2022 Rivian R1S — Should You Buy One?
Typical asking price: $58,000–$78,000. This is one of the more reliable vehicles in its class — here's what to watch for anyway.
Kestrel Take
The three-row electric adventure SUV — the R1S shares the R1T's impressive quad-motor performance, off-road ability, and long range in a family-friendly seven-seat body. Same caveats as the R1T: it's a first-gen vehicle from a young company, so software maturity and service/parts availability matter. A well-kept R1S with updates done and a healthy battery is a genuinely capable, desirable EV; verify software/recalls, battery health, and your proximity to Rivian service.
What we checked
Checked against public records, 2026-09-25
NHTSA holds 4 owner complaints for the 2022 Rivian R1S, and 12 recall campaigns.
That is too small a record to read a pattern from, so we are not going to pretend otherwise — with numbers this low one owner moves the percentage by a lot. What has been filed is grouped under seats (3), airbags (2), the driver-assist and automatic braking systems (1). Treat those as things to look at, not as the vehicle's known weaknesses. A thin file usually means few of these were sold or few owners filed. It is not evidence the vehicle is trouble-free, and the issues below are our own research rather than a reading of this record.
12 recall campaigns cover this model year. Recalls are repaired free, for any owner, with no time limit on most safety campaigns — but only if someone books it in. Ask the seller to show it was done, or have any dealer check the VIN; it takes them a couple of minutes and costs nothing.
Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.
Known Issues for the 2022 Rivian R1S
Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents. How we decide that.
Early R1S had software bugs, fixes, and recalls; verify updates/recalls were done and all systems work.
Repair cost (estimate): $0-$2,000
Source: 12 NHTSA recall campaigns on this model year.
Rivian's service network is still growing; factor in your location and potential wait times.
Repair cost: Not yet priced
Source: not yet checked against public records.
Very heavy; tires wear and cost more.
Repair cost (estimate): $1,000-$1,800
Source: not yet checked against public records.
Walk-Away Red Flags
- ✗Outstanding recalls/software
- ✗Battery/range concerns
- ✗Far from Rivian service
- ✗Salvage title
Good Signs
- ✓Updates/recalls done
- ✓Healthy battery, remaining warranty
- ✓Reasonable proximity to service
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Found a specific Rivian R1S?
This page covers what goes wrong on the 2022 Rivian R1S in general. A free read looks at the one you're considering— it checks that seller's asking price against the market and names the issues that matter most for this exact year.
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Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.
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