Rivian In Major Trouble After Recalling All Of Its Electric Vehicles?
Rivian is recalling 12,212 trucks, vans, and SUVs after a loose fastener was found to possibly impact the vehicle.
California-based Rivian is recalling nearly all of the vehicles it has manufactured to date. The electric car company known for its outdoor lifestyle vehicles sent notices to owners of 12,212 trucks, vans, and SUVs to let them know that a loose fastener in the front suspension needs tightening. Rivian sent the notice after receiving seven reports of issues related to this problem, but the company emphasizes that no injuries have resulted from the unstable nut and bolt connection.
Customers are advised to contact the company immediately if they notice unusual sounds or vibrations in the front end of their vehicles. Rivian vehicle owners can bring their trucks, vans, and SUVs to one of the company’s service centers to have the fastener inspected and tightened. Customers also have the option of requesting a visit from one of Rivian’s mobile service units.
In order to lessen the recall’s impact, the company is also planning to host “pop-up” service stations in areas that have a lot of Rivian owners. Although the problem is a minor one, some vehicles may need to be kept for a longer service period. In this case, Rivian will provide a loaner vehicle.
In its statement, Rivian went on to say that the company is fully able to inspect and repair all affected vehicles within 30 days. They also emphasized that there is no cost associated with the repairs. Rivian also reassured the owners of their products that the recall has no material financial impact on the company.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), this is not the first recall Rivian has issued in 2022. In May, the company recalled around 200 vehicles for a problem involving seat belt anchors. In August, an airbag issue required the recall of about 500 electric vehicles.
Rivian is perhaps best known in America for producing electric delivery vans for retail giant Amazon. The delivery vans were tested in several west coast cities in 2021, and are currently being rolled out further east in Chicago, Baltimore, Nashville, and several other areas. These vans are part of Rivian’s agreement to provide its largest investor with 100,000 vehicles by 2025.
Other Rivian vehicles include the R1T electric pickup truck, which has been described as a glamper’s dream truck. The company also makes the R1S SUV which offers all the benefits of the R1T truck but with a third row of seats and an ample cargo area. Rivian started with the intention of producing electric sports coupes but switched gears after realizing there was a huge market for electric vehicles built for the outdoors.
Rivian’s headquarters are in Irvine, California, but its production plant is in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois. To keep up with demand for its outdoor lifestyle electric vehicles, the company is building another manufacturing plant in Georgia with the goal to start production in 2024. The $5 billion dollar facility will be able to generate up to 400,000 vehicles every year, more than double the number the Illinois plant can produce annually.
