Rivian: recall with over 12,000 vehicles affected

Things are not going well for Rivian. The US carmaker now has to initiate a large-scale recall campaign. The reason for this is probably defective screw connections.

A bad year for Rivian

Rivian should probably be looking forward to the end of 2022. After all, the company had a rude awakening this year after an impressive stock market launch late last year. That showed up this summer in the form of disappointing numbers. For example, the U.S. automaker made a whopping $1.7 billion loss. And now the next hammer seems to be coming for the manufacturer of e-pickups. It has now become known that Rivian will have to offer the lion’s share of its already delivered electric cars back to the workshop. This is probably due to risks that can arise from a defective screw connection. More specifically, there are said to be problems with the connection of the front axle to the control arm in a few vehicles.

This is according to a statement from Rivian released by the automaker to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Affected e-cars from the company could pose a major safety risk to their drivers and occupants. After all, there is a risk of losing control of the vehicle. To ensure Rivian owners don’t expose themselves to this risk and can identify affected vehicles, the manufacturer also shared identifying signs. In particular, unusual noise while driving, strong vibrations or altered steering behavior can be indications that the problem is present.

R1T, Sports Utility R1S and EDV are affected

In addition to the classic R1T, the problem also affects the R1S sports utility and the EDV van. In total, the company is talking about 12,212 models, which have 2022 as the year of manufacture. Considering a total of 14,300 vehicles built this year, that’s quite a lot. According to Rivian, anyone who feels they have been affected should immediately visit an authorized workshop of the manufacturer. On site, the experts will check whether there is a fault or not. If the screw connections are too loose, the screws will be retightened. The rather untypical on-site service also shows how important it is for Rivian to solve the problem. The manufacturer probably also offers to send an automotive expert to the customer’s home.