Rivian recalls 502 R1T trucks that could have a faulty airbag trigger

Jun 23, 2023

The Irvine-based startup Rivian Automotive has issued its first recall, alerting the government that several hundred 2022 R1T trucks could have miscalibrated airbag triggers in the front passenger seat.

In a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the electric vehicle maker said the system that controls the airbag “may not deactivate … when a child or child seat occupies the front passenger seat.”

A Rivian spokesperson on Thursday said infants and children should not be placed in the front passenger seat of affected Rivian vehicles until a front passenger seat replacement is complete. The supplier, the spokesperson noted, has assumed the cost of seat replacement.

The company was not aware of any injuries related to the seat issue.

Read more: Mercedes tells owners of 292K vehicles to stop driving them

Rivian’s service centers will replace the front passenger seat, free of charge. Some 502 trucks are part of the recall.

The Rivian recall ID number is FSAM-651.

Truck owners also can contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to nhtsa.gov.

Rivian’s shares are down 80% this year as investors grow nervous about the company’s prospects. Its share price rose 18% Thursday, a day after quarterly results largely met forecasts.

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