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Rivian R1SModel year report

2023 Rivian R1S Problems

Complaints
76filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
29,000miles, 3 complaints with mileage
Recalls
10campaigns on record
Trend
Too newThis model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
71 MPGecombined, Electric AWD · 75 city / 66 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2023 Rivian R1S (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2023 R1S most often write about the front passenger seat failing to register that someone is sitting there, which turns the passenger airbag off, and about a horn they say other drivers cannot hear. Other recurring themes are grinding and instability traced to rear suspension and wheel hardware, electrical faults that interrupt propulsion or blank the screens, and reports of the vehicle surging forward at low speed.

  1. Air bags

    Passenger airbag turns off with someone seated

    • 22 complaints (29%)
    • typically at 1.1 yrs old
    • filed 2023–2026

    Owners describe the front passenger airbag indicator switching to off while an adult is sitting in the seat, sometimes within seconds of setting off and sometimes partway through a drive. Passengers named in the complaints range from about 100 lb to well over 200 lb, and owners say shifting position in the seat changes the reading. According to the complaints, service centers have said the system is operating within specification or that a software fix was coming, and in some cases seats, harnesses or airbag modules were replaced without a lasting result. Reported from the first months of ownership onward, and most of these complaints do not list mileage.

    What to check: Sit in the front passenger seat during the test drive and watch the airbag status indicator, and ask whether the occupant sensor or any related modules have been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My right front passenger seat does not detect adult occupants reliably, and therefore does not enable the airbags. My wife is approximately 105 pounds and sits in the seat in a standard upright fashion without leaning back. Her legs are not crossed and are just resting on the floor. it is rare that the vehicle detects her presence and therefore she is rarely protected by the safety restraint system in the event of an accident. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11594215, filed 2024-06

    “I noticed when driving with a passenger (female, approximately 135 pounds) that the screen keeps switching between PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF and showing the vehicle detects the passenger (hence the airbag is on). I'm concerned about the safety of my passenger when driving as I do not know whether the passenger airbag will work properly. I took photos and videos of this issue with my vehicle as it is reproducible when driving with this passenger. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11547422, filed 2023-09
  2. Suspension

    Rear toe link and wheel hub hardware problems

    • 12 complaints (16%)
    • typically at 2.4 yrs old
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2023–2026

    Complaints describe grinding or rubbing noises, pulling and instability, and in some cases the rear wheel sitting noticeably out of place in its opening. Owners report hub or toe link fasteners backing out and a toe link letting go, leaving the vehicle undrivable or off the road. Service described in the complaints involved replacing the affected hardware, and owners mention long waits for appointments. Reported across a wide mileage range, including vehicles past 90,000 miles; most of these complaints do not state mileage.

    Recall 26V0030003 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the toe link and wheel hub fastener service campaigns were completed on the vehicle, and listen for grinding or chirping from the suspension over uneven surfaces on a test drive.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “One of the bolts that attaches the electric motor to the front wheel (internal, under the vehicle) backed itself out. That seems really dangerous and I am hopeful the condition does not exist on the other wheels. I sent pictures to Rivian and they are taking the vehicle to their service center for further inspection.”

    NHTSA complaint #11613682, filed 2024-09

    “Front driver wheel had a hub bolt back out rendering the vehicle unable to drive. The car made a loud grinding noise and was unsteady. I had to pull over and was unable to drive any further. It required replacement of the hub bolt and axel. This is a known problem for rivian's and has not been addressed or checked. I reported a grinding sound when I turn 2 months ago and was told that the soonest Rivian could service my car was 2 months away. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11651488, filed 2025-03
  3. Electrical system

    Electrical faults and sudden loss of power

    • 9 complaints (12%)
    • median 69,000 mi at 3.5 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2023–2026

    Owners describe warnings such as electrical system fault or critical battery issue appearing while driving, followed by reduced power, a stop at the roadside, or a vehicle that would not shift out of park. Others report the center screen and driver display freezing or rebooting mid-drive, taking driver-assistance features offline with them. Complaints also include water reaching the HVAC unit and producing an electrical fault, and 12-volt battery failures that left the vehicle inaccessible. Reported from near-new vehicles through examples past 69,000 miles; most of these complaints do not state mileage.

    Recall 23V7830004 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for the service history on 12-volt battery replacement and software updates, and check that the screens and driver-assistance features stay up through a longer test drive.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The car automatically, abruptly, and without warning shift into park as I slowed down at a stop sign and stalled in the middle of the road. It did not shift into Park for 30-35 mins and even after doing hard and soft resets while on the phone with service. Somehow it worked again after my hitting the brakes several times and I was able to move it out to the side and drive it back home. This issue has happened multiple times in the past too but it only happened for a few seconds as opposed to such a long time. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11543063, filed 2023-09

    “(1) Q: What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? A: Critical Battery Issue + Electrical Hazard Possible; Drive to service center immediately. Avoid driving through water + Coming to emergency stop soon; Steer to safety and park (2) Q: How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? …”

    NHTSA complaint #11571793, filed 2024-02
  4. Other or unknown

    Horn hard for other drivers to hear

    • 6 complaints (8%)
    • typically at 1.2 yrs old
    • filed 2023–2025

    Owners say the horn is quiet and low-pitched and that other drivers and pedestrians do not seem to notice it. Complaints describe the sound as weak next to other vehicles and hard to pick out over traffic noise or music playing in another car. One owner reports being told the horn is a cost-reduced design with nothing to repair. Reported at various points in ownership; mileage is not listed for these complaints in the sample.

    What to check: Try the horn during a test drive and judge whether it is audible enough for the situations you drive in.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The single horn on this vehicle is incredibly weak/not loud enough and has almost led to two separate incidents in my 3 months of ownership due to other drivers not being able to hear my horn.”

    NHTSA complaint #11559419, filed 2023-12

    “The vehicle horn is not very loud and makes a low frequency noise that is not easily recognizable as a vehicle horn. The horn presents a safety risk to vehicle occupants, other vehicles and pedestrians.”

    NHTSA complaint #11558233, filed 2023-12
  5. Brakes

    Vehicle surges forward at low speed

    • 6 complaints (8%)
    • typically at 1.6 yrs old
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2023–2026

    Complaints describe the vehicle picking up speed on its own while the driver was braking or had just come off the accelerator, typically at low speed in drive-through lanes, driveways and parking areas. Owners say pressing the brake did not stop it before it struck a building, a sign or another car. One report states that an inspection identified a problem with the accelerator pedal. Reported mostly within the first couple of years of ownership; most of these complaints do not list mileage.

    What to check: Practise low-speed creeping and one-pedal driving in an empty lot during the test drive, and ask the seller whether any pedal or throttle-related service has been done.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was headed straight but stopped so that I could move into a left turn lane. As I got into the left turn lane and was straightening up behind the person in front of me at almost a dead stop the R1S lunged forward and accelerated at a high rate of speed hitting the car in front of me (speed control issue already known on the R1T). The camera footage verifies it. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11558104, filed 2023-12

    “Stopped at McDonalds drive through waiting to order with my foot on the brake and the vehicle lunged forward rearending the car stopped 5 feet in front of me ordering. I was trying to brake but it kept pushing the car in front of me then careened to the right hitting a sign and a parked car. I kept pumping the brakes and I thought it was going to run into a building when the vehicle finally stopped about 30 feet from the 2nd parked car it struck. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11553554, filed 2023-11

Buying note. The airbag occupant sensor is the item most worth checking first: sit in the passenger seat and watch the indicator before you commit. It is also reasonable to ask for the service records on the seat belt, toe link and wheel hub fastener campaigns, and on 12-volt battery replacement, since those come up repeatedly in owner complaints.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 76 consumer complaints for the 2023 Rivian R1S. 3 of the complaints include a mileage, and 67% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 29,000 miles. Of all complaints, 10 involved a crash, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns and 48 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Wheels (5), Fuel system (2), Transmission and drivetrain (2), Vehicle speed control (2), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (2), Back-over prevention (rear camera) (1), Engine (1), Exterior lighting (1), Body and structure (1), Tires (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “Passenger seat does not detect my 5'4 110lb wife, thus preventing the airbags from activating. This is the first car we've encountered with this problem. Is Rivian accounting for the fact that the weight occupancy sensor account for the weight of the legs placed on the floor? Please let us know if there will be a recall or a software update to address this.”

NHTSA complaint #11560954, filed 2023-12

Other or unknown: “I was at 44% state of charge and the ambient temp was around 65 F. While taking a turn at an intersection, the vehicle reduced regenerative braking(regen bar on the vehicle was greyed out) had I had quickly break as the car started to coast. This only lasted for 8-10 secs and the vehicle had regular regen breaking. Rivian don’t have blended braking, so if that had happened in different situations that needed much faster reaction time I would be in trouble. …”

NHTSA complaint #11555912, filed 2023-11

Electrical system: “I pulled into my semicircle, long driveway as I do every morning, and stopped at the top by releasing my foot off the accelerator (no need for brakes as it is an EV). I opened the garage door and slowly stepped on the accelerator, but it started to go fast, and I felt out of control. I immediately released my foot off the accelerator (which should have stopped the vehicle) and slammed on the brakes (there is proof in my driveway with tire marks leading up to the accident) but still did not stop. …”

NHTSA complaint #11664025, filed 2025-05

Seats: “Passenger side airbag off sign stayed on while my girlfriend was sitting in the seat. She weighs about 100 pounds. When I sat in the passenger seat, the Passenger side airbag off sign turned off. I weigh about 170 pounds.”

NHTSA complaint #11547649, filed 2023-10

Mileage when problems were reported

67% of the 3 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 1,100 and 69,000 miles.

33%0–100%10–2533%25–5033%50–750%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (3 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 29,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

This model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.

202329202420252026
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2023 Rivian R1S. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
R1S · SUV AWDnot rated———4 · 12.7% risk

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2023 model year: forward collision warning standard, lane departure warning standard, automatic emergency braking standard.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2023 Rivian R1S version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving); for electric versions it is the cost of electricity and the rating is in MPGe.

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
R1S (20 inch wheels) AWDElectricsingle-speed696064 MPGe$1,200
R1S (21 inch wheels) AWDElectricsingle-speed756671 MPGe$1,050
R1S (22 inch wheels) AWDElectricsingle-speed736368 MPGe$1,100
R1S 20 inch All-Terrain AWDElectricsingle-speed656063 MPGe$1,200
R1S 20 inch All-Terrain Dual Large part-time 4WDElectricsingle-speed726468 MPGe$1,100
R1S 20 inch All-Terrain Performance Dual Large part-time 4WDElectricsingle-speed726468 MPGe$1,100
R1S 21 inch Dual Large part-time 4WDElectricsingle-speed827478 MPGe$950
R1S 21 inch Performance Dual Large part-time 4WDElectricsingle-speed827478 MPGe$950
R1S 22 inch Dual Large part-time 4WDElectricsingle-speed807175 MPGe$1,000
R1S 22 inch Performance Dual Large part-time 4WDElectricsingle-speed807175 MPGe$1,000

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

See all 10 recalls for the 2023 Rivian R1S → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 48 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 48 bulletins →

Other model years of the Rivian R1S

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2026147383—78 MPGe—Too new
2025552,20011—79 MPGeToo new to compareToo new
20241724,2567—73 MPGe—Too new
20237629,00010—71 MPGeNot compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Too new
20226—13—69 MPGe—Not enough data

All Rivian R1S model years

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2023 Rivian R1S?

Owners of the 2023 R1S most often write about the front passenger seat failing to register that someone is sitting there, which turns the passenger airbag off, and about a horn they say other drivers cannot hear. The issues reported most often: Passenger airbag turns off with someone seated; Rear toe link and wheel hub hardware problems; Electrical faults and sudden loss of power.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2023 Rivian R1S have?

NHTSA recorded 76 consumer complaints for the 2023 Rivian R1S as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2023 Rivian R1S is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 29 complaints (38% of the total), followed by other or unknown with 19.

Has the 2023 Rivian R1S been recalled?

NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How efficient is the 2023 Rivian R1S according to the EPA?

The EPA rates the 2023 Rivian R1S (R1S (21 inch wheels), Electric) at 71 MPGe combined, 75 city and 66 highway, with an estimated annual electricity cost of $1,050 at 15,000 miles a year. Other battery and motor versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2023 Rivian R1S reported?

Among the 3 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 29,000 miles and the middle half falls between 1,100 and 69,000 miles; 67% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.