Rivian Reliability Overview
Based on 439 real complaints filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Rivian reliability varies significantly by model. Compare models below and review the specific model-year page before buying.
Is Rivian reliable? Quick answer
Based on 439 real NHTSA complaints across 2 Rivian models
Rivian shows above-average complaint rates — research the specific model carefully. Rivian's brand-wide crash rate of 17.8% is above the mainstream average. This doesn't mean every Rivian is problematic — several models are fine — but buyers should research the specific model year carefully, especially around airbags.
Scroll down for the full model-by-model breakdown, or use the links above to jump to a specific model's year-by-year page.
Best Rivian Models to Buy
Lowest complaint severity among Rivian models with enough data for a confident comparison (200+ complaints).
Worst Rivian Models to Avoid
All 2 Rivian models — sorted by severity (highest first)
Pick your model above, then check the VIN.
NHTSA data tells you which models & years to avoid. The VIN tells you if this specific car has hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Most Common Rivian Problems
Components most reported across all Rivian models in NHTSA complaints.
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| Airbags | 57 | 3.5% |
| Electrical Faults | 35 | 8.6% |
| Seat Belt Issues | 26 | 3.8% |
| Suspension Failures | 25 | 12.0% |
| Seat-Related Issues | 22 | 0.0% |
| Brakes | 22 | 50.0% |
| Steering Defects | 21 | 9.5% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 19 | 31.6% |
| Unintended Acceleration | 19 | 47.4% |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 19 | 10.5% |
Rivian Reliability — Frequently Asked Questions
How many NHTSA complaints does Rivian have?
Rivian has 439 NHTSA consumer complaints across 2 distinct models in the VinItel database (1995–present). 17.3% of those complaints involved a crash. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation via VinItel.
Which Rivian model has the most NHTSA complaints?
By total complaint volume, the top Rivian models are: Rivian R1S (234 complaints), Rivian R1T (180 complaints). Note that higher-volume models naturally accumulate more complaints, so per-model severity depends on sales volume and crash rate. See the full sortable ranking at vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/rivian.
What are the most common Rivian problems?
Across all Rivian models in the NHTSA database, the most-reported issue categories are: Airbags (57 complaints, 3.5% crash rate); Electrical Faults (35 complaints, 8.6% crash rate); Seat Belt Issues (26 complaints, 3.8% crash rate). Crash percentages indicate how often that component failure resulted in an accident — higher percentages are safety-critical.
Which Rivian model years should I avoid?
Rivian models with the highest severity scores include Rivian R1T and Rivian R1S. Specific model years to avoid depend on the model — click any Rivian model to see its year-by-year breakdown with complaint counts, crash rates, and recalls. Our AVOID label is applied when a year's normalized complaint rate exceeds 1.5× the model's median.
Which Rivian model is the most reliable?
Among Rivian models with at least 200 NHTSA complaints (enough data for a confident comparison), the lowest severity scores are: Rivian R1S (234 complaints). Lower complaint volume plus lower crash/fire/injury rates indicates fewer reported safety issues per vehicle on the road.
Is Rivian a reliable car brand?
NHTSA complaint data shows reliability varies significantly by model and year within every major brand — including Rivian. A brand-level reliability verdict is misleading because it averages a bad year of one model with a great year of another. VinItel's approach: pick your target Rivian model + year and view that specific page for actionable reliability data. See vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/rivian to browse all 2 Rivian models.
Should I buy a used Rivian?
Buying used requires two checks: (1) research the specific model + year for known problems using the NHTSA data on this page, and (2) run a VIN report on the exact car to check for hidden accidents, title issues, and odometer rollbacks. VinItel offers both — reliability research is free, individual VIN reports are $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99). Common Rivian issues to ask about during inspection include airbags.
Looking for accident history? See Rivian accident & safety statistics from our 16M+ vehicle history database.
Buying a Rivian?
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