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Rivian lemon law
If your Rivian keeps going back to the dealer for the same problem, your state's lemon law may make the maker buy it back or replace it, and pay your lawyer when you win. Here is what Rivian owners report to the federal government, and how to check your own car.
What Rivian owners report most
| Problem area | Complaints |
|---|---|
| Airbags | 61 |
| Wiring, battery, lights and electronics | 52 |
| Automatic emergency braking and collision warning | 42 |
| Suspension | 37 |
| Seat belts | 28 |
| Steering | 27 |
A complaint can name more than one area. 59 complaints name none.
Models with the most complaints
- R1S 168
- R1T 134
- EDV 23
- R2 5
Latest Rivian recalls
- Electrical System, September 29, 2026: 2027 R2, about 14 vehicles.
“A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.”
NHTSA recall 26V625000 - Back Over Prevention, September 16, 2026: 2027 R2, 2026 R1T, 2025 R1T, 2024 R1T, about 98,828 vehicles.
“An obstructed rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.”
NHTSA recall 26V597000 - Exterior Lighting, August 5, 2026: 2025 R1S, 2026 R1S, 2025 R1T, 2026 R1T, about 3,829 vehicles.
“Turn signals that do not function properly increase the risk of a crash.”
NHTSA recall 26V508000 - Seat Belts, January 15, 2026: 2025 R1T, 2024 R1T, 2023 R1T, 2022 R1T, about 869 vehicles.
“An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not adequately restrain the seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.”
NHTSA recall 26V009000 - Suspension, January 5, 2026: 2022 R1S, 2023 R1S, 2024 R1S, 2025 R1S, about 19,641 vehicles.
“The toe link joint may separate, increasing the risk of a crash.”
NHTSA recall 26V003000
Check your own car by its VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup. Recall repairs are free at any Rivian dealer.
Recalls, repairs and the lemon law
A recall alone does not make a car a lemon. What counts is a defect the dealer cannot fix: most states presume a lemon after 3 or 4 repair attempts for the same problem, fewer for a defect that could cause a crash, or about 30 days in the shop, inside the first one to two years. A recall repair for a defect that keeps coming back is a repair attempt like any other, so keep the repair order from every visit.
In California, Rivian was not on the state's list of makers in the new lemon law process on October 26, 2026, so the older rules apply. The list
How a Rivian lemon law claim and buyback work
Keep the repair order from every visit, then write to Rivian, not only the dealer, at the customer relations address in your owner's manual or warranty booklet, and ask for a buyback or a replacement. In a buyback Rivian refunds the price, taxes and fees and costs like towing, minus a deduction for the miles you drove before the first repair, and pays off the loan.
The steps · Letter template · Buyback or cash and keep · Estimate a buyback
Rivian lemon law in your state
The rules depend on the state where you bought or leased the car:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Questions about Rivian lemons
How many complaints have Rivian owners filed with NHTSA?
331 for 2021 to 2027 model years, received through October 22, 2026. The most reported area is airbags.
How many Rivian recalls are there?
25 safety recalls cover 2021 to 2027 Rivian models, for about 277,935 vehicles in all.
Is a recall enough to make my Rivian a lemon?
No, not on its own. But if a defect keeps coming back after repairs, recall repairs included, each visit can count as a repair attempt under your state's lemon law. Keep every repair order.
How do I start a Rivian lemon law claim?
Keep every repair order, then write to Rivian at the address for customer relations in your owner's manual or warranty booklet, asking for a buyback or replacement under your state's lemon law. Send it by a tracked method and keep a copy.
Does Rivian have to buy back a lemon?
Yes, when your state's lemon law rules are met. The maker must buy the car back or replace it, and most states let you choose. The rules differ by state: see your state guide.
Did Rivian opt in to California's new lemon law process?
Not on the state's list on October 26, 2026, so California's older lemon law rules apply to Rivian cars.
About the data
From NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation files (complaints received 2020 to now, and recalls), counted for 2021 to 2027 model years and filed under the make RIVIAN. Read on October 26, 2026. Complaints are what owners report, not findings, and big sellers get more of them: a count is not a defect rate, and it says nothing about your car. We keep no complaint text or personal details.
Is your Rivian a lemon? Find out free
Free, about ten taps. You see what your state's law says first. If you want a lawyer, we find a lemon law firm in your state that takes cases like yours, and they contact you.
Your state: Ohio
What model year is it?
Who pays the lawyer? In Ohio, an owner who wins can make the maker pay the lawyer.* * So most lemon law lawyers ask nothing up front. Some charge costs, or a share of a settlement: ask before you sign. You never pay us. More