The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a preliminary investigation into the Rivian R1S following 87 complaints of sudden air suspension failures at highway speeds.
Reported Issues
Owners report the air suspension system dropping to its lowest setting without warning, causing the vehicle to scrape the road surface. Several incidents occurred at speeds above 60 mph on highways.
One owner described the experience: "I was doing 70 on I-95 when the rear end just dropped. Sparks were flying from the undercarriage. It was terrifying."
Rivian's Response
Rivian issued a statement saying the company is cooperating fully with NHTSA and has identified a potential software calibration issue affecting a "small number" of 2024-2025 R1S models.
The investigation covers approximately 25,000 vehicles. If NHTSA finds a safety defect, it could lead to a formal recall requiring Rivian to fix all affected vehicles at no cost to owners.
