Recall alert: Rivian recalling 502 electric trucks over possible air bag defect

Rivian Automotive is recalling 502 of its electric pickup trucks because of a potential air bag defect that could injure a child in a crash, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.

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In a filing dated Tuesday with the NHTSA, Rivian said it discovered that the front passenger air bag may not perform properly in the event of a crash because of a calibration error in the seat assembly, The Wall Street Journal reported.

“Rivian has determined that on certain R1T vehicles, the front passenger seat may not deactivate the front passenger air bag as required if a child seat or child is in that seat,” Rivian spokesperson Peebles Squire said in an emailed statement to the Chicago Tribune on Thursday. “In the event of a crash which deploys the front passenger air bag, a seat with this improper calibration may increase the risk of injury for any child or child seat occupant sitting in the seat.”

The company first identified problems with the seat assembly in March, according to The Wall Street Journal.

It was the first recall in the California-based company’s history, according to the NHTSA. It covers 2022 Rivian R1T pickups built between late September 2021 and early April 2022 at the company’s factory in Normal, Illinois, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The vehicles recalled account for about 10% of Rivian’s total vehicle production to date, CNBC reported. Rivian has built 5,000 electric vehicles to date and is on track to produce 25,000 vehicles in 2022, the Tribune reported.

Rivian said it was not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the seat assembly defect, according to The Wall Street Journal. The car company said it will replace the passenger seat in the affected vehicles free of charge, the newspaper reported.

Owners of affected vehicles will receive letters from the company by July 1, CNBC reported. Consumers who own the R1T pickup truck can check if their vehicle is affected by entering their vehicle identification number at the NHTSA’s recall site.

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