Rivian Van Owners Discover That a Minor Habit Can Result in a Major Issue | Carscoops
A safety issue concerning new electric delivery vans has led to inspections and repairs after investigators attributed the problem to a common driver behavior.
The recall involves nearly 35,000 EDVs manufactured in the US between 2021 and 2025.
Drivers may unintentionally harm the seat-belt pretensioner by sitting on it while it is buckled.
Initially, Rivian provided the van exclusively to Amazon but is now offering it to other customers as well.
Two months after the NHTSA launched an investigation into thousands of Rivian’s all-electric delivery vans, the automaker has announced a recall affecting nearly 35,000 units.
Rivian indicates that in certain EDV models, the pretensioner for the driver’s side seat belt could be compromised due to repeated misuse, which may involve the driver seating on the buckled seat belt.
If damaged, the pretensioner cable may not restrain the occupant properly during a crash, heightening the risk of injury.
While Rivian mentions that “in some cases a damaged pretensioner may be visibly noticeable to the driver,” it may not be apparent in all instances. Regardless, the automaker asserts that it is unaware of any accidents or injuries related to this issue.
The initial investigation, initiated by the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation, focused on 17,198 units from the 2022 and 2023 model years of Rivian EDVs, but the recall also includes 2024 and 2025 models. All affected units were produced between December 10, 2021, and November 8, 2025, totaling 34,824 units.
According to Rivian, it has implemented an over-the-air update that allows for automatic detection of driver seat belt misuse and has pledged to inspect and, if needed, replace the driver’s seat belt pretensioner assembly at no charge. Additionally, it will reimburse any owners who have incurred expenses to remedy the issue.
Rivian initially designed the EDV exclusively for Amazon, which placed an order for 100,000 units scheduled for delivery by 2030. However, the van is now also available for other businesses and is marketed as the ECV, or electric commercial van.
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Rivian Van Owners Discover That a Minor Habit Can Result in a Major Issue | Carscoops
Concerns regarding safety in newly introduced electric delivery vans have led to inspections and necessary repairs, following investigations that connected the problem to a common driving behavior.