Rivian is still working to fully resolve a battery calibration issue affecting some second-generation R1 vehicles, months after the problem was first acknowledged, as inaccurate range estimates continue to frustrate owners despite multiple software updates.
The issue emerged in November, when several Rivian drivers reported their vehicles shutting down unexpectedly even though the dashboard indicated a relatively healthy state of charge. In some cases, vehicles dropped from more than 20% charge to zero with little warning, leaving drivers stranded.
Rivian later said the problem was not related to battery chemistry or degradation, but to a software calibration issue affecting how remaining range is calculated for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery packs. The company initially told owners the issue could be addressed through over-the-air software updates and encouraged them to install the latest version.
“Due to a software calibration issue, your vehicle may experience range estimation that becomes progressively inaccurate as state of charge decreases,” Rivian said at the time.
New communications from Rivian’s engineering team indicate the fix has proven more complex. According to messages shared this week and reported by RivianTrackr, the company has resumed outreach to affected owners, acknowledging that some vehicles have not yet completed a required battery calibration process.
“The Rivian Engineering team has determined that your vehicle has not yet completed a necessary battery calibration,” the message said, adding that the process is essential for restoring accurate range estimates.
To address the issue, Rivian is advising owners to charge their vehicles to 100% every two days, or as frequently as possible, over the coming weeks. The company said calibration improves incrementally with each full charge and recommended keeping the battery above 20% to reduce the most noticeable effects. Owners are expected to receive confirmation once calibration is complete.
Many of the vehicles affected are already running Rivian’s latest software release, version 2025.46.30, suggesting the problem cannot be resolved with a single update and instead depends on repeated real-world charging behaviour to rebalance the battery management system.
However, some owners say the guidance has not yet resolved the issue. Kyle Conner of Out of Spec Reviews said this week that he received the same calibration message despite fully charging his R1 multiple times in line with Rivian’s recommendations.
So far, Rivian has not issued a formal recall related to the battery range display issue. Industry analysts note that if the problem persists or continues to strand drivers, regulatory scrutiny could increase and a recall may become necessary.
The episode underscores the challenges automakers face as they rely more heavily on software-defined vehicle systems, particularly for battery management, where calibration errors can have direct consequences for safety, reliability and customer trust.
