Rivian Automotive announced Friday that it is recalling nearly every car it has given to consumers to tighten loose fasteners that can affect drivers’ ability to drive. Because a fastener connecting the vehicle’s upper front control arm and the axle rocket might not be tight enough.
There have been seven reports similar to the problem, but no injuries have been reported, Rivian said.
“If you revel in the noise, vibration or harshness of the front suspension, or a replacement in functionality or sense of orientation, call immediately,” Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe wrote in a letter to vehicle owners.
The Irvine, California-based company said the repair will only take a few minutes and expects to have finished maintenance in about 30 days, with customer cooperation.
Rivian aims to capitalize on the growing consumer and investor appetite for electric vehicles. It’s part of a long line of companies, new and old, to take market share away from Tesla.
It went public last year and its market price temporarily surpassed that of Ford and General Motors to become America’s second-most valuable automaker, Tesla. But that’s no longer the case: The company’s stock is down 67% so far this year.
In March, Rivian announced price increases for its vehicles, then backtracked just two days after a customer backlash.
In July, Rivian laid off more than 800 workers. It reported a loss of $1. 6 billion in its first quarter of 2022 and a loss of $1. 7 billion in the current quarter.
Last month, Rivian said it partnered with Mercedes-Benz to build a plant in Europe that will produce electric pickups for both companies.
Rivian has been plagued by chronic production delays due to component shortages, adding semiconductors. Its Illinois plant has the capacity to produce 150,000 cars a year, but this year the company plans to produce just 25,000. For consumers who bought a Rivian truck, the wait to get it is now more than a year.