2025 Rivian R1S problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
51 owner complaints analyzed
10 distinct recall campaigns
2,200 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2025 model year. Data snapshot: . 3 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Unknown Or Other is the most frequently named component, appearing in 13 of 51 complaints (25.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 11 | 21.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 7 | 13.7% |
| Steering behavior | 7 | 13.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 2.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | 13 |
| Exterior Lighting | 9 |
| Electrical System | 8 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 |
| Service Brakes | 5 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 5 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 4 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 4 |
Unknown Or Other: 13; Exterior Lighting: 9; Electrical System: 8; Vehicle Speed Control: 7; Service Brakes: 5; Visibility/Wiper: 5; Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control: 4; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 3 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 48 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 6 |
| 2025 | 35 |
| 2026 | 10 |
2024: 6; 2025: 35; 2026: 10
Pattern summary
Unknown Or Other leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 11 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 7 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11635538 · 2025-01-12 (January 12, 2025)
Driving my Rivian R1S on a road trip with family from Seattle, WA to Ketchum, ID (about 600miles.) Stopped to recharge outside of Boise, ID for about 20mins. Started driving again and in about 5 minutes the car started warning (visual message and audible alarm). The following events then occurred: -- The warning message stated something along the line of "Pull over immediately the car will shut down imminently." -- I was driving in traffic and was able to make it through an intersection and saw a gas station in the distance. -- The power…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11635538 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11663279 · 2025-05-27 (May 27, 2025)
I was passing another vehicle on the road when the accelerator pedal got stuck on the all-weather floor mat and made the car virtually uncontrollable. I used the brakes to pull the car off the road and to a complete stop before engaging the parking brake and reaching down to dislodge the pedal.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11663279 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11635709 · 2025-01-13 (January 13, 2025)
On January 9, I was driving my new 2025 Rivian R1S (approx. 2,400 miles) when it suddenly displayed “Drive stalk not working.” The vehicle jolted, made a loud noise from the front axle, and then fully stopped in the middle of a busy road with the battery still at 55%. Once it stopped, I had no hazard lights or power steering, and the infotainment system locked up. After several attempts to reboot, the screen showed “Critical battery error” before shutting down completely. I was unable to move the vehicle or alert other drivers with flashing lig…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11635709 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11619023 · 2024-10-09 (October 9, 2024)
Steering wheel vibrates back and forth when driving at highway speeds and following the flow of traffic. The shaking makes my hands and wrists numb after a few minutes of driving at speed. The car becomes uncomfortable to steer and keep straight at speed. Rivian Service Center attempted 1 repair (alignment and wheel rebalance) but the problem persists. At the second service visit, the Service Center mentions that an engineering investigation is ongoing, and that there is nothing the service center can do at this time.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11619023 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11632563 · 2024-12-26 (December 26, 2024)
Unable to use the drive stalk to change gears. Reboot fixed it temporarily. Service center ended up replacing the Steering Column Control module.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11632563 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11714867 · 2026-02-01 (February 1, 2026)
On February 1, 2026, at approximately 9:09 AM, while driving from a stop and continuing on main roads, the vehicle accelerated to extremely high speeds and would not properly slow down. When I removed my foot from the accelerator pedal, the vehicle did not decelerate as expected. Regenerative braking was nonexistent. Normally, releasing the accelerator provides noticeable deceleration, but in this incident the vehicle continued to propel forward instead of slowing. Braking was extremely difficult. The brake pedal felt abnormally stiff (“thick”…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11714867 at NHTSA ↗