A recent Rivian tire blowout in the California desert highlighted how a flat can quickly become a coordination challenge when a tow service isn’t familiar with the vehicle’s unique systems.
Desert incident reveals gaps in tow‑truck training
Flat tires demand special care.
Devon, a R1T owner, reported that a sudden tire failure left her stranded on a remote stretch of highway. When the roadside assistance service arrived, the driver tried to lift the truck using the standard hitch jack. Devon had to walk the operator through the correct procedure, explaining how to raise the vehicle height and activate the built‑in Tire Change Mode.
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The vehicle’s software requires owners to enable Tire Change Mode before any lifting device contacts the chassis. Once the mode is active, the driver must remove the small plastic cap covering each wheel’s designated jack point and position the jack only at those marked locations. Skipping these steps can cause the air‑suspension system to fight the jack, creating a hazardous situation.
This incident highlights a growing need for tow operators to understand electric‑vehicle specifics before attempting a lift.
Why standard tow practices don’t fit electric pickups
Unlike conventional pickups, a Rivian uses an air‑suspension system that continuously adjusts ride height. This means a jack placed under the frame, as one would on a Silverado, can trigger the auto‑leveling function and cause the vehicle to shift unexpectedly.
The hidden jack points are concealed beneath tiny caps next to each tire, not the obvious steel pinch welds found on older models. A driver unfamiliar with this layout might improvise, risking damage to a multi‑ton battery pack or the chassis itself. That risk is why the manufacturer built a dedicated Tire Change Mode into the vehicle’s settings menu.
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Owners who have taken matters into their own hands report similar challenges. One member, Paul, said he carries a full‑size spare, a heavy‑duty jack, and an electric impact wrench, spending about an hour on each tire rotation. Another, Jeff, prefers an inflatable spare and a set of tire‑choc pucks available for roughly $111 on Amazon.
Harvey, who has changed a tire in loose desert sand, noted that jacking a heavy electric truck in such terrain is far from easy.
Rivian does not include a spare tire on either the R1T or the R1S. Buyers must add one during configuration or purchase a kit later, a choice that can cost up to $775 for the optional spare on the newer R2 model. This extra charge has sparked debate among owners who view a spare as a safety feature rather than a luxury.
