- Rivian, a Tesla competitor, recalls 13,000 vehicles after a steering problem was discovered.
- CEO RJ Scaringe notified staff that the front steering wheel fastener may not have been properly torqued.
- Rivian spokesperson said that the recall was voluntary, and that there would be no material cost.
Rivian Automotive Inc., a Tesla competitor, will recall 13,000 vehicles following a structural manufacturing defect in seven of its vehicles. The company announced the error in email communications to employees and customers.
Insider looked at an internal email RJ Scaringe, Chief Executive Officer, sent to staff Friday. It stated that the fastener to RJ’s front steering wheel “may have not been sufficiently torqued” during manufacturing.
Scaringe wrote that “in rare circumstances, the fastener had loosened completely.” This is an extremely rare situation, Scaringe wrote. However, it reinforces why we need to act quickly and with caution.
Rivian’s spokesperson stated that the recall is voluntary, and that it was free of charge. The spokesperson stated that vehicle examinations at Rivian Service Centers will take just a few seconds and are free.
Rivian spokesperson stated to Insider that “the recall will not affect production” and that Rivian has stopped making vehicles with insufficiently torqued knuckle fasteners.
Rivian is a company supported by Amazon and Ford. This year has seen some challenges for Rivian. Customers react negatively after raising its prices for pre-orders — and backtracking — in March 2022. The company also laid off 6% of its workforceWe saw the following: A slew shareholder lawsuitsThey claim that the company artificially inflated its share price, and underpriced its vehicles.
The company experienced a 47% increase of car deliveries in the third quarter, despite a difficult start to the year.
However, analyst estimates showRivian recorded losses exceeding $3 billion during the first half (2022). Markets Insider reported.
