Federal investigators probe Rivian suspension failures that caused two incidents. Broken toe link bolts caused both R1s to cross traffic lanes, and one to crash. Rivian already recalled nearly 20,000 vehicles earlier this year over same issue. Rivian’s rear suspension headaches just won’t go away. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has now opened a fresh investigation into 114,922 R1S and R1T models after reports that rear toe links can separate while driving, causing sudden and dangerous swerving incidents. Two different Rivian owners experienced left rear toe link separations in 2023 and 2024 Rivian R1S SUVs, according to the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation team. In both cases, the vehicles reportedly veered across multiple lanes after the suspension component failed. One incident even ended with a collision involving another vehicle and a roadside barrier. Related: Rivian’s R2 Configurator Is Live, And A Spare Tire Costs $755 Investigators say it wasn’t the toe links themselves that failed, but that the bolts responsible for holding together the toe link assembly had fractured. Evidence gathered includes repair records, onboard video footage, photographs, and a police crash report. Here’s where it gets interesting, because the two affected vehicles had very different histories. One had previously received service work, while the other had been involved in an earlier collision. Despite that, both SUVs reportedly drove for months and covered thousands of miles before the toe link failures suddenly occurred. Rivian has already faced scrutiny over this exact problem. The EV company has known for a long time about issues with its vehicles’ rear suspension, specifically that improperly reassembled toe link joints could experience unintended loads over time and eventually separate while driving. The Wrong Fix At the time, Rivian acknowledged the suspension joint’s sensitivity to servicing procedures and updated its repair guidance in March 2025. Then in early 2026, the company recalled nearly 20,000 R1T and R1S models after discovering service technicians had been following outdated repair procedures since 2022. Now federal regulators want a closer look at whether the problem extends beyond improper repairs. The new preliminary evaluation will examine how vulnerable the toe link assembly may be under real-world road conditions and servicing situations. Investigators are also comparing the damaged parts from both incidents searching for similarities. But for now Rivian drivers might want to be prepared for their rear suspension testing their reactions when they least expect it. Rivian