The Weight of ExpectationsThe Rivian R2 is considered a crucial part of the brand's path to profitability amid a more challenging market for EVs, where affordability has become increasingly important. This is why Rivian needs to try to minimize any hiccups, though the R2 has already been involved in two recalls just months after entering the market.The latest safety campaign, published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as 26V625, involves 14 MY2027 R2 examples built from May 18 to August 27, 2026. It concerns an improperly torqued fastener connected to the high-voltage battery. Because of the manufacturing lapse, affected EVs may experience a loss of motive power without prior warning, increasing the risk of a crash.RivianA Little LooseRivian found the problem after a manufacturing operator identified an under-torqued fastener on September 17, 2026. After a week-long investigation, the Irvine, California-based EV maker decided to conduct a voluntary safety recall. This points to an issue on the manufacturing side, particularly at the automated station. The company has since reprogrammed the station to reject improperly torqued fasteners.NHTSA said Rivian will inspect and repair the connection on potentially affected vehicles, though the automaker estimated that 100% of the recall population has the defect. The automaker reportedly told TechCrunch that all affected vehicles are already at service centers, despite the safety campaign saying owner notifications will be mailed on or before November 29, 2026.This recall follows the R2's first safety campaign, which concerned a software issue that could obstruct the rearview camera image, a defect the EV shared with its larger siblings, the R1T and R1S.RivianThe Bigger PictureWhile Rivian doesn't disclose a model-by-model breakdown, the company delivered 19,248 vehicles in the third quarter of this year. Its full-year guidance calls for 65,000 to 70,000 deliveries in 2026. Still, with the latest recall limited to just 14 vehicles, the affected population is relatively small. Additionally, there are no customer reports, crashes, injuries, or fatalities related to the improperly torqued fastener defect, so this issue alone is unlikely to taint the R2's quality reputation in the same way recurring recall problems have hurt Ford's.The R2 competes directly against the best-selling EV in the U.S., the Tesla Model Y, helping explain why it is so significant to Rivian's lineup. It starts at $44,990 for the Standard trim, though that version won't arrive until spring 2027. What's available right now is the flagship Performance, which starts at $57,990. The mid-spec Premium will follow in late 2026 with a starting price of $53,990.Rivian