Tesla faces investigation over door handles: what is known
Kyiv • UNN
U.S. federal road safety authorities have launched an investigation into emergency door opening mechanisms in some Tesla Model 3 vehicles. This is due to a petition from an owner who claims to have been locked in his car.
In the US, Tesla Inc.'s door handles are once again under scrutiny after federal road safety authorities launched an investigation into emergency door opening mechanisms in some Model 3 cars, UNN reports with reference to Bloomberg.
Details
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it is reviewing claims that the door opening mechanism is "hidden, unmarked, and not easily found in an emergency situation," according to a statement posted on the agency's website. This follows a petition filed by Kevin Klaus, a Tesla owner from Georgia, who claims he was locked in his car in 2023 and requested an investigation into the defect. NHTSA said it has not yet decided whether to grant or deny the petition.
The investigation covers approximately 179,071 Model 3 sedans from the 2022 model year.
Tesla shares set new price record18.12.25, 07:37 • 15331 view
Addendum
According to the publication, this move expands a federal investigation into problems with Tesla car doors, launched by Bloomberg, which lasted several months and revealed a number of incidents in which people were seriously injured or died after being trapped in their Teslas. In September, NHTSA began an investigation into whether the doors in some Model Y SUVs are defective, amid reports of children getting stuck in cars due to a dead 12-volt battery. The Model 3 and Model Y are Tesla's best-selling cars.
The automaker pioneered the development of electric handles that can stop working without warning, especially after an accident. A Bloomberg analysis conducted this week found at least 15 deaths in a dozen incidents over the past decade where passengers or rescuers were unable to open the doors of Teslas that crashed and caught fire.
Bloomberg separately reported that potential safety issues related to electric door handles were discussed with CEO Elon Musk during the development of the Model 3, and that he insisted on a futuristic design that would include a manual override to prevent power outage problems.