Rivian recalls 35K delivery vans over defective seat belts

Rivian recalled 34,824 electric delivery vans after identifying a safety defect that could stop the driver’s seat belt from restraining occupants in a crash, the EV maker said in a notice.

The electric delivery van models affected by the recall, announced Nov. 18, are most prominently used in Amazon’s delivery fleet

The vans in question were produced from Dec. 10, 2021 through Nov. 8 of this year.

Rivian said the problem stems from damage to a driver-side seat belt cable.

The defect can occur when operators repeatedly sit on a buckled belt to silence the warning chime, weakening the cable until it can no longer tighten the belt during a crash, according to the company.

The automaker said no injuries or crashes have been linked to the defect.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a preliminary evaluation in September into potential seat belt anchorage failures in the vans.

A separate investigation launched by the federal agency at around the same time looked into frayed or broken cables affecting some 17,000 vans.

Rivian, which opted to issue the recall after the agency launched its latest review, installed a software update to mitigate the problem on Dec. 3.

The update detects seat belt misuse and alerts drivers.

Rivian said its service centers will also inspect the seat belt system and replace any damaged parts at no charge. The company estimated each repair would take less than an hour.

Vehicles produced after Nov. 8 were built with the detection feature installed, according to the company.

Owners are expected to receive notices by about the middle of January. Rivian said it will reimburse drivers who previously paid out of pocket for related repairs.

The recall applies only to the electric delivery, or “EDV,” line and does not affect the company’s R1S SUV or R1T pickup.

Rivian stressed the recall was precautionary, adding that the misuse-detection software and revised parts represent a permanent design change to prevent future failures.

The pullback is the latest in a string of recalls from Rivian in recent years.

In September 2024, the automaker recalled more than 24,000 R1S and R1T vehicles over a hands-free driving software defect.

Earlier that year, it recalled more than 17,000 vehicles for headlight issues. The company has relied heavily on over-the-air patches to speed fixes, including a prior update that resolved most of a 7,800-vehicle recall.

Rivian urged owners to confirm their vehicle’s status through its online recall portal or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration database.

The company said the repair remains covered under its new-vehicle limited warranty.

The Post has sought comment from Rivian.