2023 Rivian R1S Problems Research
Top Issues: Airbags, seats, and electrical system
A mid-size, all-electric seven passenger SUV, the Rivian R1S was launched in 2022. The automaker states that it is built for making memories, enabling owners to “Make the most of every adventure.” However, owners faced with airbag, seat, and electrical system problems weren’t looking for the kinds of adventures or memories failures and malfunctions have brought them.
Click on other model year to view more problems: 2025
Most Commonly Issues
The most common problems reported to the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) in complaints relate to airbags, often linked to seat problems, and issues involving the electrical system. However, there are many other systems and components that owners state are causing problems. These include the engine, exterior lighting, forward collision avoidance, lane departure, seat belts, service brakes, steering, suspension, tires, vehicle speed control, visibility, and wheels. There are also a large number of complaints about the horn being underpowered, most listed as “unknown or other” problems.
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2023 Rivian R1S Complaint Summary
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Electrical System | |
| Seats | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Seat Belts | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | |
| Steering | |
| Wheels | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control |
Airbag Sensor Issues
Many complaints tell us that the passenger seat sensor doesn’t recognize occupants and disables the system. While some say that it is an issue with passengers as light as 100 lbs, there are numerous complaints about much heavier passengers, including those weighing 450 lbs or more. Typically, dealerships state the airbags are working as intended.
Additionally, more than 40% of the complaints about airbags include problems with the seats. For example, some say that when the passenger shifts their weight by centering their position and sitting up straight, the system detects them. We examined this issue in more detail in our post, 2023 Rivian R1S Airbag Failure.
Even though there are two airbag recalls, these don’t address the problems expressed in NHTSA complaints.
Sample Complaints About Heavy Passengers
An owner from Florida states, “The Rivian is designed to kill fat people. The Airbag for the passenger seat does not function if there is a large person in the seat or the seat is very far forward with a normal person (in the seat). When someone sits in the passenger seat the lower left corner of the central display changes from ‘Passenger Airbag Off’ to the passenger climate control display.” The complaint describes how the seat belt also malfunctions. A mechanic went to his house but was unable to repair the issue, and three months later, in May 2024, he was still waiting for a solution.
An owner from Illinois, whose wife weighs 145 lbs, states that the seat sensor doesn’t recognize her when she gets into the front passenger seat. The passenger-side airbag doesn’t activate and the climate control is inactive. “Rivian claims that there is a seat weight limit but my wife weighs 145 lbs. This happens all the time until my wife moves around enough to activate it. Then sometimes it turns off in the middle of a drive as if there wasn’t a passenger in that seat. This has also occurred with some heavier passengers. Rivian claims nothing wrong with the vehicle.”
Reporting the problem as a “serious safety issue,” an owner from Delaware records that the R1S does not recognize when front passengers are in the vehicle. “ours does not even see a 6’ 4” 450 lb passenger regularly. Other complainants are reporting feedback that it’s ‘within spec’, ‘it’s safer for smaller passengers’, and that ‘you need to sit in the seat properly’(?!).”
Sample Complaints About Lightweight Passengers
An owner from Oregon states that lighter-weight passengers “will not trigger the passenger seat’s weight sensor, rendering the passenger side airbag disabled. The passenger must sit up perfectly straight and center their weight on the center of the seat for them to be properly detected. A service center visit claimed the seats are working as designed, but there is clearly an issue.”
An owner from California tells a similar story. “The front Passenger seat intermittently disables the passenger airbag system, depending on the movement of the passenger. For example, my girlfriend was sitting in the seat, with her legs crossed. When she is in this position, the system disables. If she shifts her weight around, the system reenables.” The same thing happens with other passengers, he says. “I had the vehicle in service, and they were not able to reproduce the issue (No trouble found). As soon as I got my daughter into the car, the issue presented itself once again. My daughter is 108 lbs.”
Another owner from California states that when his wife, who is 5 ft 5 in and weighs about 100 lbs, sits in the front passenger seat (legs and feet forward in a regular upright position), the airbag does not always turn on. It is intermittent and unpredictable when it turns on vs. off, and it even turns off and on while driving. It makes us uncomfortable not knowing if she is protected in a crash. Rivian has told us it’s working as expected but the photos show otherwise and they say there is nothing they can do to fix.”
Electrical System
The most common electrical system problems relate to software updates that lead to system failures. In 2023, many owners reported that a software update, 2023.42.0, that introduced several enhancements and fixes relating to locking and unlocking, the Car Wash app, and the Drive Modes app, was causing problems.
Other problems reported as electrical (and sometimes including other components) include stalling, sudden stopping, stalling, and vehicles lunging forward. A particularly serious complaint reports that the accelerator pedal malfunctioned, leading to a crash that resulted in one death and an injury.
According to the complaint, listed as an electrical system, service brake, and powertrain issue, from someone in California, this happened on July 8, 2024. It isn’t clear whether this person is the owner or whether the deceased person was the driver or passenger. The complaint states that an “accelerator defect” “resulted in one casualty and one injury.” There were no warning signs. Confirming that this was a known problem, it goes on to say, “Service recalls have been for the same issue with prior models.” The complaint also records that the vehicle was “in police custody.”
The recall, NHTSA Campaign Number 23V883000, issued on December 21, 2023, only applies to the 2022 Rivian R1S and R1T. It states that 7,873 vehicles where the auto-hold or park may not activate as intended. The issue is, “The accelerator pedal may not detect when the driver releases the pedal.” And this can “result in unintended vehicle movement, increasing the risk of a crash.” The remedy was an over-the-air (OTA) software update. According to the most recent document on file, the problem had been remedied in all affected vehicles by January 2024.
Problems Relating to Software Updates
Most of the software update problems relate to a software update 2023.42.0, which caused all sorts of malfunctions. A safety report issued on November 13, 2023, states that within hours of “the OTA push,” Rivian identified that it was adversely impacting the vehicle’s infotainment system and they canceled the update. However, it wasn’t only the infotainment system that was affected.
An owner from Colorado states that the update “bricked my vehicle. It is drivable but the infotainment screen and safety features are inaccessible. It is unclear what features work and which ones do not. Rivian has only released limited information on Reddit, and there has been no other formal communication to impacted owners. Customer service said it was aware, and that the team was working on a resolution. But this is a major red flag and should be investigated.”
An owner from Iowa states that it resulted in the vehicle screen going black and the HVAC not working. “It is unclear if any safety or airbag systems are operational. Cameras not working.”
Similarly, an owner from Texas states that the update “made the driver information and infotainment screens non-functional and also disabled all driver safety aids and any ability to turn exterior lights or windshield wipers off or on.”
Weak Horn
While most complaints regard horn problems as unknown or other issues, some owners see them as related to the electrical system. For instance, an owner from Texas identifies it as electrical. He states that after Rivian changed the horn, “no-one can hear me.” However, “Rivian tells me there is nothing to fix because this is the new cost-cutting design.”
An owner from Connecticut states that the “horn is extremely underpowered and not audible to other drivers at highway speeds in particular. This has not been inspected by Rivian because all R1S vehicles are like this since they removed the second horn that was originally shipped in earlier builds.”
According to an owner from North Carolina: “The single horn on this vehicle is incredibly weak/not loud enough and has almost led to two separate incidents in my 3 months of ownership due to other drivers not being able to hear my horn.”
An owner from Virginia points out that it is a safety risk. “The vehicle horn is not very loud and makes a low-frequency noise that is not easily recognizable as a vehicle horn. The horn presents a safety risk to vehicle occupants, other vehicles, and pedestrians.”
What Should You Do If You Have a Lemon
If you have major problems with your 2023 Rivian R1S that recur and affect their use of the vehicle or its value, you might have purchased a lemon. Lemberg Law has been helping vehicle owners with “lemons” for many years, and we have negotiated many settlements on their behalf.
If you’d like us to assess your problems, free of charge, contact us by calling our Helpline or filling out a contact form. The law says that the automaker must pay the legal fees for lemon law cases, so you won’t have to pay the legal bills.
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