Rivian Delivery Checklist

Cross-check exterior color, interior color/material, wheel spec, battery pack, and all packages against the window sticker.

Uneven gaps are the most common delivery issue. Document any that look off before signing.

Check all four corners and the hood leading edge in daylight or under the service center lights.

Test every door plus the frunk, tailgate (R1T), or liftgate (R1S / R2). A door that won't latch is worth escalating before signing.

Recall 26V-508 (Rivian FSAM-1833), an August 2026 expansion of the original 25V-387 campaign, covers 2025–2026 R1T/R1S whose front turn signals may fail to illuminate. Test left and right through a full blink cycle. Safety issue — don't skip.

Check for moisture inside the housing. Test DRL, low beam, and high beam. A cold-weather low-beam recall (25V-085 / FSAM-1612) affected some 2025 R1 builds.

Verify size and color match your order. Check all four for transport damage.

Check sidewalls for bulging or cuts. Glance at PSI on all four corners via the instrument cluster.

Crouch and look under all four corners. Transport hardware occasionally gets left on at delivery — a critical safety miss if overlooked.

Standard on Quad; included with All-Terrain Package. Some owners received vehicles where it appeared on the window sticker but wasn't installed.

Check the rubber perimeter seal for gaps. Water intrusion has been reported. Confirm the under-tray is present — some deliveries arrived without it.

Test manually and via the Rivian app. All current Rivian models use a native NACS port — no adapter needed for Tesla Superchargers.

Standard on Tri and Quad; $2,000 option on Dual. Test open, close, and stop. Check the seal along all four edges.

A known delivery issue: doors occasionally require significant force or sit proud of the body. Open and close both sides.

Inspect at an angle to catch chips and star cracks. Check edges for white haze or bubbling at the perimeter.

Hairline cracks in the roof glass have been reported. Look from outside at an angle in daylight. Check the liftgate glass on R1S and R2 carefully.

Included with Sound & Vision Package on Dual, and standard on Tri/Quad. It switches fully between opaque and clear — verify no stuck zones or partial patches.

Run wipers with washer fluid. Rain-sensing wipers are standard across the current lineup — verify auto mode triggers.

Run your hand along all trim edges. A defect in the wood/composite trim is easy to catch this way.

Check all rows, especially the bolsters — a common spot for cosmetic defects on new vehicles.

Test every axis on both front seats. Also test second-row fold/slide, and third-row fold on R1S (if equipped).

Active recall: second-row seat belt retractor bolts (26V-009 / FSAM-1795). Confirm it's closed on your VIN via NHTSA, then physically test every belt in every row.

Mold, chemical, or musty smells can indicate water intrusion during transport. Easier to flag at delivery than diagnose later.

Set to max heat and time it. A heat pump should warm the cabin within 3–5 minutes — a much longer delay is worth flagging.

Run A/C on max. A loud clicking or "jet engine" sound beyond normal compressor noise may indicate a loose fan blade. Flag before leaving.

Heated front seats are standard across the lineup; ventilation availability varies by trim. Test all levels on both driver and passenger.

A 1,000-lumen rechargeable flashlight stows in the driver's door frame on R1. Press to eject and test. Frequently missing at delivery — verify before leaving.

Standard on 2026 R1T and R1S. Stowed in the gear tunnel (R1T) or cargo subfloor (R1S). Confirm hose and adapters are all present.

2026 R1 vehicles include a J1772 adapter. Quad configurations add a CCS1 DC adapter. Confirm both are in the vehicle.

Easy to leave at the service center in the delivery rush. First aid kit is in the right gear tunnel door (R1T) or under the cargo subfloor (R1S).

Camp speaker, crossbars, roof tent, bike rack — verify each is physically in the vehicle. Missing accessories are far harder to chase after you drive away.

If ordered, verify the compact spare is in the correct location with all hardware. Skip if not on your window sticker.

Tap all corners and edges. Look for unresponsive areas or display anomalies. (R1 uses a 15.6" display; R2's central screen differs.)

Verify speed/range display correctly on the instrument cluster. On R1, confirm the rear console screen responds.

Confirm no active suspension faults, drivetrain alerts, or battery errors on either screen. If any warning is showing, do not sign without a written explanation and open service ticket.

Verify the vehicle appears in your app. The app is your primary key — essential to confirm before leaving.

Walk away and confirm it auto-locks. Then approach and confirm it unlocks before you reach the handle. Passive entry failures are a commonly reported issue.

2026 R1 vehicles include two KeyCards — no key fob. Test each on both readers. Key fobs are a separate $250 purchase.

Check Settings → About and confirm no recall-related software updates are pending in the Rivian app. An earlier Highway Assist software recall (25V585000) was remedied over the air; any current delivery ships on far newer software.

Pair your phone, play music at moderate volume, and check each zone. Test at higher volume if you have an upgraded audio package.

Test front console and rear seat ports at minimum. Dead ports are common enough to check quickly. (R1T has 6; R1S has 8.)

Verify all feeds show a clear image in live view. Note: the Gear Guard USB-C SSD cable is NOT included — it's a separate Gear Shop purchase if you want local recording.

Before you move, sit with wheels straight and check that the spokes are level. Many owners report the wheel arriving 2–5° off. Requires a return alignment visit to correct — flag it now.

Standard on Tri and Quad; included with All-Terrain Package on Dual. Cycle Low/Entry → All-Purpose → Off-Road → Max and confirm full travel each way. "Service Suspension" warnings within weeks of delivery are a documented issue.

On a flat, straight road, briefly release the wheel. A consistent pull indicates an alignment issue — one of the most common delivery complaints. Easier to document before signing.

Apply firm progressive braking at low speed and listen. Test regen by releasing the accelerator — should engage smoothly without lurching. Verify one-pedal Hold mode works.

Drive over a speed bump at low speed and listen for clunks from any corner. A single loud clunk is worth flagging and documenting.

Persistent vibration at any speed typically indicates a wheel balance issue or flat spot from transport. Test on two different road surfaces before dismissing it.

Accelerate firmly on a quiet street and listen. A persistent whine at steady cruise is not normal. Highway-speed testing is fine to do on your drive home — you don't need freeway access at the service center.

Do this at nhtsa.gov/recalls the night before. Current R1 campaigns include front turn signals (26V-508 / FSAM-1833, an Aug 2026 expansion of 25V-387), second-row seat belt retractors (26V-009 / FSAM-1795), the rear toe-link joint (26V-003 / FSAM-1794), and cold-weather headlamps (25V-085 / FSAM-1612). The live feed in the sidebar shows the current list by model year. Buying used? The toe-link recall covers 2022–2025 R1S/R1T that had rear-suspension service before March 10, 2025, and NHTSA has an open investigation into toe-link bolt fractures affecting roughly 115,000 earlier R1 vehicles. Bring a screenshot.

Recall FSAM-1723 found an improperly grounded connection in the High Voltage Distribution Box that can cause sudden loss of drive power. Especially important to verify on 2025 model-year builds.

Useful for warranty claims, insurance, and verifying all ordered options were included. rivianroamer.com lets you pull it by VIN.

Found on the driver door jamb and dashboard (visible through the windshield). You'll need it for insurance and future recall lookups.

Do this before leaving. Timestamped photos carry significantly more weight than claims filed after the fact.

Open a service ticket before you leave. Delivery-day tickets get prioritized. The delivery tech can often add notes on the spot.