Tesla Recalls Nearly 3 Million Cars in China Over Emergency Door Handle Risk

Tesla is recalling nearly 3 million vehicles in China over concerns that interior emergency door handles could be difficult for passengers to locate and operate during an emergency.

The recall covers around 2.9 million China-made Model 3 and Model Y electric vehicles and is scheduled to begin on September 25. It also includes approximately 46,000 imported Model 3, Model X and Model S vehicles, according to China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR).

Door handles could delay emergency exits

The affected vehicles use interior emergency mechanical releases that can blend into the surrounding interior, potentially making them difficult to identify quickly.

China’s regulator said the issue could become particularly dangerous in situations such as severe collisions where the vehicle’s low-voltage electrical system fails. In such circumstances, passengers could have difficulty quickly locating the mechanical releases needed to open the doors and escape.

Tesla is not the only manufacturer affected by similar concerns.

Several Chinese automakers, including Xiaomi, Xpeng, Geely, Chery and Leapmotor, have also announced recalls involving vehicles with door handles that can be difficult to distinguish from the surrounding interior.

Xiaomi recently began recalling around 390,000 units of its 2024 SU7 series, while Xpeng has started recalling nearly 265,000 vehicles.

China prepares new door handle rules

The large-scale recalls come ahead of new Chinese regulations that are expected to take effect on January 1, 2027.

Under rules announced by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in February, vehicle door handles will be required to have both interior and exterior mechanical release mechanisms.

Modern electronic and flush-mounted door handles are increasingly used by automakers because they can improve vehicle aerodynamics and slightly reduce drag while driving. However, their reliance on electronic systems has also raised concerns about how occupants can exit vehicles when power is lost after a crash.

Tesla Cybertruck also faced a recall

Tesla has previously dealt with other vehicle recalls.

The company recalled nearly 63,619 Cybertrucks after a software issue caused the front parking lights to become excessively bright, potentially affecting the vision of approaching drivers. Tesla addressed the issue through an over-the-air software update at no additional cost for affected vehicles.

The latest China recall differs because it follows action by a government regulator rather than an issue identified solely through Tesla’s internal review.

In the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has also investigated Tesla vehicles in connection with its Full Self-Driving system following reports involving traffic safety violations and serious crashes.

The latest recall highlights the growing regulatory focus on vehicle safety as automakers increasingly adopt electronic and hidden door-handle designs.