2025 Rivian R1S Recalls & Complaints

Incident: October 9, 2026 · Filed: October 13, 2026

I am submitting this formal safety complaint regarding a dangerous and unacceptable condition affecting my Rivian. Rivian's new Ghostbusters Halloween promotion, developed in partnership with Sony Pictures, repeatedly takes over a substantial portion of my vehicle's central touchscreen. More seriously, when I shift the vehicle into reverse, the advertisement remains on-screen and obscures the rearview-camera image on most occasions. This is not a hypothetical concern. I have personally experienced this behavior repeatedly. Even after I manually dismiss the advertisement, it returns when I reenter the vehicle. Rivian is effectively forcing me to clear an unsolicited commercial promotion to access a camera display essential to safely backing up. This is an entirely unacceptable design and safety failure. Rivian should be particularly sensitive to this issue given its recent federal safety recall, NHTSA Recall 26V-597, involving software notifications obstructing rearview-camera images. That recall specifically addresses compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 111, which governs rear visibility. While the Ghostbusters promotion may involve a different software condition, the safety concern is substantially similar: a driver shifts into reverse and cannot see the required rearview-camera image because an on-screen notification is obstructing it. The fact that this obstruction involves a commercial entertainment promotion rather than an essential vehicle notification makes the situation even more troubling.

Incident: September 20, 2026 · Filed: September 22, 2026

On September 20, 2026 at approximately 10:29 a.m. CDT, while traveling on Interstate 30 between Greenville and Royse City, Texas, my 2025 Rivian R1S Gen 2 experienced sustained unintended acceleration in an active construction zone with concrete barriers and no immediate safe exit. I applied very heavy, sustained braking to counter the acceleration until we reached a break in the barriers and could leave the highway. Substantial smoke was then coming from the wheel/brake areas. We were initially unable to place the vehicle in Park; after a vehicle reboot, we were able to shut it down. After stopping, we discovered that the accelerator pedal had become physically lodged beneath the driver’s all-weather floor mat, holding the accelerator down. The mat supplied for the vehicle was a previous-generation mat rather than the mat intended for the 2025 Gen 2 R1S. Rivian warns that 2022-2024 floor mats can potentially interfere with the accelerator pedal when installed in a 2025 or newer vehicle. Immediately after the incident, I used the vehicle’s native Rivian AI functionality twice to request diagnostic evaluations. Since the incident, the conventional brake pedal feels weaker/spongier than I recall previously. Rivian is scheduled to inspect the vehicle October 12, 2026 under Work Order 000002609847. I provided Rivian photographs identifying the incorrect mat and photographs showing smoke from the wheel areas. Original in-cabin smartphone video recorded during the incident has been preserved. No collision or physical injuries occurred. I am reporting this because a manufacturer-supplied incompatible floor mat physically trapped the accelerator during highway operation, creating a risk of sustained unintended acceleration that could affect other 2025+ Rivian R1 owners.

Incident: September 9, 2026 · Filed: September 10, 2026

Safety defect involving exterior rearview mirrors on Rivian R1S I am reporting a recurring and worsening safety issue involving the exterior rearview mirrors on my Rivian R1S Gen 2. Both side mirrors repeatedly lose their saved positions without driver input. More concerningly, on multiple occasions the mirrors have changed position while the vehicle was being driven, including at highway speeds. When this occurs, my rearward and side visibility is unexpectedly altered while driving, requiring me to readjust the mirrors and creating a significant safety concern. This problem has persisted across multiple Rivian software versions and has become progressively worse. I have already reported the issue to Rivian Service more than once. I have attempted to re-save the mirror positions, disable and re-enable Auto Tilt in Reverse, perform software resets, and recalibrate the system, without resolving the problem. The issue is not caused by Automatic Ride Height Adjustment, as it has occurred while that feature was disabled. I have requested that Rivian escalate the issue to its Engineering team and review vehicle logs, which should document the repeated changes in mirror position. Because the exterior mirrors can change position without driver input while the vehicle is moving, I believe this may constitute a safety-related defect affecting driver visibility. I am requesting that NHTSA review this issue and determine whether similar complaints exist involving Rivian R1S vehicles.

Incident: August 15, 2026 · Filed: September 9, 2026

OnXXX, at approximately 5:00 PM CT, my 2025 Rivian R1S was involved in a low-speed rear-end collision at the intersection of [XXX] and the [XXX]. I was merging onto the service road (posted speed approx. 55 mph) behind another vehicle that began its merge through a stop sign, then stopped suddenly. I was moving forward at approximately 5-10 mph while checking oncoming traffic to my left. The vehicle's Automatic Emergency Braking system did not engage, and no forward collision warning was displayed, before I struck the vehicle ahead. I applied the brakes manually only after impact. No injuries occurred. I am reporting this because Rivian has previously disclosed to NHTSA (Recall 25V-585, XXX) a related defect in which its ADAS software misclassified a lead vehicle at low speed. My incident involved the same general failure pattern - the system not correctly responding to a slow-moving vehicle directly ahead at low speed. Additionally, the vehicle's onboard camera/recording system (Gear Guard) had been disabled by the manufacturer service center during a repair visit completed earlier that same day, and was not re-enabled before the vehicle was returned to me. As a result, no independent video record of the incident exists. I have submitted a formal written request to the manufacturer to preserve all EDR, ADAS, and vehicle telemetry data from the date of the incident, and that review is ongoing as of this filing. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident: February 2, 2026 · Filed: June 10, 2026

Rivian identified the recalls on our car model and are failing to get the vehicle to repair them since we are unable to get to the dealership.

Incident: March 25, 2026 · Filed: May 31, 2026

Vehicles autonomous driving has failed several times. The system changes from autonomous driving to adaptive cruise control without giving the normal alerts for the driver to take the wheel, giving me or my spouse no time to properly react. This system failing resulted in the vehicle going into a ditch. The autonomous driving automatically switched to adaptive cruise control without warning, the lane keeping system also failed as it gave no warning and did not push the vehicle back into the lane either. Although the vehicle cameras recorded the incident the vehicle did not register any faults or system failures. The shop was not able to find system recorded failures which causes us concerns since the autonomous driving has automatically switched over to adaptive cruise control with no notice.

Incident: December 18, 2025 · Filed: May 2, 2026

I purchased a 2025 Rivian R1S Adventure (VIN: [XXX] ) new from Rivian. Since the first week of ownership, the vehicle has exhibited persistent pulling, drifting, and handling instability requiring constant steering correction. I have brought the vehicle to Rivian Tampa for five service visits over five months. The defect has never been resolved. What I am requesting: Rivian's own technicians have twice attributed this vehicle's handling problems to the factory-installed tires, and confirmed via wheel-swap testing that tire pull is the root cause. These are factory-installed tires I did not select or modify. I am requesting: (1) replacement of all four tires with a highway-appropriate set at $0 cost; (2) a four-wheel alignment after installation at $0 cost; and (3) reimbursement of $61.81 charged for a tire rotation that could not address the confirmed defect. Rivian has acknowledged enough of a problem to waive $717 in labor and convert the alignment to warranty — yet refuses to cover the tires that their own technicians confirmed are defective. That is not an acceptable resolution. I have complete documentation including all work orders, invoices, and service records supporting every claim above. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident: April 15, 2026 · Filed: April 30, 2026

This complaint is associated with Complaint #11717398. My 3rd windshield has cracked after a tiny 1/8" impact point. The result was spidering all the way around the middle sensor housing area and propagating 6" down. It also spidered to the top of the windshield. This tiny impact shouldn't have caused a huge spidering effect. Whether from incorrect installation, car frame issues or defective windshield quality, this is my third heavily cracked windshield in my first 10 months of vehicle ownership. I'm heavily concerned about the safety issue from seemingly anything that strikes the windshield and the $2400 cost to replace each windshield. Thank you

Incident: April 1, 2026 · Filed: April 2, 2026

While driving on a highway, the vehicle displayed an emergency malfunction alert indicating the system was shutting down, followed by a sudden loss of propulsion. I was traveling with my children in the vehicle and had to immediately maneuver off the roadway under unsafe conditions. We were nearly struck by other vehicles while exiting. Law enforcement responded to assist at the scene, as we were stuck on the off ramp without the ability to use flashing lights due to the system shutting down. The vehicle became inoperable and required service. This incident occurred without warning and created a significant safety risk to occupants and others on the road. This vehicle has also had multiple prior service issues affecting different systems since delivery, including electrical, suspension, and other component-related repairs.

Incident: March 26, 2026 · Filed: March 26, 2026

Hazard lights are inoperable this will be the second time going in for repair but 4th time it has occured. It also makes SOS inoperable and the roof lights. This is a safety concern that has not caused an accident but is a big issue since hazard lights are used when accident or emergencies occur and they are inoperable and this has been a frequent issue