Enlarge / The recall impacts each the Rivian R1S (pictured) and the R1T pickup truck.Jonathan Gitlin
Rivian is within the means of recalling almost 13,000 R1T vans and R1S SUVs on account of a possible seatbelt drawback. It believes that in some automobiles, a sensor inside the seatbelt system is missized or “dimensionally out of tolerance,” and that might stop the automated locking retractor from working correctly. That in flip may lead the entrance passenger airbag to consider the seat was unoccupied throughout a crash, leading to it failing to set off.
Final July, Rivian and its provider had been investigating a automobile that was displaying a message that the entrance passenger airbag was off regardless of having a passenger in that seat. Rivian and its provider, Autoliv, labored on the issue till January, amassing extra probably suspect elements from different Rivian EVs. In February the startup decided that automobiles with the suspect elements wouldn’t be compliant with federal security rules and initiated the recall.
Not like many issues we see on new EVs, this one just isn’t the kind that may simply be mounted with a software program patch. Though Rivian thinks that only one p.c of the 12,716 affected automobiles even have a faulty half, it’s going to examine and, if needed, substitute the passenger seatbelt parts in these affected automobiles.
That is the second massive {hardware} recall to have an effect on Rivian in current months. In October, it needed to recall 12,212 EVs to verify for probably mistorqued suspension bolts.
Affected homeowners ought to see an digital notification by way of the automotive (and likewise by e-mail) “as quickly as doable,” with mailed notifications on account of be despatched out on or earlier than April 8.
