The Rivian R1S. The EV maker was aware of the rear suspension issue since March 2025, when it traced the root cause of a small number of toe link joint failures to its previous servicing guidelines. (Courtesy of Rivian)This story was originally published on WardsAuto. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily WardsAuto newsletter.Dive Brief:The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a preliminary evaluation potentially affecting 115,000 model year 2022-2025 Rivian R1S SUVs and R1T pickups, for rear suspension toe link bolt fractures.The initial probe, the first phase of an investigation into potential safety concerns, comes after the agency’s Office of Defects Investigation received two vehicle owner questionnaires last year from Rivian R1S customers reporting left rear toe link separation while driving.In late December, after being contacted by the NHTSA, Rivian issued a voluntary recall covering nearly 20,000 vehicles, which it blamed on an incorrect service procedure that required separation and reassembly of the rear toe link.Dive Insight:Rivian was aware of the rear suspension issue since March 2025, when it traced the root cause of a small number of toe link joint failures to its servicing guidelines, which were followed by its technicians from April 1, 2022, through March 10, 2025. AdvertisementAdvertisementOn Dec. 15, 2025, the NHTSA notified Rivian of the two customer complaints it received related to toe link failures on vehicles that had undergone rear suspension repairs before the updated service procedure was implemented. The issue caused the vehicles to swerve across multiple lanes of traffic, and in one case, led to a collision with another vehicle and into a roadside barrier, resulting in minor injuries.The incidents led to Rivian issuing a voluntary recall in late December, but it only included vehicles that underwent prior rear suspension service before March 10, 2025, when the EV maker updated the service and training guidelines covering rear suspension repairs. Evidence the NHTSA collected from the two Rivian vehicles that experienced rear toe link separation included repair histories, onboard video, pictures of the damaged components and a police report.One of the vehicles received prior service and the other was involved in a previous collision. In both cases, however, the EVs were driven thousands of miles over several months without any apparent problems before the rear toe link bolts fractured, which prompted the current safety probe that extends to roughly 95,000 additional Rivian R1S and R1T EVs.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe investigation by the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation is focused on four areas, according to the report. It will assess the sensitivity of the rear toe link joint to foreseeable road and service conditions; compare the physical failure evidence from the two vehicle incidents; evaluate Rivian’s current toe link repair procedure; and assess the in-field subject population’s toe link conditions.If the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation determines that a rear suspension toe link defect exists, it can require Rivian to issue a recall to address the safety concern.In March, Ford Motor Co. recalled 413,000 Explorer SUVs for broken rear suspension toe links. Dealers are replacing the parts with an improved design at no cost.The NHTSA’s safety probe comes two weeks before Rivian officially launches its third vehicle, the R2 SUV. The company announced on May 27 that order invitations for the new R2 will be sent out beginning June 9, with current R1T and R1S owners being offered accelerated delivery timelines for the new model.Recommended ReadingRivian recalls nearly 20K vehicles over flawed rear suspension service procedure',