IRVINE, Calif. –
Electric truck and SUV maker Rivian Automotive said Friday it is recalling nearly all vehicles it has delivered to customers to tighten a loose fastener that could potentially affect drivers’ ability to drive.
The company, which was founded in 2009, said it was recalling about 13,000 vehicles because a fastener connecting the front upper control arm and the vehicle’s steering knuckle may not have been tight enough.
There have been seven reports potentially related to the issue, but no injuries have been reported, Rivian said.
“If you experience excessive noise, vibration or harshness from the front suspension, or a change in steering performance or feel, you should call immediately,” Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe wrote in a letter. to vehicle owners.
The Irvine, Calif.-based company said the fix will only take a few minutes and it expects to have repairs completed on each in about 30 days, with customer cooperation.
Rivian aims to capitalize on the growing consumer and investor appetite for electric vehicles. It is part of a long line of companies, new and old, trying to take market share away from Tesla.
It went public last year and its market value quickly overtook that of Ford and General Motors to become the second most valuable US automaker behind Tesla. But that’s no longer the case: the company’s shares have fallen 67% so far this year.
Last month, Rivian said it was teaming up with Mercedes-Benz to build a factory in Europe that will produce electric vans for both companies.