Due to a possible steering control issue, Rivian recalls 13,000 electric vehicles.
Rivian has alerted customers that it is recalling 13,000 EVs — or almost all of the electric trucks and SUVs it has ever delivered — owing to a problem that might cause drivers to lose control of their cars. According to Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal, the business announced the recall after learning of seven cases in which a bolt connecting the steering knuckle to the vehicle’s upper control arm “may not have been appropriately torqued.”
In a letter to customers, Chief Executive Officer RJ Scaringe stated that the business is recalling vehicles despite the modest number of reported faults “out of an excess of caution.” He stated that the fastener may come free in “rare situations” and cause loss of steering control, but that no injuries had been reported as a result of the problem.
Rivian now offers two models: the R1T truck and the R1S SUV, but it also manufactures electric delivery vehicles for its minority owner Amazon at its facility in Normal, Illinois. The global supply chain issues that have plagued most companies in the auto and IT industries in recent years have hampered its manufacturing capability. It even sought to hike the price of its R1T pickup vehicle by $12,000 earlier this year owing to inflation and component shortages, but soon reversed the decision after consumer criticism.
In July 2022, the manufacturer claimed that it had nearly increased its second-quarter manufacturing output to 4,401 automobiles compared to the first. That’s a fraction of what other automakers produce — competitor business Tesla, for example, produced 258,580 EVs over the same time period — but it’s a step toward the company’s goal of manufacturing 25,000 vehicles by 2022.
This recall isn’t anticipated to derail the company’s progress toward that target, and the carmaker hopes to inspect all impacted vehicles within 30 days. Customers, according to Rivian, may bring their automobiles to repair facilities and have the fasteners in their vehicles tightened in minutes. Customers can also be served by mobile repair vans, according to the firm. Those who are suffering suspected signs of the problem, such as noise and vibration, should consider that alternative.
