Rivian Recalls 19,641 R1 Vehicles Over Rear Toe-Link Fault

Rivian Automotive disclosed a U.S. safety recall in early January 2026 covering 19,641 R1 vehicles after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration flagged that a rear suspension toe-link joint may not have been reassembled to design specification during earlier service. The recall, listed under NHTSA Campaign Number 26V003, affects 7,031 R1S SUVs and 12,610 R1T pickups from model years 2022 through 2025.

NHTSA documentation and Rivian filings show the problem stems from rear suspension work carried out under an older service procedure in place before March 10, 2025. The agency cited a suspect service window from April 1, 2022, through March 10, 2025, for vehicles that underwent separation and reassembly of the rear toe-link joint. Normal vehicle motion over time could introduce unintended forces that lead to separation of the joint while driving, and NHTSA warned such a failure could occur without warning and increase the risk of a crash.

Rivian and NHTSA said the company was aware of one single-vehicle crash with alleged minor injuries potentially linked to the toe-link issue. NHTSA also notified Rivian of two customer complaints in mid-December 2025, a development that helped prompt the broader recall despite Rivian’s earlier procedural fix.

The company traced the problem following a small number of reported toe-link joint failures and completed an internal investigation in March 2025. Rivian revised its service procedure and rolled out additional technician training at that time; the company reported no further repair-related toe-link failures after the updated process was implemented. Nevertheless, NHTSA’s subsequent receipt of additional complaints led regulators and the manufacturer to expand a remedy to the affected population and formalize the recall.

Under the remedy, Rivian will replace rear toe-link bolts free of charge, performing the work using the revised assembly procedure. The replacement requires a service visit; Rivian said it would begin owner notifications on Feb. 24, 2026, at which point affected VINs will be searchable in NHTSA’s database. Rivian reported the manufacturer’s notification to NHTSA on Jan. 5, 2026, and NHTSA acknowledged the filing on Jan. 7, 2026, in correspondence addressed to Nancy Bell at Rivian Automotive’s Plymouth, Michigan, address. NHTSA listed Sarah Shiver (sarah.shiver@dot.gov) as the agency contact in the filing.

The recall is classified under components: SUSPENSION: CRITICAL FASTENERS. It applies only to U.S. vehicles identified by service history; Transport Canada had not issued a similar recall as of the public reporting. Rivian must file periodic status reports with regulators under 49 U.S.C. § 30118(f).

Market observers said the recall is unlikely to create large direct repair costs for Rivian because replacements are limited to bolts and service labor, but it does add to a pattern of regulatory actions that can erode consumer confidence. The action follows a separate 2025 NHTSA disclosure involving 34,824 electric delivery vans for a distinct seat-belt pretensioner concern. For owners, the recall resolves a safety risk but requires scheduling and travel to service centers, underscoring logistical hurdles that often accompany automaker recalls.