NHTSA Front Suspension Noise/Clunking

[Popobawa]

You are right.

At least I put the link and info out, which might help some ppl.

you recommend and let ppl make there own decisions.

I am in the business of helping and healing ppl not proving them wrong or being argumentative.

thank you all.

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[ndmiller]

My R1T is pickup truck and makes a ton of noise compared to our Tesla Y. I also haul a lot of items in the Frunk, Bed and Gear Tunnel that shift back and forth making more noise and don't in the Y.

It was noisy when I test rode it and it's noisy today, so I knew 100% what I was getting into, a highly capable EV Pickup Truck that won't be whisper quiet. Nothing to complain about.

 

[tbinmd]

This really isn’t a problem, the R1 has a specialized suspension with a lot of moving parts. I have found that air suspensions will make clunks and such. My wife’s Taycan does this. All normal. Look at any of the suspension and you will see metal on metal contact. Guess what it’s going to make noise. The noise doesn’t mean there’s an issue with the suspension. It’s been looked at by the SC, not once, but 3 times. I can make mine clunk on demand. Park, put the breake on and raise or lower the truck. The suspension will load up, since geometery changes, release the brakes and the vechile will shift and make a noise. Nothing wrong, just a specialize off road suspension. If it didn’t make noise, I’d be worried….

 

[kyledmb]

This really isn’t a problem, the R1 has a specialized suspension with a lot of moving parts. I have found that air suspensions will make clunks and such. My wife’s Taycan does this. All normal. Look at any of the suspension and you will see metal on metal contact. Guess what it’s going to make noise. The noise doesn’t mean there’s an issue with the suspension. It’s been looked at by the SC, not once, but 3 times. I can make mine clunk on demand. Park, put the breake on and raise or lower the truck. The suspension will load up, since geometery changes, release the brakes and the vechile will shift and make a noise. Nothing wrong, just a specialize off road suspension. If it didn’t make noise, I’d be worried….

I really do not think you're talking about the same thing the OP is bringing up.

 

[RandomMcRandomFace]

I just took mine in for the second time. I feel like when I bought it was quiet (other than the sounds of the compressor kicking on and the sound of lowering and raising on occasion). then it got noisy, they replaced the jounce lines and tightened something and it was good, and now its noisy again. The tech said he heard it but I also felt like moving from drive to regen and vice versa had a bit of a clunk too but he couldn't detect anything there so who knows.

 

[Maintenant]

The St Louis Service Center just replace our half-shafts because we had a mechanical clicking/clunk sound and now our R1T with 25,000 miles is quiet again.

 

[LeeY]

Put me and my 2025 R1T in the clunky noise and rattle camp. Doors too.
Never had that on any of my five previous pickups. Well, not technically true. When the shocks went, they would rattle. But that’s not the case here, obviously.

 

[Miketz]

You are right.

At least I put the link and info out, which might help some ppl.

you recommend and let ppl make there own decisions.

I am in the business of helping and healing ppl not proving them wrong or being argumentative.

thank you all.

I am with you on this ... noises without a known source should not be ignored especially if they are getting louder or present themselves under new and different circumstances. I have some front end noise, 2023 R1S, going over speed bumps on the road but not present on other road conditions. I did have the suspension looked at twice and Rivian checked and verified all front end suspension support pieces. Wife thinks I am retarded taking the back roads with speed bumps but it is my way of making sure it is not getting worse. On the positive side Suspension noises have a tendency to get very loud due to the forces they encounter upon a slight separation. I had a loose front shock mount on our BMW and it sounded like a sledge hammer was hitting the front of the car front while driving. Has Rivian driven the car with you on board or just visual inspections. I don't understand how it is possible to troubleshoot driving noises by looking and checking and car not moving.

 

[DuoRivian]

I am with you on this ... noises without a known source should not be ignored especially if they are getting louder or present themselves under new and different circumstances. I have some front end noise, 2023 R1S, going over speed bumps on the road but not present on other road conditions. I did have the suspension looked at twice and Rivian checked and verified all front end suspension support pieces. Wife thinks I am retarded taking the back roads with speed bumps but it is my way of making sure it is not getting worse. On the positive side Suspension noises have a tendency to get very loud due to the forces they encounter upon a slight separation. I had a loose front shock mount on our BMW and it sounded like a sledge hammer was hitting the front of the car front while driving. Has Rivian driven the car with you on board or just visual inspections. I don't understand how it is possible to troubleshoot driving noises by looking and checking and car not moving.

You have had your car checked twice and no safety issue and yet you continue to second guess the experts. It maybe annoying but not a safety issue that the OP seems to want it to be to stick it to Rivian.

 

[MidnightRivian]

I would do what I did which is work politely with Rivian and my local service center to address my suspension N/V/H concerns. I got a lot of parts replaced / retrofitted to resolve my concerns under warranty plus a Jeep Wagoneer loaner with 1 tank of gas on Rivian.

I had all sorts of N/V/H that were normal / not normal from the suspension. Rivian took care of everything for me and explained to me what was normal and what needed to be addressed under warranty.

I am pretty sure I got a faster resolution working with Rivian directly versus going with NHTSA for noise / vibration / harshness issues that I had.

The only safety concern I had and was glad Rivian fixed ASAP on their own was the knuckle fastener / clunk from it not being torqued correctly.

I am super happy Rivian fixed the AC noise at no cost to me even after they had already moved on to heat pump designs. That was one of the first N/V/H items I noticed / noted / documented back in June 2023. Rivian came out with a resolution for N/V/H without me having to make any NHTSA complaints.

 

[MidnightRivian]

I just took mine in for the second time. I feel like when I bought it was quiet (other than the sounds of the compressor kicking on and the sound of lowering and raising on occasion). then it got noisy, they replaced the jounce lines and tightened something and it was good, and now its noisy again. The tech said he heard it but I also felt like moving from drive to regen and vice versa had a bit of a clunk too but he couldn't detect anything there so who knows.

Half-shafts and hubs might be the fix for tick / tock / ting from regen or moving from drive to reverse.

You can see my service ticket here and this resolved my issue with the tick / tock / ting at low speeds when driving or stopping / regen / change from Reverse to Drive to Reverse to Drive. Very easy to replicate. Think of doing a three point turn in a tight alleyway from your garage.

 

[BCondrey]

I was on a ride along with a service tech for a wind noise issue, and he asked me if I had noticed loud noises from the suspension. I told him no, why? He said they had a fix for it if I did. Same conversation when they called out of the blue and asked me to bring it in so they could check the torque on the knuckle bolts or whatever.

Point is they do not shy away from issues, at least my SC doesn't. If you haven't been on a ride-along with the tech to have them listen to the noise, I would do that before organizing a revolt to NHSTA, whoever they are.

 

[lefkonj]

Did a piece fall off while driving? did you lose control of vehicle while driving? If it is just a noise then it isn't a safety issue but a complaint. If they have checked it and said nothing is wrong you have two choices: accept it or sell it.

It is that black and white.

 

[Joe Hoffman]

I had (past tense) lots of noise from my front end. Gen1 - R1S. Several trips to SCs. I struggled to get them to install the Joust line FSB, but eventually they did. This improved things a lot.
They also commented about all the 'stuff' i had in the frunk, so I removed all the heavy stuff (40ft Charging cable extension, tow hitch assembly, etc). I now regularly drive in Medium as Soft was too much vertical travel for me. I've also learned to slow down for intersections and dips. The recent SW upgrade also improved my noise situation, particularly when going thru dips.

Short answer: Be sure to remove everything from the frunk AND get the Joust line FSB installed.
Perfect? No, but definitely better and I no longer feel like there's something wrong with the front suspension.

I'm not interested in an NTSB petition, sorry. I don't see a safety issue and I'm not aware of anyone's front suspension that's exploded all over the interstate due to this 'issue'.

 

[RivBlue]

I am taking my 2023 R1T in for the 3rd time in July for noisy front suspension.
Had the same loud noises coming from the front end at slow speeds and clunking at Hiway speeds as the OP.
San Jose service center replaced the front subframe and did some lube on various items.
When I got home there was a large bolt in the frunk, looked new and was at least 3/8 in diameter and 3 inches long, didn't think it was left out since the noise was gone pretty much, thought they just forgot where they put it.
Noise came back a couple months later, took it to the South San Francisco service center that time, the service guy called me and told me the truck was done after a week.
Went to get it and he told me they found a "couple" of missing nuts and a few bolts were not tightened properly, wow not something you want to hear!
So I guess I'll see what is going on this time, it's super loud again...SMFH

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