2023 Rivian R1T
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2023 Rivian R1T has 61 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.8x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is air bags problems (23% of all complaints), specifically: the passenger airbag sensor is malfunctioning. when a passenger weighing 115 pounds is seated in the front passenger seat with the seatbelt connected, the vehicle disables the airbag. this has been documented with pictures and video multiple times to rivian. they had the vehicle at their service cen. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.
61
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
0.8x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
AIR BAGS
14 complaints- • The passenger airbag sensor is malfunctioning. When a passenger weighing 115 pounds is seated in the front passenger seat with the seatbelt connected, the vehicle disables the airbag. This has been documented with pictures and video multiple times to Rivian. They had the vehicle at their service cen
- • The passenger airbag is not engaged for anyone under 150lbs, which includes my wife, 16 year old daughter, 14 year old son and 13 year old daughter. Seems a dangerous setting to have such a high weight threshhold for Rivian and they keep responding to owners that all is functioning normal.
- • Front passenger airbag sometimes fails to activate when my friend, weighing 120 pounds, is sitting in the front passenger seat.
“The passenger airbag sensor is malfunctioning. When a passenger weighing 115 pounds is seated in the front passenger seat with the seatbelt connected, the vehicle disables the airbag. This has been documented with pictures and video multiple times to Rivian. They had the vehicle at their service cen”
— NHTSA complaint filing
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS
9 complaints- • Rivian issued an OTA update, 2023.42.0, that rendered all but the most basic functions disabled. There is no center screen. No ability to control defrost or climate in the vehicle. All advanced safety features, other than blind spot warnings, appear disabled.
- • Rivian issued an OTA update, 2023.42.0, that rendered all but the most basic functions disabled. There is no center screen. No ability to control defrost or climate in the vehicle. All advanced safety features, other than blind spot warnings, appear disabled.
- • Car was lane corrected into other lane and started accelerating. Like getting hit by a bumper in a pinball machine. Avoided a head on collision but managed to safety maneuver into a fence instead of a tree.
“Rivian issued an OTA update, 2023.42.0, that rendered all but the most basic functions disabled. There is no center screen. No ability to control defrost or climate in the vehicle. All advanced safety features, other than blind spot warnings, appear disabled.”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ELECTRICAL
6 complaints- • I picked up this vehicle brand new from a Rivian service center. On the way home after approximately 90 miles, the screens lit up with a message saying Critical Battery Issue: Service Vehicle Immediately. In addition to the warnings on the console, there was a very loud beeping sound that did not st
- • I picked up this vehicle brand new from a Rivian service center. On the way home after approximately 90 miles, the screens lit up with a message saying Critical Battery Issue: Service Vehicle Immediately. In addition to the warnings on the console, there was a very loud beeping sound that did not st
- • The contact owns a 2023 Rivian R1T. The contact stated while driving at approximately 70 MPH with the cruise control activated while overtaking another vehicle, the vehicle independently activated the brake. The contact had not turned off the cruise control and there were no other vehicles nearby. T
“I picked up this vehicle brand new from a Rivian service center. On the way home after approximately 90 miles, the screens lit up with a message saying Critical Battery Issue: Service Vehicle Immediately. In addition to the warnings on the console, there was a very loud beeping sound that did not st”
— NHTSA complaint filing
SPEED CONTROL
6 complaints- • High Voltage battery failed twice. At highway speeds and during failure vehicle resorts to turtle mode.
- • Rivian issued an OTA update, 2023.42.0, that rendered all but the most basic functions disabled. There is no center screen. No ability to control defrost or climate in the vehicle. All advanced safety features, other than blind spot warnings, appear disabled.
- • The components that failed are Traction Control, Stability controls, and Anti-Lock Braking while in high regeneration mode. Vehicle can easily become incontrollable in low traction situations (in high regeneration mode) that is a danger to the driver and others on the road. Sequence of Events 1.Ve
“High Voltage battery failed twice. At highway speeds and during failure vehicle resorts to turtle mode.”
— NHTSA complaint filing
OTHER
5 complaints- • I picked up this vehicle brand new from a Rivian service center. On the way home after approximately 90 miles, the screens lit up with a message saying Critical Battery Issue: Service Vehicle Immediately. In addition to the warnings on the console, there was a very loud beeping sound that did not st
- • The horn in the car is very weak and not heard by 3d party when used. Had several occurrences when I needed to use the horn and the 3d party never mentioned it. It is a by far weaker than any other of my cars.
- • I was shifting my truck from park to reverse when the shift handle snapped off. There was no warning and I had just driven the vehicle a couple hours earlier. The truck only has 13k miles on it.
“I picked up this vehicle brand new from a Rivian service center. On the way home after approximately 90 miles, the screens lit up with a message saying Critical Battery Issue: Service Vehicle Immediately. In addition to the warnings on the console, there was a very loud beeping sound that did not st”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 61 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐AIR BAGS: The passenger airbag sensor is malfunctioning. When a passenger weighing 115 pounds is seated in the front passenger seat with the seatbelt connected, the vehicle disables the airbag. This has been documented with pictures and video multiple times to Rivian. They had the vehicle at their service cen
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: Rivian issued an OTA update, 2023.42.0, that rendered all but the most basic functions disabled. There is no center screen. No ability to control defrost or climate in the vehicle. All advanced safety features, other than blind spot warnings, appear disabled.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: I picked up this vehicle brand new from a Rivian service center. On the way home after approximately 90 miles, the screens lit up with a message saying Critical Battery Issue: Service Vehicle Immediately. In addition to the warnings on the console, there was a very loud beeping sound that did not st
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐SPEED CONTROL: High Voltage battery failed twice. At highway speeds and during failure vehicle resorts to turtle mode.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Rivian R1T — Year Comparison
How does 2023 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
Full years-to-avoid analysis →NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 61
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 2
- Crash reports
- 6
- Injury reports
- 0
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2023 Rivian R1T