Rivian recalls pickups and SUVs whose airbags may fail to deploy

Plymouth, MI – March 12, 2023 – Rivian (NYSE:RIVN) is issuing a recall for 12,716 2022 R1T pickup trucks and 2022 R1S SUVs over a problem with the front passenger seat belt. This could lead to the airbag not deploying when a crash occurs, increasing the risk of injury. 

Recall summary

A car’s seat belt mechanism includes the automatic locking retractor (ALR). This is a device that causes the extra seat belt webbing to retract back into the housing once the seat belt is fastened, ensuring a snug fit of the seat belt for the occupant.

On the affected vehicles, the ALR was installed with a faulty sensor due to “out of tolerance” parts provided by Swedish-American auto parts manufacturer Autoliv. The sensor could report the ALR as being in the “ON” position when it is actually in the “OFF” position.  

Recall risks

A faulty ALR on the front passenger seat could prevent the front passenger airbag from deploying in the event of an accident, upping the risk of injury.  

Warning signs 

In some instances, the “Passenger Airbag Off” sign will turn on on the vehicle’s dashboard.

Other Rivian recalls

In October 2022, Rivian recalled the 2022 R1T, 2022 R1S and 2022 EDV vehicles over faulty steering, as reported. There are no other Rivian R1S recalls at this time.       

The repair

Dealers will inspect and replace the front passenger seat belt system free of charge. The company will reimburse customers who paid for their own repairs before the recall announcement was made.  

Owners of affected vehicles will be notified by April 8, 2023.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

More than 12,000 vehicles are affected by this Rivian airbag recall. To see if your vehicle is among them, run a Rivian recall check using MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Joseph EstabilloRivian recalls pickups and SUVs whose airbags may fail to deploy