Jonathan Gitlin
Rivian is recalling approximately 13,000 R1T trucks and R1S SUVs due to possible seatbelt issues. It is believed that in some vehicles, the sensors in the seatbelt system are undersized or “out of tolerance”, which can prevent the self-locking retractor from functioning properly. This could cause the passenger airbag to perceive the seat as empty and deactivate in the event of a collision.
Last July, Rivian and its suppliers were investigating a vehicle that was displaying a message that the passenger airbag was off, even though there was a passenger in the passenger seat. Rivian and his supplier Autoliv worked on the issue until his January, collecting more potentially questionable parts from other his Rivian EVs. In February, the startup determined that vehicles with questionable parts were not compliant with federal safety regulations and initiated a recall.
Unlike many problems found in new EVs, this isn’t something that can be fixed with a software patch. I believe it’s only 1%, but I would inspect the passenger seatbelt component of the affected car and replace if necessary.
This is the second major hardware recall to affect Rivian in recent months. In October, we had to recall 12,212 EVs to see if the suspension bolts were torqued incorrectly.
Affected owners should receive electronic notification via their vehicle (and also by email) “as soon as possible” with mailed notification expected to be sent by April 8.
