Rivian, the electric-car maker, said on Friday that it was recalling 13,000 vehicles after identifying an issue that could affect drivers’ ability to steer some of its vehicles.
The company said it had found out on Sept. 28 about seven reports that might be related to the safety issue and did not know of any injuries caused by it.
The recall, which covers nearly all vehicles that have been delivered since Rivian began production late last year in Normal, Ill., is due to “an insufficiently torqued fastener,” the company said. The flaw, in rare instances, can impede steering, a company spokesperson said. Noise, vibration and harshness from the front suspension are among the symptoms of the problem.
The issue affects 1 percent of the vehicles, but an inability to control the steering wheel will occur in a much smaller number, the spokesperson said. Rivian sent an email to customers and promised to make repairs for free, planning to do so within 30 days.
“We will begin immediately contacting affected customers to schedule appointments for inspections and repairs if needed,” a company spokesperson said in an email.
Rivian produces the R1T pickup truck, which starts at $73,000, and the R1S sport utility vehicle, which starts at $78,000.
Rivian, which is based in Irvine, Calif., and positioned itself as a Tesla competitor, has lost its luster with investors since it completed its initial public offering last year. The company has struggled to meet production goals because of the computer chip shortage and to fulfill its promise to provide Amazon, one of its biggest investors, with delivery vans. Shares of Rivian are down nearly 67 percent since the beginning of the year.
