Washington, D.C. – July 27, 2026 – The U.S. government auto safety regulator is investigating Rivian (NASDAQ:RIVN) over allegations that its vehicles may become difficult to handle due to rear suspension failure.
If this Rivian suspension issue leads to a recall, it could affect an estimated 114,922 vehicles, including:
- 2022 – 2025 Rivian R1S
- 2022 – 2025 Rivian R1T
The investigation comes on the back of two accidents. The automaker also conducted a recall meant to address the issue last year.
Recall summary
The regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), opened an investigation on May 26, 2026, following two Rivian R1S SUVs crashes caused by alleged rear suspension failure and subsequent loss of control.
According to the claims, the rear toe link had separated from the chassis, which misaligned the rear wheel and caused the vehicle to swerve off the road.
The investigators will determine whether the rear suspension on these SUVs and pickups is sturdy enough. In addition, they will take a closer look at Rivan’s repair procedures, given the fact that the carmaker has already recalled some of its models over the same issue.
That recall might need to be expanded as neither of the vehicles involved in the accidents was part of it.
Risks
A vehicle with a collapsed suspension is difficult to control, which ups the chances of a crash and injury.
Dangerous incidents
How perilous the suspension collapse may be is best illustrated by a complaint of a driver from New Jersey, whose Rivian R1S “swerved right, struck a vehicle in the middle lane, then veered left, spun, and collided head-on with the guardrail on the right side of the road”.
The situation was captured by the vehicle’s onboard camera, with footage “clearly showing the rear driver-side toe link failing” just before the SUV became uncontrollable.
What is a toe link?
A vehicle’s wheel hub – onto which the wheels are bolted on – is held in place against the chassis with several metal rods, called links. One of them is the rear toe link, whose job is to align the rear wheels and prevent them from swinging left and right while driving.
Is your vehicle part of a recall?
This investigation may lead to a Rivian suspension recall, potentially affecting nearly 115,000 pickups and SUVs. To do a Rivian recall check and see if yours is one of them, please use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.
