Rivian safety hazards inquiry.

[PeterSK]

If your service center is relatively nearby, just take the car in and get someone's attention to take a look at it. Ask nicely, not threatening lawsuits. Take a box of donuts with you - I did that in the early days of Tesla service.

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[defcon888]

Does anyone know or does anyone have any experience with Rivian suspension braking or alignment issues not being addressed or reported properly. I wonder if they have had any lawsuits concerning this and the safety of their vehicles.

I reported to Rivian last week that there was a loud noise coming from one of my wheels or more. This is after they surviced a leak in the suspension hydraulic fluid, and did something to the front drive shaft, Because it was making a knocking noise When accelerating. They supposedly fix that but that knocking noise is still there and probably worse than it was the first time before they had " fixed" it. I have since contacted them yesterday and today the 10th and the 11th about my alignment pulling me off the road. My steering wheel is no longer centered and jerking me off the road to the right drastically. And I don't know if this has anything to do with the brakes or the suspension or the drive shafts or what. But either way my alignment is way off and it's pulling me off the road. I have told Rivian this. I'm very glad that voice calls are recorded.

So here is where I have a issue I have repeatedly told them this is unsafe. And They have my, alignment and steering wheel off-centerered and noise coming from one of my wheels as a general maintenance and body issue and scheduled for July 10 to drop it off at their service center. Thus deeming the vehicle drivable. The bell yes center has said and I quoute that cosmetic issues are pushed out for 4 to 5 months. Which is what they titled my ticket as.

This is absolutely a safety issue. And the fact that they put it as cosmetic really really upsets me.

I admit by this point I was frustrated but I explained that vehicle is not safe it is pulling me off the road and there's a loud noise coming from somewhere That sounds like metal on metal. maybe a wheel or a brake. Rivian service support saying that is a general maintenance or cosmetic issue and scheduling me out until July Is ridiculous. And I drive over pass 4 times a week with my son and that they are deeming my vehicle drivable calling it a cosmetic issue and the asshole at rivian service hung up on me. I'm so glad all calls are recorded.

I am a customer, 3 rivians owned by me and my family and There's a big safety issue for the truck They sold me and it has had problems from the beginning. And rivian is doing nothing to fix it in a timely manner saying it is cosmetic or general maintenance, thus deeming my vehicle drivable. When in actuality it is extremely unsafe for me and my family to be in.

I just don't know what to do. If anyone has any advice it would be appreciated. Thanks for reading my rant ?

I would put in another service request and when you take it in, have the service tech take a ride with you. They see a lof of vehicles a month and what you hear and what they hear might be 2 opposite things. I know when I took our R1T in for some minor (rattling speakers, A/C overfilled which was a Rivian request to bring in) and it was pulling slightly to the right (my wife said, I didn't feel it). I asked the service tech to ride with me (he drove) and he confirmed that it had a slight slight slight pull to the right.

My point is that what you hear, feel and see versus what they hear, feel or see could be different.

 

[Zoidz]

I'll assume you have a vaild complaint and are not overreacting to a minor problem. You have the ability to upload images, and I think video as well, as part of a service ticket. Have someone video you while driving, take your hands off the wheel, and let it veer off the road. That could/should get someone's attention if it really is a serious safety concern. However, if it takes 5 seconds to drift off the road, I would argue that it's not a serious safety concern, just an annoying alignment issue that needs to be fixed.

There have been no lawsuits regarding this issue that I have seen here or on Reddit.

 

[Deleted member 17767]

I'll assume you have a vaild complaint and are not overreacting to a minor problem. You have the ability to upload images, and I think video as well, as part of a service ticket. Have someone video you while driving, take your hands off the wheel, and let it veer off the road. That could/should get someone's attention if it really is a serious safety concern. However, if it takes 5 seconds to drift off the road, I would argue that it's not a serious safety concern, just an annoying alignment issue that needs to be fixed.

There have been no lawsuits regarding this issue that I have seen here or on Reddit.

I have uploaded photo and video. Thanks for your advice. It is a serious issue otherwise I wouldn't care to have my truck towed 3 hours to the nearest service center.

"10th and the 11th about my alignment"

I do wonder how many of us are in the double digits of complaints about some issue?

I do find it strange that your alignment issue hasn't been resolved yet. If my memory is correct they've mostly solved the alignment issue. Do you happen to be from the PNW going to the Bellevue SC? Or some other equally busy SC?

I don't have the alignment issue, but I do have the knock/tock. I'm not in the double digits complaint wise yet. I was just starting to get used to it in sort of "I'm sick of dealing with them" kind of way, but it got worse. People are starting to notice when driving at low speeds in a parking lot. Haha

If you strongly feel like its a safety issue and Rivian isn't doing what they need to do then you should simply open up a NHTSA complaint, and let them deal with it.

Thank you for the advice it is much appreciated. Yea Bellevue service center. I once went in for an appointment because My key fob wasn't working. They said it shouldn't take that long to fix so I shouldn't need to leave. I sat there all day just for them to tell me I couldn't take my truck home. Because they couldn't figure out why. They just had my truck for 2 weeks not too long ago because of a leak in of hydraulic fluid. From the suspension . It was stuck in high and I couldn't drive it over 35. That's a thousand dollar tow from Wenatchee. That luckily I didn't have to pay because it's under warranty. Also While they had the truck Rivian went through an update. When I got out of the loaner and into my truck my truck wasn't updated. You would think the service center would update The vehicles that they're working on. Turns out it was stuck in some sort of limbo processing the update. It had been like that for days. Smh. Oh and my vents haven't worked right in the back since I bought the truck. When it says off. They are on. When it says on they are off. Doesn't matter the sync or not. I have learned recently that I had a ticket open since 2022 that they never even scheduled. So yea I know how you feel with the, "I just don't want to deal with them anymore". I honesty regret buying this truck sometimes. Again I drive over Stevens pass 4 times a week. And in snow. Any sort of jerking around and pulling me off of the road is extremely unsafe when you need to keep your tires straight or in path But maybe the people on here that want to think I'm being petty don't have to drive over a mountain pass with there kids every week. Thank you again for your advice it really is appreciated. It's nice to know some people on here are actually trying to help rather than make someone feel dumb for asking a question, or making assumptions.

 

[Deleted member 17767]

If your service center is relatively nearby, just take the car in and get someone's attention to take a look at it. Ask nicely, not threatening lawsuits. Take a box of donuts with you - I did that in the early days of Tesla service.

Thanks that's a good idea but I do live 3 hours away. And never did I threaten with a lawsuit I just asked if they have had any issues in the past that anyone knows of. Thanks for the advice it is appreciated. And again good idea.

 

[Deleted member 17767]

This definitely sounds frustrating.

Did you submit video of your issues with the ticket? That's a first step. It's kind of hard for anyone to refute that there is a serious issue when you have video of it. If you can take some video footage of what your experiencing I would send that to Rivian and even posted here. If you can, we can try to give you some opinions on what it might be.

Oh I have done that.

 

[Deleted member 17767]

You list your occupation as someone who works in the "autobody" industry. So you know better than most people on this message board whether your car is safe to drive. If your alignment is in fact "pulling you off the road", then don't drive it. Have it towed to Rivian and make them fix it. Otherwise, document the problems and lemon law your R1. You said you have owned three of them, so the other two must have been good enough, that you wanted a third.

Can't you throw the Rivian up on the rack and look for yourself if anything is standing out as unsafe or wrong with your vehicle? I personally have an engineering background, and got fed up with taking my cars to mechanics for service. That led me to learn how to do pretty much everything from rebuilding engines, to suspension work, minor fabrication and now sheetmetal work (not by choice). Take a look for yourself and come back and tell us what you found.

Good idea. It does cost $1,000 to tow my truck to Bellevue WA from where I live. I've already had to do it once literally like a month ago. luckily my suspension is under warranty so rivian paid. Are you recommending i tow it over there and "surprise" them with it? I have thought of looking at it myself and have attempted. I don't own my own shop or my own lift. I'm pretty mechanically inclined and probably figure out what looks wrong. But not all auto body techs Do suspension let alone brakes. But it is a good idea and I do wish I had a lift I could use. Thank you again for the advice.

 

[Electrified Outdoors]

Oh I have done that.

Good deal. If you want you can post it here too. Lot of knowledgeable folks on here that might be able to at least point you in the right direction. Sometimes with any vehicle service you need to do some of the troubleshooting yourself unfortunately.

Otherwise, the service departments are not authorized to spend more time on it. They just do a safety check and send it back out the door. Its super frustrating and you either have to isolate yourself or keep taking it back until they are authorized to spend more time.

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