Rivian is still working to fully resolve a lingering battery calibration issue affecting some second-generation R1 vehicles, months after the problem was first acknowledged by the company. Despite multiple over-the-air (OTA) software updates and repeated outreach to owners, inaccurate range estimates tied to LFP battery calibration continue to frustrate some drivers.
The issue first surfaced in November, when several Rivian owners reported their vehicles unexpectedly shutting down even though the display showed a healthy state of charge. In some cases, vehicles dropped from over 20% to zero with little warning, leaving drivers stranded.
Rivian later confirmed the problem was not related to battery chemistry or degradation, but rather a software calibration issue affecting how remaining range was calculated.
At the time, Rivian encouraged owners to install the latest software update and reassured them that the issue could be resolved digitally. The company explained, “Due to a software calibration issue, your vehicle may experience range estimation that becomes progressively inaccurate as state of charge decreases.”
However, new messages from Rivian’s engineering team suggest the fix has been slower and more complex than initially expected. According to communications shared this week, Rivian is again contacting affected owners with updated guidance, acknowledging that some vehicles have yet to complete a required battery calibration process.
“The Rivian Engineering team has determined that your vehicle has not yet completed a necessary battery calibration. This process is crucial to enable accurate range estimates from your vehicle,” the message states. (via RivianTrackr)
To address the issue, Rivian is advising owners to charge their vehicles to 100% every two days, or as often as possible, over the coming weeks. The company says calibration improves gradually with each full charge and recommends keeping the battery above 20% to minimize the most noticeable effects. Owners will receive confirmation once calibration is fully complete.
As noted by RivianTrackr, many of the vehicles receiving this guidance are already running Rivian’s latest software, version 2025.46.30, indicating the issue is not something that can be instantly fixed with a single update, but instead relies on repeated real-world charging behavior to rebalance the battery management system (BMS).
However, that approach still does not appear to be fixing the problem. Kyle Conner of Out of Spec Reviews said he received the same message about his R1 this week, despite fully charging the vehicle “so many times” in line with Rivian’s guidance.
So far, Rivian has not issued a formal recall related to the battery gauge issue, but if the problems persist, one may have to be issued in the future.
