I Bought My 2025 Rivian R1S Just Nine Days Ago, and It Already Left Me Stranded, but I’m Determined to Find Out What Went Wrong and Make It Right

Nine days. That’s all it took for a brand-new 2025 Rivian R1S, a $90,000+ electric SUV loaded with cutting-edge tech and adventure-ready features, to end up stranded and towed away. The owner didn’t crash. He didn’t abuse it. He just drove it like any other excited new Rivian driver, and then, everything changed.

While browsing through the “RIVIAN Electric Vehicles Discussion” group on Facebook, I found a post that immediately grabbed my attention. A user named JC had just taken delivery of his 2025 Rivian R1S. Less than two weeks in, the vehicle began throwing multiple suspension system errors, completely disabled regenerative braking, and ultimately became undrivable. It had to be towed away, and JC is still waiting for answers. Here’s what he wrote: “I bought my 2025 R1S just nine days ago. Out of the blue, I started receiving warnings about suspension issues and a message saying regenerative braking was unavailable. The vehicle became undrivable, so I had to call roadside assistance, and they towed it away. I won’t know anything until tomorrow. Has this happened to anyone else? Any idea what might have caused it? I’m frustrated beyond words.”

A Future-Focused Vehicle Disabled by a Faulty System

JC’s post hits hard because it represents what many buyers fear most about EVs: that the dream of ownership can shatter without warning, not from a collision or major accident, but from a system fault buried in the software or hardware.

When you’re dealing with a vehicle like the 2025 Rivian R1S, especially one built on the newly refined second-generation platform, you expect refinement, not a roadside rescue. But EVs, especially ones this complex, come with layers of code, sensors, and systems that can either make you fall in love or leave you stuck in a parking lot wondering what just happened.

If this story feels familiar, it might be because we recently covered another concerning case in the article titled “My Brand New 2025 Rivian R1S Restarted Twice in One Day While Parked and Now I'm Wondering if I Made a Mistake”, which highlights software glitches that leave owners questioning the vehicle’s stability just days after delivery.

What the Community Thinks Might Have Gone Wrong

Several Rivian owners jumped into JC’s post to share their thoughts and past experiences. One of them, Justin, offered a theory based on firsthand knowledge: “It could be an electrical connector or a pneumatic connection. I’ve had those warnings before, and in my case, it turned out to be a frozen air line. These are complicated vehicles, and I think they need a more robust architecture and better quality checks after production.”

Justin’s comment touches on something many early adopters understand: the more advanced the car, the more opportunities there are for minor issues to escalate into major headaches. Whether it’s a simple air line or a software miscommunication between modules, modern EVs often treat small problems like big ones, immobilizing the vehicle as a precaution.

Seth had another take: “Did you try power cycling it? Sometimes my sensors act up, too, but a reboot usually clears things up. I’ve had my R1T since October and have only run into sensor issues a handful of times, and most of them eventually showed up in update release notes. Sorry you’re going through this. The R1S is an awesome rig, and I hope this experience doesn’t completely turn you away from it.”

This points to another recurring theme in the Rivian community, glitches that seem tied to firmware bugs or OTA updates. Several owners report their issues vanishing with new updates, which makes you wonder how many of these "problems" are temporary digital hiccups rather than true mechanical faults.

And then there was Paul, whose experience offered a contrast: “We’ve had our 2024 R1S (one of the last Gen 1 builds) and have only experienced one real issue, a rear passenger tire lost pressure, which turned out to be a nail that Discount Tire patched for free. We also had to perform two soft resets to fix stuck media and volume controls, but that hasn’t happened since June 2024. Other than that, it’s been a flawless daily driver and adventure rig, our two gas cars haven’t even logged 100 miles combined since December 2023.”

Clearly, not every Rivian suffers from catastrophic glitches, in fact, many owners have nothing but praise for their vehicles. But when things do go wrong, they tend to go very wrong.

My Take as a Journalist and Enthusiast

As someone who writes about EVs and closely follows the Rivian community, JC’s story didn’t surprise me, but it did disappoint me. I’ve written in detail about how making the switch from a Kia EV6 to a second-generation 2025 Rivian R1S felt like an upgrade in every meaningful way,  refinement, comfort, utility, and even personality.

But engineering alone doesn’t make a great vehicle, reliability does. The bond between a driver and a car starts with trust, and when a vehicle fails so early into ownership, it raises serious questions. I still believe Rivian is one of the most promising EV brands on the market, but the company has work to do when it comes to real-world dependability and consistent quality control.

Why Early Ownership Can Be a Gamble

Rivian’s second-gen R1S platform brought real improvements in driving dynamics, cabin layout, and overall polish. But we’re seeing more and more owners facing early teething issues that make potential buyers pause. In fact, one of the most commonly asked questions I’ve seen is whether the Rivian R1S is a better long-term choice than a Tesla Model Y for families. When these questions are paired with reliability concerns, it puts even more pressure on Rivian to prove itself.

The good news? They seem to be listening. Earlier this year, Rivian pushed an OTA update that altered the behavior of the R1S’s autonomous driving system, removing auto lane change due to concerns about safety and consistency. While some owners were disappointed, others appreciated the company’s responsiveness.

We’ve also seen incredible journeys like the one detailed in this long-distance towing trip with a Rivian R1S into the Ozarks, where the vehicle performed exceptionally, even under heavy loads and difficult terrain.

And when it comes to real-world sizing and practicality comparisons, parking the R1S next to Volkswagen’s new ID. Buzz makes it clear that Rivian has the edge in both range and value.

The Moral of the Story

Buying a Rivian, especially the new second-generation R1S, still feels like stepping into the future. But sometimes, that future breaks down, literally. JC’s situation highlights the fragility of complex systems and the very real emotional rollercoaster of owning a brand-new EV in its earliest days.

That said, one bad experience doesn’t define a brand, and I admire JC’s determination to find out what went wrong and make it right. That mindset is what keeps this community strong. EVs aren’t perfect. But they’re evolving. And so is the ownership experience.

And when everything clicks? Like in that unforgettable towing trip through the Ozarks, or during that moment when you park next to the ID. Buzz and realize your Rivian is the better choice, it all starts to make sense again.

What About You?

Have you ever had your brand-new EV leave you stranded unexpectedly?
If you own a Rivian, what has been your most surprising ownership moment,  good or bad?

Drop your experience in the comments. Your insight might just be what helps the next Rivian owner navigate their own adventure.

Narek Hareyan is a young automotive journalist with experience in a golf cart dealership and an interest in the automotive industry. Follow Narek on X for daily news coverage about cars.

Image source: Rivian