Rivian Owners Are Hacking Rear Doors So Kids Can Get Out In An Emergency

"Making the perfect door handle for a new car is surprisingly difficult. At least, that's what some car companies are suggesting. It might have something to do with cost-cutting, and it could also be linked to electric car manufacturers' pursuit of the highest possible efficiency. The result is simple: electronic door handles that look cool and help the car slip through the air with ease."

"But the same door handles can quickly turn into a safety hazard if power cuts out for whatever reason, and the passengers get trapped inside. Tesla has been in the news several times because passengers couldn't locate the manual door releases after a crash. Instances of first responders struggling to open the doors from the outside during emergencies are also well known."

"The emergency release for the rear doors was relocated inside the door panel, which requires taking out a piece of trim and fishing for the cord blindly. Before the facelift, the regular door handles would open the door even if the power went out, but now only the front door handles retain this functionality. Rivian's manual states that passengers have to remove a trim panel to gain access to the emergency release cord for the rear doors."

Electronic door handles are increasingly used to improve aesthetics and aerodynamic efficiency, but they can become safety hazards when power fails. Rivian moved the rear-door emergency release inside the door panel on 2025–2026 R1S and R1T models, requiring removal of trim and blind searching for a cord. Previously, regular door handles would open rear doors even without power; now only front doors retain that capability. Owners concerned about children and emergency access are improvising with carabiners and cable ties to make releases reachable. Similar issues have occurred with other EV makers, including Tesla, during crashes and power-loss incidents.

Read at insideevs.com