My New Rivian R1S Gen2 Won't Recognize LED Trailer Lights, Service Center Says Software Fix Could Take a Year

Electric vehicles have revolutionized towing in ways that internal combustion trucks never could. The instant torque of an electric motor delivers a seamless, relentless pull, unbothered by gears, rev ranges, or turbo lag. There’s no mechanical sympathy to be had. No concern for rods, bearings, or transmission temperatures, just an eerie, effortless surge of power as seen with the Tesla Semi.

But, as with all things automotive, there’s a tradeoff. While traditional gas and diesel rigs battle heat with robust cooling systems honed over a century, EVs have a nasty habit of cooking themselves under sustained load. For most, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks—until, of course, an issue like Ana Hernandez’s surfaces, proving that electrification still has some learning to do when it comes to the nuts and bolts of towing.

In her case, the problem wasn’t battery overheating or range anxiety. It was something far more frustrating. Her Rivian R1S refused to recognize the electrical connection from her lightweight trailer’s LED lights, rendering the vehicle’s towing features useless. A simple software oversight meant that a truck engineered to haul thousands of pounds with ease couldn’t even acknowledge the presence of a trailer, leaving her with a business asset she couldn’t use.

She took to the RIVIAN Electric Vehicles Discussion Facebook Group to share her frustrating experience trying to tow a lightweight trailer with her new Rivian R1S electric SUV. Her trailer's LED lights were causing issues. The vehicle's software wasn't recognizing the electrical connection. 

The Experience 

Known towing issue with Gen2. Took delivery of our Gen2 RS1 months ago and have had towing issues with it since the beginning. We got the car for our business specifically to tow a lightweight trailer. Apparently the software does not recognize the electrical load from our trailer (LED lights, no trailer brakes, etc.) so it keeps showing an error and will not connect.

Took it into the service center twice now and after testing our specific trailer on multiple Gen2s, it will require a software update that could take 6 months to a year to complete. Works fine on the Gen1 but it is a new issue with the Gen2. Has anyone else dealt with this or planning on towing a simple trailer with LED lights? Service center returned our car and said sorry we can't fix it but check with the online forums so see if anyone else has found a fix. Now I have a vehicle leased for my business that I CANNOT use for my business. Super frustrating.

After multiple service appointments and extensive troubleshooting, Rivian technicians determined the root issue was that the R1S software could not reliably detect the minuscule electrical load from the trailer's LED light system to recognize a valid trailer connection.

Using The R1s for Towing

• EVs deliver maximum torque from a standstill, providing smooth and immediate towing power without the need for downshifting or turbo spool-up.
• Unlike gas or diesel trucks, EVs don’t have transmissions, engine oil, or complex drivetrains to stress over, making towing feel almost effortless.
• Sustained towing can overheat batteries, triggering power reductions, while heavy loads significantly cut into an EV’s range, requiring more frequent charging stops.

The Source of The Issue for The Rivian R1s

The technical culprit behind Hernandez’s experience is a fundamental electrical characteristic of LED lights. Traditional incandescent bulbs used for decades in trailer lighting systems have relatively high electrical loads, with current draws from 1-5 amps. LED lights operate at much lower power, with some trailer LED systems drawing under 0.5 amps. This drastic reduction in power requirements is part of what makes LEDs so efficient and long-lasting compared to incandescent.

However, this low electrical signature poses challenges for some vehicle monitoring systems that are designed to detect trailer connections by sensing the current flow. The software and electronics in Ana's Rivian R1S were not able to consistently identify the minuscule load from the LED lights as a valid trailer connection.

Rivian – America’s EV. 

• Rivian was founded in 2009 and originally focused on developing advanced vehicle technologies before pivoting to design and manufacture electric vehicles.
• The company's name is derived from the Indian River in Florida, a place the founder visited as a youth and found inspiration in its pristine beauty.
• The owner of Rivian is RJ Scaringe, who founded the company in 2009 after the financial crisis in the USA.

A New Perspective on the Rivian R1 Series. 

The challenges that Hernandez experienced are part of growing pains as the automotive industry undergoes a renaissance driven by electrification and software-defined vehicles. Manufacturers are facing immense pressures to rapidly integrate new technologies to meet sustainability, safety, and consumer demands. However, issues around interoperability and integration of these new technologies are arising.

Rivian is far from alone in facing surprises from LED trailer light integrations. Other electric vehicle manufacturers like Tesla have also had to issue software updates to improve LED trailer light detection after receiving owner reports of issues.

With vehicles becoming immensely complex systems integrating components from numerous suppliers, consistency around interfaces and characteristics is becoming more and more difficult.

The Transition to Electricity 

The transition of the auto industry towards electric vehicles has been one of the most significant technological shifts in decades. With this shift has come immense innovation, as manufacturers incorporate cutting-edge electronics, software systems, and computing capabilities into their products. 

Consumers like Hernandez are getting vehicles with unprecedented levels of technical sophistication. At the same time, they are also encountering new types of issues that arise from the complex integration of rapidly evolving technologies like LED lighting and electric powertrains that have distinct capabilities and limitations.

Growing Issues Within EVs

While the disconnect between her trailer's LED lights and her Rivian R1S vehicle systems may seem like a niche issue, Hernandez's experience spotlights the growing pains the auto industry faces as it integrates new and evolving technologies. Interoperability challenges will only escalate as vehicles incorporate more electronics and software.

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.