Comprehensive diagnostic testing of the high-voltage charging system including charge port, onboard charger, battery management system, and DC fast charging capability for the Rivian EDV 500 electric delivery van.

Warnings

Tools required

Preparation

1. Verify technician has current high-voltage safety certification and required PPE
2. Park vehicle on level surface in well-ventilated area with adequate clearance for charging equipment
3. Ensure vehicle is in Park with parking brake applied
4. Verify battery state of charge is between 20-80% using instrument cluster display
5. Check for active HV system fault codes using Rivian Diagnostic Tool
6. Document current battery temperature and state of health from BMS
7. Ensure ambient temperature is between 10-35°C for accurate testing
8. Have fire extinguisher rated for electrical fires (Class C) within reach

Procedure

1. 1

   Power down vehicle and verify HV system isolation
   Press and hold power button until vehicle fully powers down. Remove key fob from vehicle cabin. Wait 30 seconds for all modules to enter sleep mode. Use high-voltage proximity detector to verify no stray voltage present near charge port and HV junction box locations.
2. 2

   Access HV disconnect location
   Open rear cargo area and locate HV battery disconnect panel on driver side wheel well. Remove plastic cover by releasing four quarter-turn fasteners. Don high-voltage insulated gloves and verify glove integrity (no cracks, punctures, or excessive wear). Verify gloves are rated for minimum 500V AC / 750V DC.
3. 3

   Perform HV system lockout/tagout
   Rotate HV service disconnect handle 90 degrees counterclockwise to OFF position. Remove service disconnect plug completely from receptacle. Verify orange indicator shows disconnect is open. Store disconnect plug in locked toolbox or on technician's person. Wait mandatory 10 minutes for HV capacitors to discharge. Install lockout/tagout tag on disconnect location with technician name and date/time.
4. 4

   Verify HV system de-energization
   Using CAT III rated multimeter set to DC voltage, measure voltage between HV positive and negative busbars at disconnect location. Reading must be less than 5V DC. If voltage exceeds 5V, wait additional 5 minutes and retest. Do not proceed until voltage is confirmed below 5V. Document voltage reading.
5. 5

   Inspect charge port assembly
   Open charge port door and visually inspect J1772 inlet and CCS DC pins for damage, corrosion, discoloration, or debris. Check port locking mechanism operation by manually actuating lock pin. Inspect weather seal for tears or degradation. Verify charge port indicator LED illuminates when vehicle is awakened. Check orange HV interlock loop connector for proper seating at charge port.
6. 6

   Test charge port interlock circuit
   Locate charge port interlock connector (gray 2-pin connector near inlet assembly). Disconnect interlock connector. Using multimeter on continuity mode, verify continuity through interlock loop (should read less than 5 ohms). Reconnect interlock and verify with RDT that charge port interlock status shows 'Closed'. Any resistance above 10 ohms or 'Open' status indicates interlock failure.
7. 7

   Perform insulation resistance test on HV charging circuit
   Connect megohmmeter positive lead to HV positive busbar and negative lead to vehicle chassis ground. Set megohmmeter to 500V DC test voltage. Perform insulation test for 60 seconds. Insulation resistance must exceed 500 megohms. Repeat test with negative lead on HV negative busbar to chassis ground. Document both readings. Values below 100 megohms indicate insulation breakdown requiring further diagnosis.
8. 8

   Reinstall HV disconnect and restore power
   Verify all test leads are disconnected. Reinstall HV service disconnect plug fully into receptacle until it seats with audible click. Rotate service disconnect handle 90 degrees clockwise to ON position. Verify orange indicator is no longer visible. Remove lockout/tagout tag. Reinstall HV disconnect cover panel with quarter-turn fasteners. Close cargo area.
9. 9

   Initialize vehicle and BMS for charging test
   Enter vehicle with key fob and power up vehicle fully. Connect Rivian Diagnostic Tool to OBD-II port under driver side dash. Launch RDT software and establish communication with vehicle. Navigate to Battery Management System module. Verify all HV contactors show proper operation and no isolation faults present. Record battery pack voltage, individual module voltages, and pack temperature.
10. 10

    Perform Level 2 AC charging system test
    Using J1772 test adapter connected to known-good 240V Level 2 EVSE (minimum 32A capacity), initiate charging session. Monitor with RDT in real-time charging parameters: onboard charger input voltage (should be 208-240V AC), input current (should ramp to EVSE limit or 19.2kW max), DC output voltage to battery, and charging efficiency. Verify charge port lock engages. Allow charging for minimum 10 minutes while monitoring temperatures of charge port, onboard charger coolant, and battery pack. Charging current should remain stable within 5% variance.
11. 11

    Test AC onboard charger thermal management
    While Level 2 charging continues, use RDT to monitor onboard charger coolant temperature and flow rate. Temperature should stabilize between 35-55°C depending on ambient conditions. Verify cooling pump duty cycle increases appropriately if temperature rises. Use infrared thermometer to check physical charger module temperature through undercarriage access (approximately 15 inches forward of rear axle on driver side). Charger case temperature should not exceed 80°C. Any temperature above 85°C or thermal faults indicate cooling system issue.
12. 12

    Verify AC charging communication protocols
    Using RDT charging diagnostics screen, verify proper J1772 pilot signal communication. Pilot signal should show correct EVSE current capacity (typically 6-80A depending on station). Check proximity detection signal confirms cable is locked. Monitor for any communication errors or pilot signal dropouts during 5-minute observation period. State of charge should increment predictably based on charge power (approximately 1% per 1.5-2 minutes at 19kW).
13. 13

    Perform DC fast charging capability test
    Disconnect Level 2 charger and allow 2-minute rest period. If CCS DC fast charging station is available, connect CCS test adapter to vehicle. Initiate DC charging session. Monitor with RDT: DC input voltage (should be 300-800V depending on SOC), DC input current (should reach 150-175kW peak on 500kW-capable station when battery is 20-50% SOC), battery pack balancing, and cell temperatures. Verify CCS lock mechanism engages. Allow DC charging for minimum 5 minutes. Current should taper appropriately as SOC increases or if battery thermal limits approached.
14. 14

    Test charging system fault responses
    Using RDT active testing functions, simulate charge port temperature fault by commanding temperature sensor to report out-of-range value. Verify vehicle immediately terminates charging and displays appropriate fault message. Clear simulated fault. Simulate ground fault by commanding BMS to detect insulation resistance below threshold. Verify HV contactors open immediately and charging is inhibited. Clear all simulated faults and verify system returns to ready state. Document all fault response times (should be under 100 milliseconds for safety-critical faults).
15. 15

    Generate charging system health report
    Using RDT reporting function, generate comprehensive charging system health report including: onboard charger efficiency data, charge port cycle count, DC fast charge session history, any thermal derating events, BMS charging algorithm version, and all current/pending charging-related fault codes. Save report to vehicle file. Compare current test results to baseline specifications: Level 2 charging should achieve 19.2kW sustained, DC fast charging should peak above 140kW at optimal SOC/temperature, insulation resistance above 500 megohms, and no communication errors during testing.

Reassembly

1. Ensure all HV covers and panels are reinstalled securely with proper fasteners
2. Verify charge port door closes and latches properly with no obstructions
3. Confirm all diagnostic tool connections are removed and OBD-II port cover replaced
4. Remove all lockout/tagout tags if any remain from testing

Verification

• Perform final test charge using customer's typical EVSE to confirm real-world charging operation
• Verify no new fault codes present in any HV system module after testing completion
• Confirm charge port indicator LED functions properly and displays correct charging status
• Verify state of charge increases predictably during test charging session (within 5% of calculated rate)
• Document all test results meet Rivian specifications: Level 2 at 19.2kW, DC fast charging above 140kW peak, insulation resistance above 500 megohms
• Ensure BMS shows all cells balanced within 10mV and no thermal anomalies detected
• Confirm vehicle successfully completes both AC and DC charging sessions without interruption or faults

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