Rivian Maintenance: Cost, Plans and Service Schedule

Are Rivians expensive to maintain?

No, Rivians are not expensive to maintain when it comes to routine services. Our local Rivian service advisor gave us the full rundown.

“Every 7,500 miles we like to do a rotation and a full inspection,” he told us. “They’re around $60 and $120, respectively.”

Beyond that, there’s not much to it.

“At year three or 22,500 miles, we’ll do a brake flush and a more detailed inspection,” the service advisor said. “Finally, we do a coolant flush at 112,500 miles, but we’ve never had to do one of those yet.”

The advisor we spoke with couldn’t provide us with an exact quote on the three-year service since we didn’t have an account with Rivian. But he did say that it’s “not much more than the one-year service.”

All things considered, you’re looking at spending around $300 per year (on average) to perform basic maintenance on a Rivian. That’s about one-third the cost of maintaining a vehicle with an internal combustion engine (about $900), which isn’t bad for a $70,000 super-truck.

Rivian maintenance cost and schedule

Before we discuss brakes and tires, here’s a quick recap of the factory-recommended maintenance schedule on a Rivian:

Cost to replace Rivian brakes and tires

As for tires, it’s a well-known fact that EVs wear through tires faster than their gas-powered counterparts. That’s especially true if the EV is heavy or has high horsepower figures.

Now, when you consider that the top-trim Rivian has 835 horsepower and weighs 7,000 pounds (literally three Mazda Miatas), it would be logical to assume that the R1T would chew through its tires before leaving the dealership.

Thankfully, Rivians come well-equipped with durable tires that are designed to take the vehicle’s massive torque and curb weight. “I believe they’re called Pirelli Scorpions, and unless you’re doing donuts in the Wal-Mart parking lot, they should last you at least 20,000 miles,” said the Rivian service advisor.

They also shouldn’t be too expensive to replace.

“We actually partnered with Discount Tire, so their locations have the necessary jack adapter to easily swap the tires on a Rivian,” the service advisor told us. “And as long as your replacement tires fit OEM specifications (HL275/50R-22) and are rated for EV use, they should work fine.”

As for how to maximize your tread life, our friendly Rivian service advisor gave us an interesting tip.

“The Quad-Motor models come equipped with a drive mode called Conserve Mode,” he said. “This sends all the power to the front wheels to maximize range and battery life, but it also eats your tires faster. If you don’t need the extra range, it might be cheaper in the long run to keep it off.”

The final piece of the Rivian maintenance puzzle is brakes. Unfortunately, neither of the Rivian service advisors we spoke with could give us an exact quote on a brake job since we didn’t actually own a Rivian or have a Rivian account.

That said, we found various discussions on the r/Rivian subreddit where owners report spending between $500 and $900 per axle for pads and rotors. This is roughly the same as a brake job on a normal commuter car ($400 to $900), which is remarkable considering these are ultra-high-performance trucks and SUVs.

All things considered, Rivian maintenance is cheaper than a Netflix family plan.

How to schedule Rivian service appointments

The easiest way to schedule service on your car is through the Rivian app. Open the app, tap the “Service” tab, and select your vehicle. From there, you can describe the issue or choose a routine maintenance service, upload photos if needed  and pick your preferred appointment time. 

The app also shows whether your repair qualifies for mobile service or requires a Rivian service center visit. While most users say the process is straightforward, some report longer lead times in areas with limited service coverage.

You can also schedule Rivian service by phone by calling (855) RIVIAN5, or 855-748-4265. Wait times are typically between five and 15 minutes, depending on demand. Phone support is especially useful if your vehicle can’t be driven, if you’re having issues with the app or if you need towing to a Rivian service center.

Note that these centers are expanding nationwide but are still concentrated in major metro areas, so availability can vary significantly by region.

Mobile service vs. service center options

Rivian gives owners two main service choices: mobile EV repair or in-center service. Mobile service technicians can handle most light maintenance and repairs — including tire rotations, fluid checks, software updates and minor hardware fixes — at your home or workplace. The service is usually free under warranty and can often be scheduled within a few days through the app.

More complex issues, such as battery diagnostics, suspension work, collision damage or high-voltage repairs, require a visit to a Rivian service center. These centers have specialized tools and certified technicians trained for major EV repairs. If your vehicle needs to be transported, Rivian can arrange towing directly through the app or by phone.

Rivian service center locations are still limited compared with established automakers. Service availability, lead times and mobile coverage may vary depending on your region.

How Rivian compares to other automakers

With no oil to change or engine air filters to replace, Rivians are significantly cheaper to maintain than their gas-powered counterparts from Ford and Chevrolet.

When compared with fellow EVs, however, Rivians actually stand out as relatively expensive. Tesla doesn’t require routine inspections as part of scheduled maintenance, and since many owners change out their own wiper blades and cabin air filters, the cost of maintaining a Tesla really comes down to simple alignments and rotations every year or so (about $200).

As for Lucid and Polestar, both performance EV brands offer complimentary maintenance for the first two years. You can’t beat that.

Rivian maintenance and repair costs by model

Rivian’s current consumer models — the Rivian R1T pickup and the Rivian R1S SUV — share the same underlying platform, drivetrain architecture and much of the hardware. As a result, their maintenance and repair cost profiles are expected to be very similar.

Rivian repair costs

While factory warranty coverage for Rivian vehicles is well‑documented, meaningful data on out‑of‑warranty repair costs remains limited. Rivian’s early models — especially the 2022‑2024 Rivian R1T and Rivian R1S — are still largely within their 4‑ or 5‑year bumper‑to‑bumper warranty and the 8‑year battery/drive unit warranty.

For reference, all new Rivians come with the following manufacturer’s warranty:

For Quad-Motor configurations:

• 5-year/60,000 miles bumper-to-bumper warranty
• 8-year/175,000 miles EV battery warranty

For all other configurations:

• 4-year/50,000 miles bumper-to-bumper warranty
• 8-year/150,000 miles EV battery warranty

Since the R1T Launch Edition came out for the 2022 model year, virtually all Rivian repairs up until this point have been completed under warranty at zero cost to the customer.

In the future, we expect post-warranty Rivian repairs to look similar to other luxury EVs, such as Tesla and Polestar.

Data from J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Initial Quality Study shows that Rivian experienced 259 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) compared to Tesla’s 262 PP100 and Polestars 309 PP100. The study surveyed 99,144 purchasers and lessees of new 2024 model-year vehicles after 90 days of ownership.

To put this into perspective: The average cost to repair a Tesla out of warranty is roughly $832 per year, not adjusted for inflation, according to RepairPal.

» LEARN: What is a manufacturer’s warranty?

Minor repairs vs. collision damage

While routine maintenance and minor repairs on a Rivian are expected to be in line with other premium EV brands, collision repairs are a different story — often significantly more expensive.

Minor repairs, such as replacing cabin air filters, brake pads or addressing sensor issues, are relatively straightforward and affordable once Rivians move out of warranty. However, damage from even a low-speed collision can lead to surprisingly high costs, largely due to the vehicle’s structural design and material choices.

Rivians use aluminum body panels to reduce weight and improve efficiency. But aluminum body repair is complex and labor-intensive, often requiring specialized equipment and certified repair centers.

As a result, Rivian collision repair costs can range anywhere from $5,000 to over $30,000, depending on severity, based on Rivian owner reports. Some owners have reported lengthy wait times due to limited parts availability and a small network of authorized shops.

These high repair costs can also impact Rivian insurance costs, with some policyholders reporting higher premiums compared to similarly priced vehicles. It's a good idea to get insurance quotes in advance and review coverage options if you're considering a Rivian.

How can an extended warranty help?

While Rivian's own extended warranty program (Rivian Care, powered by Assurant) is currently piloting with select Texas owners, third-party extended warranties now offer viable coverage options for EV-specific components — but timing matters.

Rivian's factory warranty is among the best among EV warranties, covering the battery and drivetrain for 8 years/175,000 miles with a 70% capacity guarantee, significantly more generous than most competitors. If you want extended battery coverage beyond that, you'll need to purchase third-party coverage well before your factory warranty expires, as most providers only offer battery coverage for vehicles under 7 years old and 100,000 miles.

While many top extended warranties don’t cover EV components, some third-party providers now offer EV-specific extended warranties that include battery coverage, including XCare, Fidelity Warranty Services and specialized providers like Eco Auto Warranty.

Unlike earlier extended warranty offerings that excluded EV batteries and drive units, these newer programs specifically cover the high-voltage battery and electric motor, which are the main concerns for EV owners.

The landscape has changed dramatically from just a few years ago when extended EV coverage was virtually nonexistent. For Rivian owners planning long-term ownership, evaluating third-party options around year 6 can provide seamless battery protection, though it's also worth monitoring whether Rivian Care expands beyond its current pilot phase.

» MORE: Car warranty vs. car insurance