Rivian recalls R1S and R1T after suspension service flaw

Rivian says nearly 20,000 R1S and R1T EVs are recalled after a suspension service issue that could raise crash risk. Learn what owners should do.

Rivian has launched the year with a significant recall, affecting nearly 20,000 R1T pickup trucks and R1S SUVs built between 2022 and 2025. The issue cannot be resolved with a software update and requires a physical inspection and repair at service centers.

The problem does not stem from factory assembly, but from a service procedure. In certain cases, Rivian technicians had separated and reassembled a rear suspension toe link joint during repairs. Until March 10, 2025, this work was carried out using a procedure that was later deemed incorrect, meaning the joint may not have been reassembled according to its intended design.

Over time, vehicle motion could place unintended forces on the joint, potentially leading to its separation. Such a failure could cause a sudden change in vehicle stability and increase the risk of a crash, without any prior warning signs for the driver.

Rivian says it began investigating after receiving reports of a very small number of toe link joint failures. Following the investigation, the company revised its service procedures and training, and reports that no further repair-related failures have occurred since the updated process was adopted. However, regulators later informed Rivian of two customer complaints tied to repairs performed before March 2025. The company has also acknowledged one crash involving alleged minor injuries.

As part of the recall, Rivian will replace the rear toe link bolts free of charge on all potentially affected vehicles, using the updated service procedure. The repair is expected to take less than an hour, and owner notification letters are scheduled to be sent in late February 2026.

The recall highlights the challenges fast-growing automakers face as their fleets age and service operations scale up. For Rivian, it serves as a reminder that quality control extends beyond the factory floor and remains critical throughout a vehicle’s entire lifecycle.