To New Rivian Owners: Don't be scared. Problems are not Rivian, they happen to all manufacturers

[Rivian Mom]

Naturally, many people don't come on a forum daily to report that their vehicle had no issues today. That would get a bit boring. As such, it "appears" that Rivian's are suffering from the new car blues because most only post when something happens. Personally, I try to post anytime something extraordinary happens, be it good or bad.

I've reported on the impressive range, impressive build, and so on. The incredible ride quality and ability to absorb speed bumps as if they aren't there, among other things. I've also had to report on issues I've had with my R1S.

Sure, some of the issues are simply new car blues. But that is common of almost any first year model vehicle from any company. Tesla gets so much press, thus everything they do is amplified. Rivian is the shiny new first EV truck to hit the market and also gets more press. The fact that these companies get so much press should show the massive interest in these vehicles, which is a good thing. As they say, any press (even bad press) is good press. It's when they stop talking about you that you have a problem.

I ran into this post (see link at end) on a Tesla forum. It was notable only because I suffered from a similar issue with my truck a couple of weeks ago. I didn't come on here and post about it to complain, but more so to provide information. How many posts do we see where owners are asking "has this happened to you". For those that learn to use the "search" feature in a forum, they can often find answers to questions they want answered. So, the posts are generally meant to be informative rather than complaints.

Almost 2 years with my R1S, I still love it, despite having had some issues. Sometimes I post areas where I see they can improve, but more so as constructive criticism so hopefully they can learn from it to improve their product. If others agree, they back me up, or any others that have similar concerns. I personally also send my comments to Rivian's customer service. Whether they make any difference or not, who knows. But, if enough people share the same criticisms or opinions, chances are, they're going to listen. Tesla finally offering a full steering wheel on the Model S & X is a good example. Among many other things.

So, for those getting cold feet because of the issues they read on the forums, always remember that the posts are always going to be weighted towards the negative issues. Go read a Tesla forum, or any other forum for that matter and you get much of the same. Don't be scared off because one in 10,000 had an issue with something. Be impressed that only, 1 in 10,000 had an issue. Even for issues where more people have suffered from the same thing (tonneau cover for example), they are issues that will get fixed.

Is there a chance that a brand new Rivian may have a few more issues than a vehicle with 5-10 years under its belt? Probably. But, the vehicle is under warranty. Rivian provides loaner cars or rentals. Sure, it's an inconvenience when something happens, but beyond that, the warranty will fix it and make it better.

Hypothetically, I've had like 220 days with my R1S. 210 of them have been great. The other 15 days, I was driving a different Rivian while they fixed mine. Just like adapting to EV's in general and the inconvenience of longer charging times, it eventually becomes second nature. Yes, when you compare only to the fact that it takes 4-5 minutes to fill up a gas tank with the 30-40 minutes it requires to charge, we only remember the things we don't like. But what about the fact that you wake up every morning with a "full tank" and never have to stop for gas. Never have to deal with oil changes. Likely never have to put brakes on it. Always have instant power on hand, etc, etc. If you travel long distances weekly or tow long distances on a regular basis, an EV may not be for you. For the rest, they're simply incredible. 3-4 times per year, I deal with the inconvenience of longer charging times. The other 361 days of the year, I greatly appreciate all the time I saved by not having to perform the actions that an ICE vehicle requires every 300-400 miles, or every 3,000 miles or every 30,000 miles. The benefits far outweigh and small sacrifices. I personally, could never go back to an ICE vehicle as my daily driver.

Back to the point of this thread, I've always been one that gets first year models of cars. I like the new, latest and greatest things that come available. Had a Chevy Corvette that left me stranded on the freeway two days after delivery due to a fuel delivery problem. Growing pains of a new model. Had a new Jaguar that the front end shook like hell and took them months to figure out the issue. Had a couple of Tesla's over 9 years. Two were problem cars, the rest were nearly flawless. The problem cars were the earliest models of the Model S and Model 3 (first year issues). But, I still loved the cars.

Having issues with your vehicle are never fun. Just like being unfortunate in getting rear ended by someone and you now having to deal with the hassle of getting it fixed. Often times, issues come down to luck. First year models are more prone to problems, but that's true of any manufacturer. For those that like the shiny new and exciting toy, it's a small gamble we take to not wait a few years for problems to be discovered and ironed out.

So, don't be scared by the few issues you read on an internet forum that represent only a small fraction of all Rivian's on the road. So far, the only formal "recall" (that I'm aware of), was to double check the torque on a particular bolt. For that, they came to you, checked the bolt and were on their way in a couple of minutes. Not bad. Go search the internet and see how many other manufacturers have issued recalls in the past year, there are a bunch of them. Ford has had several issues with the Lightning, but those look like a dime a dozen vehicle and simply don't get the reaction that a Rivian does, thus we hear less about them. But, go to a Lightning forum and you'll see that they have issues too.

If you like what you see and are excited for its capabilities, then focus on the positives. If you're unfortunate enough to have an issue with it, accept it, deal with it and move on. It will get fixed under warranty and the problem will soon become a distant memory. You run the same risk with any other vehicle, especially an first year vehicles. The Rivian's are amazing vehicles that will continue to be unique for years to come. Very few will show added interest in your Ford Lightning or "Mustang" Mach-E or Toyota Prius. The Rivian will continue to inspire new questions for the next decade. Enjoy the experience. As we should do with all things in life, focus on the positives and deal with any negatives as necessary, if there are any and move on. I can assure you, there will be far more positives than negatives.

For me, after years in a Tesla and now the Rivian, I've discovered how much I'm not a fan of the mass-market feel of other vehicles, even EV's by the big manufacturers. They all have this generic feel to them. More restrictions. Less creativity. Fewer updates that make notable improvements to your vehicle to give you a new feature that you didn't previously have. Some of the other EV's by big manufacturers are quite impressive in their capabilities, but still don't inspire me like the Rivian or Tesla. They do things different and once you come to get used to those differences, it's not only hard to ever consider an ICE vehicle again, it's hard to consider even an EV from one of the big manufacturers.

For those complaining about the wait, that's not just Rivian either. I was a first day reservation holder for the Hummer, still no call. Same for the Lyriq, no call. Tesla, when was the Roadster supposed to be available? The Cybertruck was due early 2022, but we got it in 2024. All the experience in the world doesn't necessarily make it any easier. All things considered, Rivian has done quite well to stay close on target with production goals so far.

So, be excited for what you're going to get and don't worry about problems that haven't happened yet. Odds are, they won't happen at all.

 

[BG]

Amazing post. The takeaway is that first-year vehicle issues are normal and disproportionately discussed in forums, giving a skewed perception of unreliability. Rivian, like any new manufacturer, experiences growing pains, but these are outweighed by the innovative design, unique features, and exceptional driving experience their vehicles offer. Focus on the positives, embrace the occasional inconvenience, and enjoy the ride—especially with the backing of a strong warranty and continuous product evolution.