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Tesla Door Release: Safety Probe Denied
24 Jul
Summary
- NHTSA denied an investigation into Tesla Model 3 emergency door releases.
- A petition claimed concealed releases posed an entrapment risk.
- The agency cited a lack of evidence for a safety defect.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has officially denied a petition that sought a defect investigation into the emergency mechanical door release mechanism of around 180,000 Tesla Model 3 vehicles. This decision was made because the petition did not present adequate evidence to support the claim of a safety-related defect that would warrant a formal investigation.
NHTSA indicated that the concerns raised about the door release are more appropriately handled within the scope of an ongoing rulemaking process. The petition had argued that the manual door release in 2022 Model 3 vehicles was difficult to find if the car lost electrical power after a crash, potentially trapping occupants. Tesla's electronic door handles have previously faced scrutiny following crashes where occupants reported being unable to exit powered-down vehicles.
