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Air bagsPart report

2023 Rivian R1S Air bags Problems

Complaints
29about this part
Share
38%of 76 total for the year
Median mileage
—not reported
Trend
Too newThis model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.

NHTSA recorded 29 complaints about the air bags of the 2023 Rivian R1S, 38% of the 76 complaints for this model year. 2 recall campaigns on record are filed under a similar system.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“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

“The passenger seat airbag turns off when a passenger is sitting in the seat. I have taken the vehicle to the service center twice for this issue and they insist it is working as intended. This is a major safety issue for myself and children when we are sitting in the passenger seat. Please help in resolving this!”

NHTSA complaint #11626513, filed 2024-11

“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

“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

“When the passenger seat is occupied, we intermittently get a message that the airbag is off (and the heating/ac controls for the passenger side go away). This occurred when the seat was occupied by two of my sons (one 6'1 , 145 lbs and the other 5'9 and 155 lbs). We took the car in to get checked and while Rivian noticed the same issue after testing, they said diagnostics found nothing wrong. They checked to see if this was related to the Feb 2023 recall and said it is not. …”

NHTSA complaint #11533380, filed 2023-07

Related recalls

Air bags: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202535%
2024212%
20232938%
2022350%

Other parts of the 2023 Rivian R1S

Other or unknown
19 complaints
Electrical system
16 complaints
Seats
12 complaints
Suspension
8 complaints
Forward collision avoidance
7 complaints
Seat belts
7 complaints
Brakes
6 complaints
Lane departure
5 complaints
Steering
5 complaints
Wheels
5 complaints
Fuel system
2 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
2 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2023 Rivian R1S

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology