A Rivian owner says the company’s service team dropped his R1T pickup off a lift during a routine recall repair in February, promised in writing to replace the vehicle at no cost, and then reversed the offer weeks later.
According to the R1T owner, the EV maker left him without a truck and with an insurance payout that does not cover the cost of a replacement.
The owner, who posted a detailed account on Reddit on Monday under the username ‘WesternSpecial7389’, said he took his 2023 R1T Dual Motor with the Large battery pack to the Shepherdsville, Kentucky, service centre on February 13 for a recall repair to replace a tow bolt.
During the repair, the vehicle fell off the lift, resulting in damage later assessed at more than $32,000.
The owner said he was able to take two photos before the service centre taped over the windows and began its investigation.
“I was calm, made certain nobody was injured and asked to see the vehicle,” the owner wrote.
The Replacement Promise
Three days later, on February 16, the owner said he received a call from a Rivian regional service manager who said the truck would be replaced at no charge.
According to the owner’s letter to Rivian‘s executive team — a portion of which was shared publicly — the manager said the replacement “would be for my betterment, not to my detriment.”
The following day, a member of Rivian‘s Vehicle Replacement team contacted the owner via email and asked him to send screenshots of R1T models from the company’s online inventory page.
The owner said he complied over the next two days, selecting vehicles as close as possible to his original configuration — though his specific setup was no longer available.
In the comment section, the owner said the replacement offer was made in writing by two separate Rivian employees.
“A regional manager and the vehicle replacement team,” he wrote, adding: “It’s not a he said, she said situation. I have the emails showing the offer was made, accepted and replacement vehicle screenshots sent to the vehicle replacement team, following their directions.”
The Reversal
Approximately two weeks later, the owner said he was contacted by a member of Rivian‘s risk management team, who told him the truck would be repaired rather than replaced.
The owner said he refused to accept the repaired vehicle, citing diminished value and the potential for undiscovered issues — particularly with the battery pack following the impact of falling off the lift.
Rivian‘s insurance company subsequently deemed the vehicle a total loss.
The owner said the payout offered does not cover the cost of replacing the truck.
Rivian agreed to reimburse him for accessories purchased for the vehicle, which would not be compatible with a replacement unit.
No Response From Leadership
The owner said he has written to each member of Rivian‘s executive team and the company’s governance board, sending the letters via FedEx with signature confirmation.
He said he has received no response.
“I have written to each of the members of the executive team as well as the Governance Board at Rivian (delivered via FedEx, signature required so I know it has been received),” the owner stated. “I have heard nothing. I have kept quiet about this situation but based on the lack of response, I feel I need to be more vocal.”
He added that a previous post about the incident on the main r/Rivian subreddit was removed without explanation. “I tried that, but it was taken down. I can’t find the reason for the deletion,” the owner wrote in response to another user.
When asked by other users whether he planned to pursue legal action, the owner said: “I was hoping to avoid going the legal route. It’s on the table, just hoping for more of a handshake and no hard feelings.”
Context
The owner said he had driven the R1T nearly 30,000 miles since purchasing it new, including trips to Chicago, Nashville, and Tampa.
He said he previously owned a Tesla Model 3 for six years and described himself as an EV advocate who had helped persuade family members and friends to buy electric vehicles.
He said he holds an R2 reservation that “will most likely be cancelled due to this poor customer experience.”
The incident occurred during a recall repair — meaning the owner brought the vehicle in at Rivian’s direction to address a known safety issue.
