Rivian reliability is a problem

[sdemeester]

All I can say is that my 2.5 year old R1T with almost 30K miles has been essentially flawless and an absolute joy to drive. Completely reliable, still with original powered cover and AT tires. No oil changes or the things you deal with owning an ICE vehicle. You could buy a lemon BMW or any type of car, but don't place too much stock in CR, RIvian makes a great EV.

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[DayTripping]

I'm not saying Rivian shouldn't be where it is, but CR reliability isn't cut and dry. An engine exploding at 500 miles is treated the same as a car having an issue with the radio at 80k miles.

That is not what they say. They weight it according to severity. I posted earlier about this.

Here is the direct quote for their FAQs.
"The overall reliability verdict summarizes a model’s overall reliability over up to 20 trouble spots. Because problems with major engine and transmission components, the cooling system, electric motor, EV battery, and drive system can be serious and more expensive to repair, our calculation gives more weight to problems in these areas. The reliability scores show whether the model had more or fewer problems overall than the average model of that year."

 

[Zorg]

2 year old R1T with 27k miles and zero issue. We have owned multiple Tesla. The 2014 S was a doozy with multiple issues. Our 2019 X was flawless til the HV battery died at 50k miles (replaced under warranty). Overall, it's been trouble free.

 

[DayTripping]

Both of mine have been fine. Notice how you aren't listing your issues, probably because half or more of your "issues" are bullshit. Get rid of your Rivians if they are so terrible. This is a really odd place to spend your time if Rivian is as awful as you say.

I don't think most people who have Rivians with issues are saying they are terrible. Some who have had major issues likely do think that.

In the 2+ months I've had my truck (in full disclosure I bought it used with 6k miles on it) my truck will be in the shop as of next week for 3 weeks.

Rivian won't disclose the nature of previous SC visits but I was able to learn there were two. Those two apparently weren't related to the 9+ that I currently have. Why do I say 9+, because I am too busy right now to go through all the issues on this service ticket and once you get over 9, the app just lists them as 9+. My list doesn't count the 12V replacement they will do as well.

Nothing super major so far but I have several of the TSB issues that are being fixed. I couldn't access the truck when my key cards wouldn't unlock it. I have the suspension chirp, AC vibration, wheel torque issue, excessive wind noise (I did reset all the windows), and a few more.

They have been working their way through the list of issues and so far everyone I've identified they've found the corresponding cause. So, I am clearly not imagining them.

Would I buy my truck again? Yes. Has it been without issues, obviously not.

I would be one of those consumer reports people (if polled) who have high consumer satisfaction while still experiencing issues.

 

[gsqrd]

just a solitary input without analysis. 2 yr 24K R1S trouble free. I was included in CR survey. So they heard from one satisfied owner at least.

 

[hilld]

I tend to agree with you on this one. Service centers being to small, or not enough mechanics, or both.

They do seem to be addressing the issues as they crop out.

My R1 has been relatively problem free, and all the problems it has had has not made it undriveable. I too have a R2 on reserve.

That said, Rivians biggest problem for me... Promises not kept. XM radio, Youtube, etc, or taking away features (12v plugs), etc.

Thanks for reminding me, need to schedule for a mobile service. This dash rattle is driving me batty.

Yes, the 12V socket removal in the frunk was a letdown as well as the camp kitchen that never came and they removal of my tonneau cover and spare tire one month before delivery (Dec 2022). Tire issue has been solved.

I have had a variety of issues over the past 2 years, but I knew that I was going with a brand new car company so I expected the issues, the one thing that is a hard pill to swallow though is the long wait (up the 3 months) to get that service appointment. I get it cash is king and Rivian doesn't have a ton of it, so they are conserving somewhat.

Do I regret my decision, HELL NO.

 

[krb1183]

Yeah i guess it comes down to "what does reliability mean to you"? My Gen2 R1S has spent 6 weeks at the SC since i've owned it in August (through two visits). Most of the time they are diagnosing the software, waiting for the parts, etc. I have it back now but i love the vehicle. It's quiet, makes zero random noises, just been software issues that seemed to cause issues especially when trying to use driver+, and a charge port door that broke when the vehicle mustve tried to close it while it was plugged in charging over night. From my perspective, I wouldn't say it hasn't been reliable...just buggy software. So i don't know what to think outside of I love the vehicle, and as long as the next software i download isn't buggy i seem to be good. hah.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

I remember when a similar pole came out last year but it only showed the headlines not the details. Then when people started actually digging into the data, it turns out most of the "complaints" were because it didn't have Carplay or people didn't like the infotainment system. It wasn't actually complaints related to mechanical or drivability systems.

That said, you've already gotten a lot of good feedback here. Most actual owners love these vehicles, and the CR chart for Owner Satisfaction seems spot-on based on other owners I've met. You're always going to see more complaints on forums, but it's the same for every vehicle. It's mildly amusing when I'm scrolling through social media and see a post on a Rivian page bracketed by posts from my Chevy truck owners forums. You think our vehicles have problems, you should go visit the Silverado forums, LOL. ?

21 months of ownership and my biggest issue has been probably some pollen under the gear tunnel PPF that was replaced under warranty, and not having the right tools to resolve a flat quickly (my own problem). Hopefully service continues to improve for folks who do have real issues. You can always check the service center map and reviews to get an idea of how service might be in your region. Good luck!

 

[White Shadow]

I wouldn't worry about reliability ratings too much. Even if Rivian is at the bottom, it doesn't really matter because most new vehicles overall are reliable. So you still have good odds of not having any issues no matter what you buy. Jeep is typically towards the bottom of the list too. I'm on my third Jeep in a row and haven't had a single issue with any of them.

 

[DrewT]

my R1T is now 1.5 years old -finally after all that time I had a problem-the sound system wasn't delivering sound despite being on so I did the reset and lo and behold it worked once more .
The R1T is basically a computer on wheels . I have been a computer nerd for about 40 years but this is the first one that I have ever had that performed flawlessly for that time period without needing attention .

 

[Fred6v]

CR subscriber for years but Rivian summary in their latest annual review seriously stale. Kvetching about aggressive regenerative braking (can be turned off entirely from OTA delivered 6 months ago) and old quibbles. Makes me think they haven't reviewed service history for a year+. Problem free for 14 months for me

 

[Wispitgood]

I have wanted a EV for years now and I have looked at the many options out there. I eventually decided I liked the Rivian the best. And when I learned that they were making the an affordable model I was all in and put down a reservation on the first day. Many of my family and friends try to talk me out of getting an EV because of all the issues they have and the negative publicity that always seems to be out there. I have just wanted to get one just to prove them wrong. But when I see Consumer reports vehicle reliability reports and Rivian is at he very bottom by a long ways I get discouraged and worry that I will end up with a problem vehicle. My friends and family are just going to be saying "I told you!". I still have high hopes that Rivian is going to learn from the past issues and start making reliable EVs. When I first saw this data last year I thought it must be because of all the issues with the retractable tonneau cover on the bed. But If you click on Rivian on the web site you can see it is the R1S that is the least reliable. I hope to see big improvements in reliability over the next 2 years or I will not be buying.
This is a screen shot of the ratings as ai was not sure if I could post a link to their site in this post or if non members would see it.

Consumer Reports sucks. They only do surveys from their members, those people who pay them for their services. This, as anyone who took Statistics 101, knows skews any study or reporting.

Fact: Consumer Reports has been sued many times for their "reporting", and for selling membership personal data.

I have wanted a EV for years now and I have looked at the many options out there. I eventually decided I liked the Rivian the best. And when I learned that they were making the an affordable model I was all in and put down a reservation on the first day. Many of my family and friends try to talk me out of getting an EV because of all the issues they have and the negative publicity that always seems to be out there. I have just wanted to get one just to prove them wrong. But when I see Consumer reports vehicle reliability reports and Rivian is at he very bottom by a long ways I get discouraged and worry that I will end up with a problem vehicle. My friends and family are just going to be saying "I told you!". I still have high hopes that Rivian is going to learn from the past issues and start making reliable EVs. When I first saw this data last year I thought it must be because of all the issues with the retractable tonneau cover on the bed. But If you click on Rivian on the web site you can see it is the R1S that is the least reliable. I hope to see big improvements in reliability over the next 2 years or I will not be buying.
This is a screen shot of the ratings as ai was not sure if I could post a link to their site in this post or if non members would see it.

I have wanted a EV for years now and I have looked at the many options out there. I eventually decided I liked the Rivian the best. And when I learned that they were making the an affordable model I was all in and put down a reservation on the first day. Many of my family and friends try to talk me out of getting an EV because of all the issues they have and the negative publicity that always seems to be out there. I have just wanted to get one just to prove them wrong. But when I see Consumer reports vehicle reliability reports and Rivian is at he very bottom by a long ways I get discouraged and worry that I will end up with a problem vehicle. My friends and family are just going to be saying "I told you!". I still have high hopes that Rivian is going to learn from the past issues and start making reliable EVs. When I first saw this data last year I thought it must be because of all the issues with the retractable tonneau cover on the bed. But If you click on Rivian on the web site you can see it is the R1S that is the least reliable. I hope to see big improvements in reliability over the next 2 years or I will not be buying.
This is a screen shot of the ratings as ai was not sure if I could post a link to their site in this post or if non members would see it.

 

[Wispitgood]

Also how about reading through Rivian owners groups to form your own opinions, from actual owners. What you will learn is a lot of devoted, happy owners, who majority understand they bought into a young industry, the EV industry, knowing there will be some issues which is natural for any new industry. If you are not willing to put up with issues and fixes, with higher costs, to join the EV and green movement, then you are not a person who should buy any EV. Because of the early adopters, we will evolve the EV market, just like those of us investing in solar or other green energies so that the industry will be perfected. Otherwise, it would not. And the US will be even further behind in the 21st and 22nd century biggest industries.
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I have wanted a EV for years now and I have looked at the many options out there. I eventually decided I liked the Rivian the best. And when I learned that they were making the an affordable model I was all in and put down a reservation on the first day. Many of my family and friends try to talk me out of getting an EV because of all the issues they have and the negative publicity that always seems to be out there. I have just wanted to get one just to prove them wrong. But when I see Consumer reports vehicle reliability reports and Rivian is at he very bottom by a long ways I get discouraged and worry that I will end up with a problem vehicle. My friends and family are just going to be saying "I told you!". I still have high hopes that Rivian is going to learn from the past issues and start making reliable EVs. When I first saw this data last year I thought it must be because of all the issues with the retractable tonneau cover on the bed. But If you click on Rivian on the web site you can see it is the R1S that is the least reliable. I hope to see big improvements in reliability over the next 2 years or I will not be buying.
This is a screen shot of the ratings as ai was not sure if I could post a link to their site in this post or if non members would see it. [ATTACH typ

I have wanted a EV for years now and I have looked at the many options out there. I eventually decided I liked the Rivian the best. And when I learned that they were making the an affordable model I was all in and put down a reservation on the first day. Many of my family and friends try to talk me out of getting an EV because of all the issues they have and the negative publicity that always seems to be out there. I have just wanted to get one just to prove them wrong. But when I see Consumer reports vehicle reliability reports and Rivian is at he very bottom by a long ways I get discouraged and worry that I will end up with a problem vehicle. My friends and family are just going to be saying "I told you!". I still have high hopes that Rivian is going to learn from the past issues and start making reliable EVs. When I first saw this data last year I thought it must be because of all the issues with the retractable tonneau cover on the bed. But If you click on Rivian on the web site you can see it is the R1S that is the least reliable. I hope to see big improvements in reliability over the next 2 years or I will not be buying.
This is a screen shot of the ratings as ai was not sure if I could post a link to their site in this post or if non members would see it.

e="full" alt="1733594743060-hq.jpg"]117536[/ATTACH]

I have wanted a EV for years now and I have looked at the many options out there. I eventually decided I liked the Rivian the best. And when I learned that they were making the an affordable model I was all in and put down a reservation on the first day. Many of my family and friends try to talk me out of getting an EV because of all the issues they have and the negative publicity that always seems to be out there. I have just wanted to get one just to prove them wrong. But when I see Consumer reports vehicle reliability reports and Rivian is at he very bottom by a long ways I get discouraged and worry that I will end up with a problem vehicle. My friends and family are just going to be saying "I told you!". I still have high hopes that Rivian is going to learn from the past issues and start making reliable EVs. When I first saw this data last year I thought it must be because of all the issues with the retractable tonneau cover on the bed. But If you click on Rivian on the web site you can see it is the R1S that is the least reliable. I hope to see big improvements in reliability over the next 2 years or I will not be buying.
This is a screen shot of the ratings as I was unsure if I could post a link to their site in this post or if non members would see it.

 

[DayTripping]

I don't think poor reliability and high customer satisfaction have to be mutually exclusive. Of course they can be, and often are. If the manufacturer can quickly address the issues and keep the overall promise of the vehicle intact, then you can maintain high customer satisfaction.

As we all know, the unhappy people will be the loudest. An experienced person will try to assess the ratio of noise to positive comments. I did that before jumping in and was aware of some of the potentially more common issues. As luck would have it, I have many of them. At least I was prepared for this possibility before I purchased it and made it part of the calculus.

If I experience significantly more issues, or my current ones remain unresolved, I'll likely be less enthusiastic about the brand. So far, my service visit has taken longer than anticipated. They have meticulously and professionally addressed my issues so far and kept me informed. That translates into a continuing high level of customer satisfaction despite my numerous issues.

I actually took the time to go through my list since the app only showed 9+. I have 15 issues being addressed. Some are likely intertwined. Even concatenating issues that are possibly resolved, I'd say I have 10 unique issues.

An example of this would be I had cooling AND heating issues. It never seemed to give me anything but full hot or full cold. There is some temp sensor my app reads (so does ElectraFi) that says my cabin temp is far from accurate. On a 90+F day, the temp sensor was reading 32F. I assume it was F and not C, but even if it was C, it would be inaccurate. While chasing this issue they worked on my AC noise issue and also found the refrigerant was low. The sensor issue is still a TBD but it is still wrong after the other fixes.

Not super serious issues, thankfully, but quite a few of them. I am still very positive about my truck and a lot of that is due to how the SC is going about it, even though it took longer to get it in than I'd like.

 

[Captain JB]

I concur with the service problem. 4 months wait and then got delayed again for some simple issues. They need to use VWs dealerships for service!!!

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