The U.S. Office of Defects Investigation on Wednesday opened an investigation about issues regarding seat belt performance of Rivian’s (NASDAQ:RIVN) electric delivery vans.
The office of Defects Investigation opened a preliminary evaluation to check the scope of potential problem for approximately 17,198 Rivian vans produced between 2022 and 2023.
The authority has received six reports of potential failures of the driver’s front outboard seat belt anchorage system. In multiple reports, the seat belt steel braided cable frayed or broken, leaving the occupants unrestrained in the event of a collision, said the authority in its document.
The investigation will focus on the integrity of the seat belt assembly, installation method, and potential design/manufacturing changes and deficiencies.
Rivian did not immediately respond to a Seeking Alpha request for comment.
Earlier this month, The EV-maker reportedly recalled over 24,000 R1S and R1T vehicles from the 2025 model year due to a software defect that may cause the Hands-Free Highway Assist system to misidentify lead vehicles.