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As electric trucks become smarter, their systems grow more complex; however, it’s often the simplest parts that bring everything to a halt. This evening, while strolling through the RIVIAN Electric Vehicles Group on Facebook, a favorite haunt of mine for cutting through marketing fluff, I came across a post that hit a little too close to home.
Steve Mussman, one of the early Rivian R1T adopters, had just posted something many EV owner’s dread: a warning message for the 12V battery, an alert that, in his case, rendered his high-tech truck completely undrivable. “Gen 1 R1T. Just got the dreaded ‘12V battery needs service’ warning,” Steve wrote. “Nothing unusual, no warnings. Keeping it plugged into my Rivian charger and awaiting a call from the service center in Atlanta. Don’t know how long it will take to get serviced, but I was told not to drive. Wondering how this situation has been handled by others who have had a similar situation arise.”
Just like that, no strange noises, no fault codes, no limp mode. Just a quiet, persistent message, and suddenly, Steve’s adventure-ready truck was stuck in his driveway.
The Small Battery That Holds the Whole Truck Hostage
To people outside the EV world, it might seem absurd. How can a truck with a battery pack the size of a hot tub, capable of towing boats, crawling through mud, and powering your house, be disabled by a little 12V battery that wouldn’t look out of place in a Corolla?
But those who’ve dug into EV tech know the truth: the 12V system is the unsung hero. It powers everything from the contactors that activate the high-voltage drive system to the keyless entry and even the screen that tells you something’s wrong in the first place. No 12V power? No drive. No start. No remote diagnostics. In many cases, not even a tow mode.
And if you think Steve’s experience is a one-off, think again.
Other Rivian Owners Jumped In with Their Stories
Within hours, the comments under Steve’s post began filling up with similar experiences, some reassuring, others not so much.
Kate shared a more optimistic take: “Happened to me in January. They told me I could drive it but to keep the charge above 40% and keep it plugged in when at home. Got me in two days later and changed the battery while I waited (not a drop-off appointment). Quick and relatively painless. No charge.”
That’s how it should go. But others weren’t so successful.
Stephen had to do some digging to avoid waiting weeks: “I got it Friday and immediately made a service request through the app. Got a June 3rd appointment for the Atlanta Service Center. Went online and chatted with a service advisor after logging in and got an appointment for this morning, where they replaced the batteries in about an hour (I have an early R1T with two 12V batteries).”
Then there was Michael, who didn’t even know he had a problem until the service center told him: “I have an appointment today to have mine changed. No problem, just that they contacted me a month ago and said they needed me to come in to check some bolts, but last night when they sent the RO, it said ‘replace 12V battery.’”
Why This Keeps Happening
For those of us following Rivian’s journey closely, this isn’t exactly a new story. Gen 1 trucks, particularly early R1T and R1S builds, have had recurring issues with their 12V systems. Many of them came with a dual 12V setup, presumably for added redundancy, but that also added complexity when it came time for diagnostics and replacements.
It’s something Rivian appears to be quietly refining. And if you look around forums and Facebook groups, you’ll see a pattern emerging that goes beyond just Steve’s truck.
We’ve even covered a story about a Rivian R1S that stranded a family just hours after purchase, likely due to electrical issues stemming from the low-voltage system. It’s not an isolated gremlin, it’s a foundational issue Rivian is clearly still working to address.
Why “Don’t Drive” Might Mean “Don’t Risk It”
One detail in Steve’s post stands out: Rivian told him not to drive the vehicle.
That’s a big ask for someone who likely spent over $70,000 on what’s supposed to be an adventure machine. And it’s not a call made lightly. If the 12V battery can’t reliably fire up the contactors to connect the high-voltage system, your truck might boot up just fine one moment, and brick itself the next.
With that in mind, it makes sense for Rivian to error on the side of caution. But then why did Kate get the green light to drive hers, with just a few conditions? This inconsistency is where things get murky. It leaves owners in limbo, wondering whether to trust the software, or the service center.
A Bigger Picture: Innovation vs. Reliability
Steve’s post, and the responses it triggered, reflect something deeper. This isn’t just about a 12V battery. it’s about what it means to own a first-generation electric truck.
For every Rivian owner rolling into a snowstorm with confidence, there’s someone else crawling into a service backlog for a basic maintenance request. And while over-the-air updates have certainly made these trucks better, early adopters are still beta testers, whether they like it or not.
Just look at other quirky battery mysteries, like a Rivian gaining charge overnight in the cold or a 10% drop after parking for a few hours.
Long-term owners have also started noticing deeper patterns in efficiency. One Rivian driver who passed 100,000 miles began to worry about energy loss, only to find out other owners were getting even worse results.
What This Means for Steve, and You
As of now, Steve is still waiting. His R1T is plugged in, undrivable, and at the mercy of the Atlanta service center’s schedule.
Will it be a two-day fix like Kate’s? Or a month-long wait like Stephen almost endured? There’s no clear answer yet.
But what’s clear is this: if you own a Rivian, or plan to, issues like these are part of the experience. They don’t define the vehicle, but they do shape your relationship with it.
The platform is brilliant. The performance is thrilling. But when something as simple as a 12V battery can shut it all down, you start to realize that owning one of these machines requires more than just enthusiasm. It requires patience, too.
The Moral of the Story
As a young automotive journalist following this industry closely, I’ve learned that the EV revolution isn’t just about motors and megapacks, it’s about the people trying to live with them.
Steve’s story shows us that even the most advanced trucks can be brought to a standstill by a part most drivers never think about. And in a world full of software updates, torque maps, and AI-based driver assistance, the humble 12V battery is still the heartbeat of your ride.
So, if you’re driving a Gen 1 Rivian, keep your ear to the ground. Stay plugged into the community. And don’t be afraid to share your experience, because someone else is probably going through the same thing.
Have you ever had your EV sidelined by a low-voltage battery issue? Did it catch you off guard, or were you prepared for it? How did your service center handle it? Drop a comment and share your story, you just might help the next stranded driver figure out their next move.
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: Steve’s Facebook Post, and Rivian
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Source: torquenews.com
