If you start your Rivian R1T or R1S on a cold morning and the low-beam headlights don’t come on — possibly with a dashboard message reading something like “Low beam lights not working. Service low beams soon” — this is a known, specific fault that Rivian recalled in early 2025. It only affects a defined window of production, and it comes down to headlamps built with incorrectly configured parts from Rivian’s supplier. Here’s exactly which trucks are affected, why cold weather specifically triggers it, and what the free remedy covers.
The affected window is specific, so start by checking whether your truck falls inside it.
| Symptom | What You Notice | How Urgent |
|---|---|---|
| Recalled headlamp control module (the recalled condition) | Low beams fail to illuminate specifically at startup in cold temperatures, often with an on-screen “Low beam lights not working” message | Book the free recall repair promptly — avoid driving after dark until it’s fixed if your low beams aren’t working |
| Truck built outside the affected production window | No relevant symptom; headlamps built to correct spec | Not affected by this specific recall |
| Unrelated headlight issue (blown fuse, damaged wiring, aftermarket parts) | Similar no-light symptom but not tied to cold startup specifically, or present regardless of temperature | Still worth inspecting, just not this recall — have a technician confirm the actual cause |
Don’t drive after dark, or in poor visibility, with a low beam headlight out. Rivian’s own recall filing ties this condition directly to reduced visibility and an increased crash risk under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 (the federal lamps and lighting standard). If you get the in-cabin warning message, treat it as a real safety issue rather than something to put off.
What’s Actually Failing
This isn’t a wiring fault or a bulb burning out — it’s a parts-configuration problem introduced during manufacturing. Rivian’s recall filing describes it plainly: certain Model Year 2025 R1T and R1S vehicles were built with headlamps that don’t meet Rivian’s current production specification, because of incorrectly configured parts supplied by its headlamp manufacturer, OPmobility. The headlamp’s own control module is the affected component. Under normal conditions the headlamps generally work, which is exactly why this surfaces specifically at startup in cold temperatures rather than being an obvious, constant fault — the incorrect configuration causes the control module to fail to properly initialize the low beams under those specific thermal conditions.
Because the cause is a manufacturing-line parts issue rather than a design flaw, it’s tied tightly to a production date window rather than to a model year as a whole — Rivian built plenty of R1S and R1T units with correctly configured headlamps both before and after the affected window.
Is This Covered by a Recall or TSB?
Yes, this is a formal NHTSA safety recall: NHTSA Recall No. 25V-085 (Rivian’s internal reference: FSAM-1612), submitted February 13, 2025. It covers certain Model Year 2025 R1S vehicles built between April 29, 2024 and February 3, 2025, and certain Model Year 2025 R1T vehicles built between July 10, 2024 and February 3, 2025 — note the R1T’s affected window starts later than the R1S’s, since Rivian’s filing lists separate production date ranges for each. Rivian’s own estimate in the recall filing puts roughly 8% of that specific production population as actually carrying the defect.
The recall’s own chronology: Rivian learned the headlamps might not meet the relevant federal lighting standard (FMVSS 108) on December 20, 2024, opened an investigation the next day, and confirmed a potential noncompliance on February 6, 2025. As of the filing, Rivian said it wasn’t aware of any crashes or injuries connected to the issue. Because every affected truck was still well within Rivian’s new-vehicle warranty period, Rivian’s filing notes it didn’t need to set up a separate reimbursement process for anyone who might have already paid for the repair out of pocket — nobody would have been out of warranty yet.
Rivian planned to mail owner notifications on or before March 28, 2025. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm whether your specific truck is included, since production-date-based recalls like this one don’t map cleanly onto model year alone.
This is a separate recall from the Rivian R1T/R1S rear toe link recall covering suspension service performed before March 2025 — different component, different cause, different affected population. A truck can be included in one, both, or neither, so check your VIN against each recall separately rather than assuming one clears the other.
How to Confirm It Applies to Your Truck
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call Rivian directly at 1-888-748-4261.
- Check your build date against the windows above — R1S built April 29, 2024 to February 3, 2025; R1T built July 10, 2024 to February 3, 2025 — though the VIN check is the definitive answer, since Rivian identified the exact affected population from its own manufacturing records.
- Watch for the specific warning message — “Low beam lights not working. Service low beams soon” — which only appears at startup in cold temperatures if your truck has the defect.
- Don’t confuse this with an unrelated headlight problem. If your low beams fail regardless of temperature, or only one side fails consistently rather than intermittently in the cold, that points at a different, unrelated fault — have it diagnosed rather than assuming the recall covers it.
Repair Cost
Free. Rivian’s remedy is to replace the headlamp control modules on affected vehicles at no charge, through its own service centers — as a direct-to-consumer manufacturer, Rivian doesn’t use independent dealers, so recall service is booked the same way as any other Rivian service appointment. Rivian’s filing also confirms a standing policy of reimbursing owners who already paid out of pocket for a repair that later becomes a recall, if that ever applies to your situation.
Can You Keep Driving With It?
During daylight, in mild weather, with no warning message, ordinary driving is fine while you wait for your recall appointment. The real risk is specific and narrow: driving after dark, or in low-visibility conditions, with a low beam that isn’t illuminating. If you get the “Low beam lights not working” message on a cold start, avoid night driving until it’s resolved, or at minimum confirm both low beams are actually working before you rely on them after dark — reduced visibility from a headlight not illuminating is exactly the crash risk this recall exists to close off.
Why won’t my Rivian’s low beam headlights turn on in cold weather?
A recalled batch of headlamps was built with incorrectly configured parts from Rivian’s supplier, which can cause the headlamp control module to fail to properly initialize the low beams specifically at startup in cold temperatures. It’s a manufacturing parts issue, not a wiring fault or a burned-out bulb.
Which Rivian vehicles are affected by the headlight recall?
Model Year 2025 R1S vehicles built between April 29, 2024 and February 3, 2025, and Model Year 2025 R1T vehicles built between July 10, 2024 and February 3, 2025. Check your specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, since Rivian identified the affected population from manufacturing records rather than model year alone.
Is it safe to drive a Rivian with this headlight recall?
During daylight in normal conditions, yes. Avoid driving after dark or in poor visibility if you get the “Low beam lights not working” warning message, since a low beam failing to illuminate is a real reduced-visibility crash risk, which is exactly what this recall addresses.
How much does the Rivian headlight recall repair cost?
Nothing. Rivian replaces the affected headlamp control modules at no charge through its own service centers, and has a standing policy to reimburse owners who already paid out of pocket for the repair before the recall existed.
What’s the NHTSA recall number for the Rivian headlight issue?
NHTSA Recall No. 25V-085, filed February 13, 2025 (Rivian’s internal reference is FSAM-1612). Rivian estimated about 8% of the affected production population actually carries the defect.
Is the Rivian headlight recall the same as the rear toe link recall?
No, they’re separate recalls with different causes and different affected vehicles. The headlight recall covers headlamp control modules on certain Model Year 2025 trucks built in a specific window; the toe link recall covers a rear suspension service issue on 2022-2025 trucks. Check your VIN against each one separately.
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