Rivian 2025.22 Update May Be Causing HVAC Cooling Delays

It feels like something changed with Rivian’s HVAC behavior since 2025.22 rolled out. Living in Florida, where humidity is always brutal, I’m used to cranking the system to “Lo” and full blast when I first get in my R1S or R1T. Normally, the air gets icy fast, making the cabin bearable within a minute or two. Lately, though, the system seems to just push outside-temperature air, almost like it’s just a fan running, before finally kicking in the compressor and cooling properly.

This isn’t a one-off glitch either. It’s been happening in both of my vehicles, which makes me think it could be tied to the update rather than a hardware issue. It feels like Rivian may have changed how the compressor engages, maybe to conserve energy or reduce stress on the system, but whatever tweak they made seems to have hurt real-world comfort in hot, humid climates. When it’s 95 degrees and muggy outside, there’s no room for “gentle” cooling strategies. You need cold air immediately, not five minutes later.

Based on replies to my tweet, this doesn’t seem isolated to my vehicles either. Other owners are reporting the same lag in cooling, which suggests the update may have adjusted HVAC logic across the lineup. If this is intentional, Rivian needs to rethink the balance between efficiency and comfort, especially for owners in regions where stepping into a parked EV already feels like stepping into an oven. If it’s just a bug, hopefully Rivian patches it soon, because right now, early summer drives are starting to feel way less comfortable than they should.

If Rivian doesn’t address this in a future update, I suspect we’ll see more people voicing frustrations, especially as the heat of August approaches.