Rivian has notified customers that it’s recalling 13,000 EVs — or almost all of the electric trucks and SUVs it has ever delivered — due to an issue that could render drivers unable to steer and control their vehicles. After reviewing seven reports, the company decided to recall the vehicles. The problem was caused by a fastener that connects the steering knuckle with the vehicle’s upper arm not being torqued properly. BloombergAnd The Wall Street Journal.
RJ Scaringe, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, stated in a letter to customers that the recall was being done “out of an abundance caution” despite the few reported defects. The fastener can become loose under “rare circumstances”, causing loss of steering control. However, there have been no injuries.
Rivian currently offers two models: the R1T Truck and the the R1S SUVThe company also manufactures electric delivery trucks at its Normal, Illinois plant for Amazon, its minority owner. Its production capacity has been affected by the recent global supply chain problems that have plagued tech and auto companies. It tried to increase the R1T pickup truck’s price by $12,000 earlier in the year due to inflation and shortages of components. However, it was quickly defeated. The decision was reversed after customer backlash.
The automaker reported in July 2022 that it had Its production almost doubledThe second quarter saw an increase in production to 4,401 vehicles compared with the first. That’s a fraction of other automakers’ output — rival company Tesla, for instance, 258,580 EVs were manufactured within the same period — but it’s a positive step towards achieving its goal of producing 25,000 vehicles in 2022.
The company isn’t expecting this recall to stop them from reaching their goal. However, the automaker hopes it can inspect all affected vehicles in the next 30 days. Rivian informed customers that they can bring in their vehicles to the service center to have their fasteners tightened within minutes. Rivian also stated that mobile repair vans can be sent to customers. Those experiencing Possible symptomsYou might want to consider this option if you have concerns about noise or vibration.
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