Plymouth, MI – January 6, 2026 – Rivian (NASDAQ:RIVN) is recalling 34,824 2022-2025 Rivian electric delivery vans (EDVs) whose seatbelts may not work properly. This defect ups the chances of an injury in a crash.
The recall comes on the back of an ongoing U.S. government investigation into the matter.
Recall summary
The seatbelt pretensioner is a device that tightens the seatbelt to hold the passenger’s torso more firmly against the seat during a crash.
In the affected vehicles, the cable that connects the driver’s side pretensioner to the seatbelt buckle may get damaged by alleged incorrect use, such as when the driver buckles the seatbelt behind their back.
Recall risks
With the pretensioner’s cable damaged, the seatbelt may not hold the driver firmly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Warning signs
The driver may notice the seatbelt pretensioner assembly is damaged.
Background of the recall
The recall is a result of an ongoing investigation by the U.S. auto safety regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened in September of last year on the back of six complaints alleging seatbelt failure.
The complainants stated that the seatbelts cable “frayed” near the driver “left side hip.” Several of them expressed skepticism over manufacturer’s claims of driver misuse, with one saying that that kind of behavior would have been caught by “cab-facing cameras.”
Other Rivian recalls
In July 2025, Rivian recalled nearly 28,000 electric pickup trucks and SUVs whose turn signals could have failed to engage.
The repair
Rivian has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update to detect incorrect seatbelt use by the driver. The dealers will also inspect and replace the seatbelt pretensioner if needed. All of the repairs will be done free of charge.
Notifications to the owners will be mailed by January 19, 2026.
Is your vehicle a part of this recall?
Nearly 35,000 electric vans are affected by this Rivian seatbelt pretensioner recall. To do a Rivian recall check and see if yours is one of them, please use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.
