U.S. Investigates Defect in 180,000 Tesla Vehicles' Door Releases

• Tesla's electronic door latches open via buttons rather than traditional handles, with manual releases for emergencies that experts say are not consistently visible or intuitive, especially for rear-seat passengers
• Recent lawsuits include families of five people killed in a Wisconsin Model S crash and two college students killed in a Cybertruck crash, both alleging victims were trapped due to door design flaws
• NHTSA previously opened a separate investigation in September into 174,290 Model Y vehicles over reports of inoperative electronic door handles

Tesla Model 3 Under Federal Investigation for Emergency Door Release Issues

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a defect investigation on December 23 into 179,071 Tesla Model 3 vehicles from model year 2022, examining concerns that emergency door release controls may not be easily accessible or clearly identifiable during emergencies.

The investigation follows a defect petition alleging that the vehicles' mechanical door release mechanisms are hidden, unlabeled, and not intuitive to locate. Tesla vehicles primarily use electronic door latches operated by buttons rather than traditional mechanical handles. While manual door releases exist for emergencies or power failures, safety experts have long criticized their poor visibility, labeling, and accessibility, particularly for rear-seat passengers.

This investigation comes amid heightened scrutiny of Tesla's door systems. In November, Tesla faced lawsuits over a fatal Wisconsin crash involving a Model S where five occupants allegedly couldn't escape the burning vehicle, and a Cybertruck crash in San Francisco that killed two college students who were reportedly trapped inside. Additionally, NHTSA opened a separate investigation in September into 174,290 Model Y vehicles for reports of inoperative electronic door handles.

The defect investigation represents the first step in a regulatory review process that could lead to recalls if safety defects are confirmed, though the opening of an investigation does not guarantee a recall will be issued. Tesla has not yet responded to requests for comment.

This latest probe adds to Tesla's ongoing regulatory challenges and could potentially impact consumer confidence in the brand's safety features, particularly as the company faces multiple lawsuits related to similar door mechanism issues across different models.