Rivian recalls 100,700 vehicles over a camera display bug, but more than 95% are already fixed

Rivian said Wednesday it is recalling about 100,700 vehicles, a majority of all the vehicles it has produced, over a software issue that can block part of the rearview camera display, CNBC reported, citing Reuters. The recall covers certain 2022 to 2026 R1T pickups, 2022 to 2027 R1S SUVs and 2027 R2 models, and is a non-compliance matter under U.S. and Canadian rear-visibility standards.

In a statement to Reuters, Rivian said that in rare cases when stability control has been switched off, "a safety prompt asking to re-enable stability control may overlap the rearview camera view when shifting into reverse until the vehicle moves."

Why the headline number overstates it

A six-figure recall sounds like a costly event. This one mostly is not. Rivian said more than 95% of the affected vehicles have already received a software fix, and every vehicle built after Aug. 10 has the updated software from the factory. On the company's figures, that leaves roughly 5,000 vehicles or fewer still waiting for the update, and the remedy is software rather than a hardware repair. FOX Television Stations, citing Rivian and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reported that the update is free and can be installed over the air, and that Rivian is not aware of any customer reports, accidents, injuries or deaths tied to the problem.

The reported counts differ slightly. FOX put the recall at 98,828 vehicles, while Reuters reported about 100,700. The recall covers both U.S. and Canadian rear-visibility rules, which could explain a gap of about 1,900 vehicles, but neither report breaks the figure down, so we cannot confirm that.

The recall filing is required because the obstructed image may not meet federal rear-visibility rules before the vehicle moves, but in this case the repair had largely happened before the filing became news. The practical questions for an owner are whether their vehicle's software is current, and whether they drive with stability control off.

The market read

Rivian shares were down about 0.9% at $15.01 in afternoon trading, according to Nasdaq data, on a day when the broader market was also lower. That puts the company's market value at about $21.7 billion. The stock's 52-week range is $12.39 to $22.69.

The detail worth noting for anyone following the newer R2 is that 2027 R2 models are included. The issue is a display overlap rather than a hardware defect, and the fix is already in vehicles coming off the line, so the recall does not on its own point to a production problem.

Sources: CNBC; Reuters; Nasdaq. The estimate of vehicles still awaiting the update is our calculation from Rivian's stated figures. Share prices are from afternoon trading and will change. This is market information, not investment advice.