Rivian Mudding Saves Family: A Rivian Owners Story

wildlife R1T · 2025-04-03T14:11:49+00:00

I have previously used the streaming capability back when it first came out as well as the hotspot since before Connect+ was a thing. I am trying to get the streaming working again but it seems to have been hidden fully behind the paywall. (Not looking to argue the merits of that system here) I recall after Connect+ came out being able to still use the Hotspot while tethering with my phone, and losing it isn't a big deal other than needing to update my wife's wifi, but I think I remember needing to be on the Hotspot to do casting. My question is, did Rivian remove both of these features to fully behind the connect+ paywall? I thought that if you used phone tethering or if you were connected to WIFI you could use most all of the usual streaming like features of the Rivian? If anyone can recommend how to stream while using tethering I'm sure myself and others without Connect+ would appreciate it.

Rivian Mom

Active Wheeler

Mar 8, 2025

This is why capabilities are so important! Who would have thought a real estate showing would have turned into an unexpected mud crossing? Any other family EV would have been stuck. EV9 probably would have needed to be towed out.

Me, my sister and mom + two toddlers went to visit a cool acreage for sale in the outskirts of our city. There is improved road on the property but we ran into an unexpected patch of mud accessing an outbuilding on a pretty firm looking dirt road.

We’ll probably pass on the property due to the potential drainage issue but it’s fantastic to not have needed off road rescue. I saw the road myself. It didn’t look THAT rough but I could see other visitors getting stuck. First time I went there I did put the SUV on offroad mode so this was all purpose with 52 psi in the tires and it was the capability of the vehicle that got us out.

I know this is nothing compared to what some owners do out there but to me this instantly justified the cost of off road upgrade I had to do to get the compass yellow in the shop. This property had no cellular access so my sister, who just had major surgery and my elderly mom would have needed to hike out up hill through half a mile of driveway.