Rivian Recalls Nearly Every Car it Has Made This Year
» Posted December 5, 2022 • Resources | Share This Post
There is more bad news for Rivian and anyone who drives one of the luxury electric vehicle maker’s cars.
The company recently announced that it is calling back some 13,000 cars because of a defect that could impact steering. That is just about all of the cars that Rivian has produced this year, the Verge reports.
The cars are being recalled because the fastener connecting the front upper control arm and steering knuckle may not have been “sufficiently torqued,” Rivian said in a notice filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“An improperly torqued steering knuckle fastener could cause excessive wheel camber, or, in rare instances, a separation, affecting the driver’s ability to control the vehicle, and increasing the risk of a crash,” the company told NHTSA.
The recall covers certain 2022 R1T pickup trucks, R1S SUVs and electric delivery vans.
It has been a rough stretch for Rivian, the California-based auto manufacturer that launched with big plans to give Tesla a run for its money in the high-end electric vehicle market.
The company early this year said it was delaying the production of long-range e-vehicles designed to get more than 400 miles per charge. It said it would instead focus on producing vehicles with smaller battery packs.
Last month, Rivian walked back a widely criticized move to jack up prices on buyers who had already pre-ordered the new vehicles. But Rivian stuck to a plan to raise price tags by as much as 20 percent for new buyers.
The company around the same time told NHTSA that it was recalling some 200 truck and sport utility vehicles equipped with faulty seat belts. It acknowledged at the time that the defect increased the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Car Recalls and Owners’ Rights
Huge car recalls like the one just announced by Rivian are all too common in California, across the country and sound the globe.
Major car manufacturers call back millions of vehicles every year, citing a broad range of defects that pose risks to everyone on the road. They routinely drag their feet on these recalls, which tend to come long after the vehicles have been sold to unsuspecting owners.
There is some good news for car owners in California, however. The state’s lemon law gives you some important rights and protections.
The California lemon law requires carmakers to perform various repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. It also forces them to buy back vehicles that the companies are unable or simply unwilling to fix. That includes covering the purchase price and monthly payments, as well as picking up the tab for rental cars and other related expenses.
How Our Lawyers Can Help You
If you have been stuck with a defective or malfunctioning vehicle or are haggling with a car manufacturer over repairs, the California lemon lawyers at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help you fight back.
Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with an attorney at our firm.
