Ugh, another fun surprise - tailgate trim broke...

[SwampNut]

LOL, VHB, JB Weld, and WD-40. The ultimate repair kit.

Edit to add: When I was young and poor, I fixed a cracked head on a 50s outboard motor, right out on the water on the Colorado River, with JB. It held for years and I sold it running.

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[2kwik4u]

I say this with love and concern, at this point you need to consider PTSD counseling, LOL.

You're not wrong. Owning this vehicle has done terrible terrible things to my mental health.

I came from an Audi that had maintenance issues, before that was a GMC Sierra that was absolutely rock solid; and I bought an EV because of the "This is the best vehicle I've ever owned stories", and "EV's have less maintenance than ICEV's" reports you hear from, well, damn near everyone. Between startup company "features", poor quality and the revolving door that is the service center experience; It's been, hands down and without a doubt, the worst ownership experience in my 30yrs of driving/owning vehicles. I can't stand this thing, and all the great things that I want to love just can't overcome the BS that shouldn't be an issue.

That is to say, I'm fully self aware that my expectations were likely unreasonable to begin with, and were also likely artificially inflated.

This morning while unloading something I decided to give the cap a yank, after my repair a few months ago. Won't come off. I think the most important part of that is that I put a piece of the thinnest possible VHB tape along the entire edge that is inside the bed when closed, and facing up when open. VHB is super strong, but especially in sheer versus pull.

I love that you have a fix, and that it works, and that you've shared that to the rest of us. I hate that you think it's an OK thing to have to devise that fix for something so trivial on this level of equipment. Likely that outlook difference is why you love the truck and why I hate it.

 

[SwampNut]

I hate that you think it's an OK thing to have to devise that fix for something so trivial on this level of equipment.

Instead of using judgement words like "OK" for things like this, I say, "typical." It's just a fact of life. Shit happens. Every vehicle I've owned had some shit happen.

I also have a lifetime of beta testing technical products and went in fully aware that there would be MORE stupid things like this on a Rivian, but at least the software wouldn't be a clusterfuck like GM or Ford. However the mainstream makers sometimes just have more experience with little things. OTOH, Ford has a tailgate cap problem too. Go figure.

 

[2kwik4u]

Instead of using judgement words like "OK" for things like this, I say, "typical." It's just a fact of life. Shit happens. Every vehicle I've owned had some shit happen.

I'll push back on this one. OK is the right word here. You're accepting of the issue, I'm not. So it's OK for you and not OK for me, regardless of if it should be expected or not as a typical failure. I'm not judging you for thinking that, I'm disagreeing with your position for thinking that. I don't think less of you for accepting the problem and moving on with a DIY solution.

I also have a lifetime of beta testing technical products and went in fully aware that there would be MORE stupid things like this on a Rivian, but at least the software wouldn't be a clusterfuck like GM or Ford. However the mainstream makers sometimes just have more experience with little things. OTOH, Ford has a tailgate cap problem too. Go figure.

I come from a career in research and development. I too am used to finding problems and solving them, I just didn't expect this many or this level from this truck. Again, poor expectations on my part most likely.

I do agree, aside from PaaK, the software on this has largely been a non-issue. Which is actually opposite of what I expected going in. The hardware has been a large portion of my pain points here.

 

[SwampNut]

You're accepting of the issue,

I'm not. I'm expecting them, and they shouldn't happen.

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