The Rivian R1T hasn’t been on the market for very long but it’s already subject to a recall because of a bad sensor in the front passenger seat. The flaw may mean that young children aren’t safe in the front row.
Rivian first became aware of the issue in March, when it noticed that the occupant crash protection sensor calibration was off in some vehicles. In April, it received a report that determined that the passenger airbag might not be deactivated automatically when required under U.S. regulations.
Ultimately, the sensor may perform unreliably, which could mean that the passenger-side airbag could go off in an accident even if it’s not supposed to, such as when an occupant is too small for the airbag to be beneficial.
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that, if a child seat or child is in the front seat, the airbag could increase the risk of injury to them. Customers may be made aware of the presence of the issue if the “PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF” light in the lower corner of the center display does not illuminate when it should. In some circumstances, the passenger seat belt notification may also chime when the seat is empty.
As a result, Rivian must recall 502 R1T pickup trucks that were made between September 21, 2021, and April 12, 2022. The number of vehicles were determined using the supplier’s seat manufacturing records.
Rivian will begin notifying customers of the recall on July 1 and it says it will replace the passenger seats in all vehicles suspected of having the fault. The repairs will be made free of charge and any owners who have alrady spent money out fixing the issue will be reimbursed.
