I Turned Off My Rivian’s Motion Camera for the First Time, And Of Course That’s When Someone Damages My Door

We all make tradeoffs when managing EV features, especially when camping or conserving battery. Sometimes those choices go unnoticed, and other times they come back to haunt us the minute we think we’re in the clear. I came across a moment like that this afternoon while scrolling through the "RIVIAN Electric Vehicles Discussion" group on Facebook. Rivian owner Katie Sheehy Kobs shared that she had turned off her motion camera system while off-grid, only to come back to civilization and discover some damage on the back quarter panel of her Rivian. This also just happened to be the very first night she parked at a hotel. 

In her words: "Someone door dinged my car pretty hard last night. I am pissed. For the first time, I turned off the motion camera to save battery while camping and of course this happens the first night back in a hotel parking lot. Any suggestions on removing the back left quarter panel?" 

When the Community Steps In

You could practically hear the collective sigh of sympathy through the screen. We’ve all had those moments where the one time we let our guard down, something goes wrong. For Rivian drivers, the motion-activated Gear Guard system serves as both a deterrent and a peace-of-mind feature, similar to Tesla’s Sentry Mode. But when it's off, even briefly, situations like this remind us how vulnerable our vehicles can be in public spaces.

Almost immediately though, the Rivian community stepped in with technical guidance and moral support. Kirby Powell responded to Katie’s question directly, writing, “To answer your question about the quarter panel, you cannot remove it. That’s one piece from the A pillar at the windshield to the D pillar at the hatch. PDR for the win.”

Paintless Dent Repair to the Rescue

For those unfamiliar, PDR stands for Paintless Dent Repair, which is a specialized technique that can often restore body panels to their original shape without requiring sanding, repainting, or replacement. In cases like Katie’s, where there was no visible paint damage, PDR is often the cleanest and most affordable option.

Richard J. Webb added, “Find a competent paintless dent repair (PDR) company. They should be able to handle that easily.” That advice, echoed by multiple users, points to how common and fixable door dings have become, especially among vehicles with aluminum panels like the Rivian R1T and R1S.

Dak Simonton summed up the situation best: “Like others said, that's 100% PDR removable. No paint damage, so likely it'll get fixed so good no one will even know it happened. Sucks to have to pay for it, but it is what it is.” His comment reflects the balance many owners feel between annoyance and acceptance when dealing with minor but frustrating vehicle damage.

The Price of Turning Off Protection

This story serves as yet another reminder of how exposed our vehicles are when parked in shared spaces. And while it’s easy to blame technology it’s the absence of it that made this sting. The motion camera would likely have caught the culprit or at least provided Katie with the video she needed to pursue recourse. But that raises another issue many Rivian owners have brought up recently: managing the vehicle’s features in ways that don’t drain the battery unnecessarily.

In fact, another story discussed how both a Rivian R1T and R1S experienced problems with phone key access and app connectivity, which is something that leaves owners second-guessing the reliability of these tech-dependent systems. If you're constantly dealing with bugs or limited battery range, turning off optional features like the Gear Guard might feel like a smart tradeoff until it backfires.

What makes Katie’s situation so compelling is that it represents a deeper issue beyond just one door ding. It's about how drivers are navigating the learning curve of EV ownership and making decisions with unintended consequences. A lot of Rivian owners eventually face these moments when convenience or energy savings come into conflict with peace of mind.

EV Ownership Expectations and Reality

It also speaks to a broader question about Rivian’s place in the market. Many former luxury or legacy brand owners have transitioned to Rivian with high expectations. As one former Lexus loyalist shared in a related story about switching from Lexus to Rivian after seeing the RZ 550e, the switch was about embracing Rivian’s cutting-edge tech features like Gear Guard, over-the-air updates and adventure-ready design. This is still proof that real innovation often means stepping away from legacy comfort zones.

Still, we can’t ignore the elephant in the room: battery management. For Katie, the decision to turn off motion detection was about maximizing battery while camping, which is something many Rivian owners do when they have to go off the grid. But even when done right, power conservation can feel like a gamble. In other cases, like this Rivian R1T owner who faced a critical battery failure, the stakes go far beyond minor dents.

At Least It’s Still Fixable

From a service standpoint, this story is actually on the lighter side. We’ve seen more serious issues, like this Rivian R1S that went in for service and the loaner they gave out failed too. Those kinds of problems spark bigger reliability concerns but also makes you appreciate that Katie’s situation that, while annoying, it's still fixable.

Personally, I think Katie’s experience highlights the new kind of tradeoffs modern EV owners face. In the past, you parked your car and hoped for the best. Now, we have tools like motion detection, live camera feeds, and alert systems. But they do come with compromises. Whether it's battery drain or software bugs, turning these features off feels like giving up a layer of protection. Yet we do it because we want range and simplicity. And in doing so, we roll the dice a little. This is a good reminder that EV ownership is still very much a learning experience. And sometimes, the biggest lessons come from the smallest incidents just like this one.

Key Takeaways:

• Paintless Dent Repair is Your Friend: If the damage doesn't involve cracked paint or deep structural dents, a skilled PDR technician can make it look like nothing ever happened.
• Quarter Panels Are Not Modular: On vehicles like the Rivian R1T, the back quarter panel is part of a larger body shell. It's not something that can be removed or replaced easily without cutting and welding.
• Disabling Gear Guard Has Risks: While conserving battery might be necessary during long camping trips, it's important to remember that you lose the ability to record incidents and deter bad behavior.
• Community Support is Real: From quick technical clarifications to repair shop recommendations, Rivian's online community remains one of its strongest assets.
• Damage Isn’t Always as Bad as It Looks: Sometimes, a dent looks worse than it is, especially on clean, polished EVs. Professional inspection is always the first step before panicking.

What About You?

Have you ever turned off a security feature on your car and ended up regretting it?

And what steps do you take to protect your car when parking overnight away from home?

I'd love to hear your stories in the comments below.

Aram Krajekian is a young automotive journalist bringing a fresh perspective to his coverage of the evolving automotive landscape. Follow Aram on X and LinkedIn for daily news coverage about cars.

Image Sources: The “RIVIAN Electric Vehicles Discussion” public Facebook group and Rivian’s gallery, respectively.