Rivian has recalled about 7,900 R1S SUVs and R1T pickup trucks from model year 2022 because they may creep forward when the driver releases the accelerator pedal. Internal combustion-powered cars do that under normal conditions. But Rivian’s electric vehicles don’t. Since drivers don’t expect it, the behavior could contribute to an accident.
Rivian tells federal safety regulators the problem occurs only in vehicles built with a particular batch of accelerator pedals provided by a supplier. When the cabin is unusually hot, the company says, “the pedal may not register as 0% applied when the driver lifts their foot off of the pedal.” Lowering the cabin temperature “eliminates the drift and restores normal behaviors.”
The company is unaware of any crashes or injuries related to the issue but says it has received at least 35 warranty claims.
Rivian says it has already sent vehicles a remote software update that should eliminate the problem, but it plans to “replace all subject accelerator pedals with a newer revision for customer satisfaction and to ensure the quality of Rivian vehicles.”
Manufacturers attempt to contact every owner, but they don’t always reach them all with the news. Find out if your car has ever been recalled at our recall center.
Cox Automotive, parent company of Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader, is a minority investor in Rivian.
