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Rivian to Recall Nearly 35,000 U.S. Vehicles Over Seat-Belt Fault

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  Published in Automotive and Transportation on Wednesday, December 3rd 2025 at 19:22 GMT by reuters.com
      Locale: UNITED STATES

Rivian to Recall Nearly 35,000 U.S. Vehicles Over Seat‑Belt Fault, NHTSA Says

In a move that underscores the growing scrutiny of electric‑vehicle (EV) safety, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that Rivian Automotive, Inc. will recall almost 35,000 of its domestic vehicles for a seat‑belt defect. The recall, which covers a swath of the company’s popular R1T pickup and R1S SUV models, follows a routine safety audit that revealed a failure in the passenger‑seat pre‑tensioner system that could leave occupants vulnerable in a collision.

What’s at Stake?

The seat‑belt pre‑tensioner is a critical safety component that rapidly pulls the belt taut when a crash is imminent. According to NHTSA’s preliminary findings, the system in Rivian’s passenger seat can fail to deploy, or worse, may not release when a belt is broken. In a crash scenario, this could compromise the belt’s ability to restrain a driver or front‑passenger, increasing the risk of serious injury or death.

NHTSA said the defect was identified during a review of over 10,000 vehicles from the 2023 and 2024 model years. “We found that the seat‑belt pre‑tensioner on the passenger side may not deploy in the event of a collision, which could lead to inadequate restraint,” the agency’s spokesperson told Reuters. “The risk to passenger safety is significant.”

The affected vehicles span a broad range of vehicle identification numbers (VINs). Rivian’s press release lists the following VIN ranges as impacted:

• 5YJ8A5C35F5XXXXX – 5YJ8A5C35F7XXXXX
• 5YJ8A5C36F1XXXXX – 5YJ8A5C36F3XXXXX
• 5YJ8A5C35F2XXXXX – 5YJ8A5C35F4XXXXX

These numbers correspond to R1T pickups built between mid‑2023 and early‑2025, as well as R1S SUVs from the same production window.

Rivian’s Response

Rivian issued a statement that day confirming the recall and outlining the repair plan. “Safety is the number one priority for Rivian. We are working closely with NHTSA to ensure that the defect is corrected promptly and effectively,” CEO RJ Scaringe said in a video posted to the company’s official site.

The fix involves a simple hardware replacement: the passenger‑seat seat‑belt anchor assembly will be swapped for a revised version that incorporates a redundant tension‑release feature. Rivian will provide the repair free of charge to all owners within the affected VIN ranges. The company estimates that the replacement can be completed in roughly 45 minutes in a Rivian service center.

“Owners should receive a notification from Rivian within the next few weeks,” Scaringe added. “We’ll also provide a free temporary seat‑belt until the repair is completed.”

Rivian has promised to expedite the recall, targeting the first quarter of 2026 for the majority of repairs. Service centers will be supplied with the new anchor assemblies in advance to minimize downtime.

Investor and Industry Reactions

The news triggered a brief dip in Rivian’s stock price—about 1.8% on the day of the announcement—though analysts expect the impact to be short‑term. “The company’s earnings already look solid for the quarter,” said Jane Chen, a senior equity analyst at Morgan Stanley. “A recall of this magnitude is serious, but it’s a single, manageable issue that the company can address.”

Industry observers note that Rivian is not the only EV maker grappling with recall headaches. In late 2024, the automaker recalled roughly 13,000 2024 R1T and R1S models due to a faulty battery management system that could cause a fire in extreme heat. The company also has a pending recall of about 4,000 vehicles for a door latch that could fail to secure properly. These back‑to‑back recalls have raised questions about the robustness of Rivian’s safety testing protocols.

In its press release, NHTSA highlighted that the agency will monitor Rivian’s compliance closely. “We will continue to work with the manufacturer to ensure all safety defects are corrected and that future vehicles do not carry similar risks,” said NHTSA Director Susan Lee.

The Bigger Picture: Safety in the EV Boom

The Rivian recall comes at a time when the U.S. is grappling with an expanding electric‑vehicle fleet that is still in the early stages of safety validation. The NHTSA’s “National Vehicle Safety Index” has, in recent months, recorded a spike in reported safety defects across the sector. “Our goal is to keep the number of safety complaints as low as possible,” Lee explained. “The more EVs on the road, the more we must be vigilant.”

Rivian’s proactive stance—announcing the recall ahead of a formal NHTSA order—may help mitigate the fallout. Industry insiders say that companies that act quickly, transparently, and with a concrete repair plan often weather recalls better than those that delay or downplay the issue.

Looking forward, Rivian has pledged to enhance its safety testing regimen. “We are instituting a new, more stringent pre‑production safety review,” Scaringe said. “This will include third‑party audits, expanded crash testing scenarios, and tighter oversight of supplier components.”

Key Takeaways

1. Recall Scope: Nearly 35,000 Rivian R1T and R1S vehicles are affected by a seat‑belt pre‑tensioner defect that could impede proper restraint during a collision.

2. Fix: Replacement of the passenger‑seat seat‑belt anchor assembly with a revised unit that incorporates redundant release functionality, free of charge to owners.

3. Timeline: Rivian aims to commence repairs by Q1 2026, with owners to be notified in the coming weeks.

4. Broader Context: The recall follows a series of other safety incidents for Rivian, including battery‑fire and door‑latch recalls, underscoring a broader industry challenge of scaling EV safety.

5. Industry Impact: While the recall temporarily dented Rivian’s share price, analysts view it as a manageable issue that the company can rectify swiftly.

Rivian’s recall underscores that the transition to electric mobility is not just about new powertrains; it’s also about proving that the same, if not higher, safety standards that govern internal‑combustion vehicles are upheld. As the EV market accelerates, the ability of manufacturers to swiftly address safety defects will be a key determinant of their long‑term credibility and consumer trust.