on this forum will complain about pretty much anything.

I have never had this happen to my R1T, but I am sure that some people live in places where this does happen on occasion, just like it has happened on every single vehicle I've ever owned. But you're implying that door handles freezing is a design flaw of the Rivian handles. It's not. Regardless, the way you deal with that situation is the exact same way you would deal with it in every other car, but Rivians also have an advantage that you can turn on the climate control through the app to "warm up" the car before you need to get in it.

This happens all the time so let's not pretend it doesn't happen just because Rivian is perfect. I just had this happen on Saturday. My other cars have normal handles and neither of those froze in the same conditions also the other cars have remote start which automatically turn on hvac based on outside temp also.

As for the thread topic never had them close on any hands and doesn't seem like enough pressure to cause any serious injuries.

 

[Ashtothexo]

Then that's your proximity locking, as your proximity key moves out of range after parking, exiting the vehicle and shutting the door behind you. Auto locking is for when you unlock, get sidetracked and do not interact with any of the doors for the fixed pre-set duration (I forget how much time the Owner Guide says).

I was standing right next to the car loading kids backpacks in it. It was odd.

 

[CrazyOne]

Absolutely - if it were strong, no one would be able to push on the opposite side to manullypresent the handle when in car wash mode.

The handles are mechanically presented by a motor. They are not mechanically closed via a motor that is done with a retention spring.

. Happened to me a few times as I went around to get my kid after parking. The spring isn't too strong. If you can reach the handle and open the door, you can deal with the spring if it closes on you.

Now, I close the driver door after getting the kids out.

 

[Taz355]

I only took my car to the cold once and just had to try a few times for it to break through the ice to open. Apologies for any wrong assumptions.

Interesting as I have washed my truck many times (over a hundred) in cold weather minus 15 to minus 30 C and the door handles have never froze but mine is a R1T.
now doors is another story as they always freeze a bit

 

[1stPlace]

I think I caught a finger or two once when using the launch edition wristband key. Possibly once when still holding the key card in the same hand I was opening the door with after a short delay post unlock. Key Fob is really my go to, for lock/unlock. I might start a Key Fob appreciation thread for how much I love it.

Both times I think this happened, I was so unaffected by it, that it is hard for me to recall it even happened.

 

[portdirect]

This happens all the time so let's not pretend it doesn't happen just because Rivian is perfect. I just had this happen on Saturday. My other cars have normal handles and neither of those froze in the same conditions also the other cars have remote start which automatically turn on hvac based on outside temp also.

As for the thread topic never had them close on any hands and doesn't seem like enough pressure to cause any serious injuries.

I’ve had to break the door handle ‘out’ on the driver side a couple of times - once our R1S was also covered in almost 3/4” of ice from repeated freeze/melt cycles - took a whole 2ft by ~18” panel off the door - super satisfying and was impressed/surprised that water had not worked its way into the handle structure and encasing it in a block of ice.

Rivian’s ain’t that special here (neither good nor bad), I’ve also had to break out handles of other cars - it’s just an ice storm thing. It’s easier than some old cars as the whole sheet can just come off, working round the handle on a VW T2 transporter is a frigging nightmare in this scenario (the release is a ‘trigger’ behind a normal looking handle - and so the entire thing can turn into an ice cube).

Back to the original question - I think the handles would hurt a ~4 year olds fingers (sorry OP, I’m two years behind you in terms of reference frame!) if they closed on them - hospital visit: no, floods of tears and demands of confectionary: for sure.

 

[Antonio]

Has anyone had their door handles go into the lock position when their kiddo was reaching to open the door and have their kids hand squished into the handle well? This has happened to my kids a few times, and after it happening this morning and my 6 year old crying I wanted to see if others are having this happen. It did lock unexpectedly this morning as it locked pretty soon after it unlocked and my phone was in my pocket so I didn't hit the lock button. I'm not the biggest fan of the way these door handles, and others with the handles embedded into the door work, but at least I don't live in a cold place where they freeze into the card body and you have to warm them to get them to open.

I did reach out to Rivian about the above although I don't think they are going to change their door handles for this reason.

Still love our car, just would like it to not crush my kids' hands now and again.

This has been happening to me ever since the latest update. I bring my son to school, come out and take his instrument out of the bed of the truck, return to the drivers door, reach for the handle and “hoot” goes the f*ing owl! With me holding the handle like an idiot. I have to pull my phone out my pants for it to open again.

my truck has been really glitchy since the latest update. I’ve done 3 or 4 hard resets for various reasons over the past month!

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

I was standing right next to the car loading kids backpacks in it. It was odd.

This has been happening to me ever since the latest update. I bring my son to school, come out and take his instrument out of the bed of the truck, return to the drivers door, reach for the handle and “hoot” goes the f*ing owl! With me holding the handle like an idiot. I have to pull my phone out my pants for it to open again.

my truck has been really glitchy since the latest update. I’ve done 3 or 4 hard resets for various reasons over the past month!

1. Full reset. Simultaneously press and hold far left steering wheel button and hazard overhead until both screens go blank and system reboots.

2. After rebooting. Go to vehicle settings and disable auto lock. Mental note to yourself, from this point on, always manually lock and double check that you've done so before leaving vehicle unattended... Unless you want to be one of those "is this you?" internet posts showing unattended R1 with door handles sticking out proudly, begging to strangers, "come steal my shit".

3. Recreate scenario and retest.

4. Worth retesting with proximity lock/unlock off also.

5. If your R1 is still threatening to devour fingers, file bug report through your Rivian mobile app—scroll down on main screen and tap "share feedback".

Is it me or do Gen 2 have a lot of non-life-threatening behavior problems/glitches? Over 2.5 years of gen 1 ownership, the worst I've had is a possessed tailgate.

 

[Ashtothexo]

1. Full reset. Simultaneously press and hold far left steering wheel button and hazard overhead until both screens go blank and system reboots.

2. After rebooting. Go to vehicle settings and disable auto lock. Mental note to yourself, from this point on, always manually lock and double check that you've done so before leaving vehicle unattended... Unless you want to be one of those "is this you?" internet posts showing unattended R1 with door handles sticking out proudly, begging to strangers, "come steal my shit".

3. Recreate scenario and retest.

4. Worth retesting with proximity lock/unlock off also.

5. If your R1 is still threatening to devour fingers, file bug report through your Rivian mobile app—scroll down on main screen and tap "share feedback".

Is it me or do Gen 2 have a lot of non-life-threatening behavior problems/glitches? Over 2.5 years of gen 1 ownership, the worst I've had is a possessed tailgate.

I have a Gen 1

 

[Osyras]

I only took my car to the cold once and just had to try a few times for it to break through the ice to open. Apologies for any wrong assumptions.

My passenger doors and mirrors would not open the other day without some assistance due to a good layer of ice. It can happen, in this case a couple thwacks with hand and they moved.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

My passenger doors and mirrors would not open the other day without some assistance due to a good layer of ice. It can happen, in this case a couple thwacks with hand and they moved.

Or just disable auto folding for months that will see freezing temps? If you want to avoid breakage and repair costs.

 

[Magicbus]

I only took my car to the cold once and just had to try a few times for it to break through the ice to open. Apologies for any wrong assumptions.

I've had my latches frozen in after a rain-to-sleet event. No big deal as I've had car door latches freeze on a number of different vehicles. I just banged on each of the R1T handles until they popped out.

 

[cjust2006]

A motor pushes the handles out, but when that motor reverts, it doesn't pull the handles in; a spring does that. A fairly week spring. Just to say there should be nearly zero danger of actual harm from this. If you go push your thumb into the front of the handles, you'll pop the handle out against that spring to see what I'm talking about.

 

[SwampNut]

It's happened to me when the wife walked away and I didn't have my phone or a fob. I don't see how the car/Rivian/software could prevent this. But also, the springs in the handles won't do any damage to a hand. It didn't even scratch my nail polish.

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