Rivian R1S owners will want to drive very carefully until a repair can be performed on their electric vehicle’s side curtain airbags. That’s because the automaker has identified an issue with the component’s fasteners and has initiated a recall campaign.
The automaker first became aware of a potential issue on February 16, 2023, when a vehicle at its assembly plant in Normal, Illinois, had a loose airbag. Rivian found that some of the fasteners had not properly secured the part to the roof rails.
As a result, it launched an investigation into the manufacturing error to get at the root cause of the issue. Although Rivian does not outline specifically what caused the defect, its production data identified that the problem is linked to 30 R1S SUVs.
Read: Rivian Recalls Nearly 13,000 Vehicles Because Of Airbag That Might Not Deploy
Fortunately, Rivian is not aware of any field reports of warranty claims, injuries, accidents, or deaths related to the problematic part. If an owner does get into an accident, though, the loose fasteners could cause the airbag to deploy improperly, increasing the risk of an injury.
As a result, the automaker has decided to launch a recall campaign on 30 R1Ss built at its Normal, Illinois, plant between October 28, 2022, and January 21, 2023. These vehicles are from both the 2022 and 2023 model year.
To solve the issue, Rivian says it will get in touch with owners starting on April 28, will inspect all vehicles, and will properly secure the side curtain airbag fasteners into the roof rails. Where necessary, the automaker will replace the airbag completely, and all repairs will be made free of charge. In the unlikely event that someone paid out of pocket to fix this issue, a reimbursement plan has been established.
