Frunk really not safe?

[DuncIT]

I was reading 'Emergency Stuff' over at RivianTrackr (sorry, I'm not really a traitor) and I was a little taken back by the emergency frunk procedure. I was unaware that there is a hidden frunk release cable behind the bumper. I keep a lot of valuable things in my frunk, but as I read it anyone who is familiar with the emergency frunk release cable location can just pop off the panel, pull the string, and get whatever I have in there! I can't believe that this is really the case?

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[mikehmb]

Yup. This is likely due to the fact that it's the only place in the truck not accessible from the cab (same with SUV). It needs an emergency release mechanism somewhere without needing to dismantle the truck.

The desired location would be in the cab, though in the absence of having a physical key, if the battery is dead and you can't open the doors, then you're still shut out of the frunk.

 

[MikeWilliams_R1T]

At best, anything you keep in your car is easily retrievable by somebody that really wants it.
Windows break easily in most cars and car alarms are frequently ignored.

One good thing about the frunk is somebody casually walking by cannot see what is in it unless they saw it open.

I suppose the gear tunnel or the bed with a closed tonneau is probably the most secure place to keep something since you would need to be able to unlock and there is no manual release.

 

[McLovin]

Probably should post this in here:

https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/...re-snacks-in-your-rivian-🍫.51665/#post-885222

Seems many people are storing their valuable snacks in the frunk...

 

[csharp]

"Secure" is the word you're looking for. This doesn't impact safety at all.
But yes, hard to believe all it takes is a string pull in the right spot to unlatch it.

 

[Scottm]

On my 2023 gen 1 you need two different torx wrenches to get the panel off and it’s definitely not easy. I practiced doing it just so I would know how and I carry some torx wrenches with me in case the car dies and I need to get in there. Someone is not going to just casually reach up there and pull the release.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

No less secure than trunks or cabs of any car. There is no such thing as “safe” storage of valuables in any car. It’s a car. Not a bank vault. If someone wants in bad enough, and the situation affords them time, there is always a way. 1 year of living in San Francisco 25 yrs ago taught me the hard way (where no matter where you are in the city there is a housing project a few blocks away and no “secured” garage is as advertised).

 

[cohall]

It would be far easier and faster to smash a window and grab something, than to try and crawl under the vehicle, use torx wrenches or grinder to remove the panel, and then fumble around trying to find the release. All to see if there might be something valuable in the frunk. So, as always, don't keep extremely valuable items in your vehicle if you're not sitting in it. Just a good rule of life to live by.

 

[Zoidz]

I was reading 'Emergency Stuff' over at RivianTrackr (sorry, I'm not really a traitor) and I was a little taken back by the emergency frunk procedure. I was unaware that there is a hidden frunk release cable behind the bumper. I keep a lot of valuable things in my frunk, but as I read it anyone who is familiar with the emergency frunk release cable location can just pop off the panel, pull the string, and get whatever I have in there! I can't believe that this is really the case?

Time for a reality check. Do you really think there are roving gangs of thieves that know the Rivian release exists, are carrying tools to do it, and are driving around to target any random Rivian on the chance that something valuable might be in the frunk? Probably 75% of the Rivian owners don't know about this, let alone your typical street criminal looking for a quick smash and grab. This is a non-issue.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

If vehicle is locked and alarm armed, pulling emergency release should still sound alarm.

 

[Cycliste]

Wouldn’t a thief use a battery powered angle grinder with a cutting wheel to open the panel instead of torx wrenches if they knew about the emergency release? Don’t they read forums like this for 'maintainence of competency’ in crime??

 

[BigSkies]

While it might be a potential vulnerability, I don't see it as a practical one.

A prybar would still be the preferred route of a dedicated thief. Even then, that assumes a lot of knowledge of Rivian's, the desire to get into a trunk over the cab, and the time to do it unobserved. This is going to be a rare combination.

I worry about smash & grabs on the windows. I don't worry about this.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Time for a reality check. Do you really think there are roving gangs of thieves that know the Rivian release exists, are carrying tools to do it, and are driving around to target any random Rivian on the chance that something valuable might be in the frunk? Probably 75% of the Rivian owners don't know about this, let alone your typical street criminal looking for a quick smash and grab. This is a non-issue.

^ This.

You're talking multiple Torx bolts in hard-to-reach spots, being undone by someone laying on the ground halfway under your truck (hopefully Gear Guard would catch this), probably in the dark, then fumbling for a pull cord (which is not easy to reach unless someone's done it multiple times)... I mean, could someone do it? Sure. But as a crime of opportunity someone is a lot more likely to just "smash & grab" a window.

TL;DR. Use gear tunnel for best safety.

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Funny story this thread reminded me of, though. Back in my Ne'er-do-well high school days, we knew one guy who used to come to the junkyards with us. While we were getting parts to fix our crappy old cars, he was practicing removing radios from junk cars. So he could learn to steal them faster.

 

[RivAW]

Generally speaking "secure" is a false notion when it comes to almost all vehicles. Things are "more secure" than if left out in the open, but anyone that really wants to get in is going to given enough time (and/or privacy).

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Time for a reality check. Do you really think there are roving gangs of thieves that know the Rivian release exists, are carrying tools to do it, and are driving around to target any random Rivian on the chance that something valuable might be in the frunk? Probably 75% of the Rivian owners don't know about this, let alone your typical street criminal looking for a quick smash and grab. This is a non-issue.

^ This.

You're talking multiple Torx bolts in hard-to-reach spots, being undone by someone laying on the ground halfway under your truck (hopefully Gear Guard would catch this), probably in the dark, then fumbling for a pull cord (which is not easy to reach unless someone's done it multiple times)... I mean, could someone do it? Sure. But as a crime of opportunity someone is a lot more likely to just "smash & grab" a window.

TL;DR. Use gear tunnel for best safety.

---------------------

Funny story this thread reminded me of, though. Back in my Ne'er-do-well high school days, we knew one guy who used to come to the junkyards with us. While we were getting parts to fix our crappy old cars, he was practicing removing radios from junk cars. So he could learn to steal them faster.

Think like a thief.

Thieves will take the time to loosen every torx screw if:

• They've cased you already.
• They've observed you at the same location multiple times, putting away valuable items and leaving it unattended for X amount of time.
• And they've determined, where the vehicle is parked, allows them X amount of time to do their thing unobserved.
• And they've determined whatever it is you have is valuable enough for them to research, plan their crime, then take the time loosen every single fastener and locate the emergency release. This, however, is unlikely. Because it's way faster for them to jam a crowbar under the hood and just brute force the hood open. At this point, you'd wish they had known about the less damaging emergency release.

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