Rivian under investigation over rear suspension failures on R1 models
Source: TechCrunch
Investigation Overview
- The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) noted that both vehicles had been previously serviced, and one had been involved in a collision before the work was done.
- Rivian discovered in March 2025 that the rear toe link—a critical suspension part that keeps the wheel straight—had a “sensitivity to service procedures.” The company subsequently updated its handling of the part during service and repairs.
- The ODI’s probe will examine:
- Why the rear toe link on Rivian’s R1 models is sensitive to “foreseeable road and service conditions.”
- A comparison of the two failures submitted by owners.
- Rivian’s current toe‑link repair procedure.
- The condition of other 2023‑2024 model‑year R1 vehicles.
Potentially affected vehicles: nearly 115,000.
Recall Details
In January 2026, Rivian recalled almost 20,000 vehicles, including those that had received the toe‑link service prior to the March 2025 improvement.
“Vehicle safety is a top priority at Rivian. Rivian data indicates R1 toe‑link joints are operating as intended,” the company said in a statement to TechCrunch. Rivian also noted that one of the vehicles in question was handled by a third‑party repair facility.
Owner Complaints
- Case 1: A Rivian R1 driver lost control at highway speeds, swerved into another vehicle, and collided head‑on with a guardrail after a bolt on the toe link “fractured.”
- Case 2: An R1S owner reported the vehicle veered across lanes, onto a bike path, onto the sidewalk, and back onto the road after the left rear toe link broke. The owner suffered a sore neck for several days and said their Apple Watch repeatedly attempted to call 911.
Impact on Upcoming R2 SUV
The probe comes as Rivian is less than two weeks away from beginning deliveries of its highly anticipated R2 SUV, which the company expects to sell in much higher volumes than its other models. Rivian also plans to add over 50 new service centers by the end of 2027, bringing the total to more than 150 locations, and to expand its mobile service‑van fleet.
Rivian has stated that the R2’s simpler design should reduce the level of service required:
“Reducing mechanical complexity during assembly results in higher quality assurance when vehicles roll off the line, simultaneously improving the ease and expense of servicing your vehicle if the need arises,” the company wrote in February.