The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened a defect investigation into approximately 179,000 Model 3s, focusing on concerns that the emergency door release mechanism may be difficult to locate or operate during a crisis or incident.
The Investigation
The inquiry, launched by NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation on December 23, 2025, covers an estimated 179,071 2022 Model 3 vehicles. While the current scope is limited to this specific model year, we expect that this investigation could potentially expand to include all model years, as well as the Model Y, which shares the same door interior and exterior door handles with the Model 3.
According to filings, the investigation was triggered by complaints describing the vehicle’s mechanical door release as “hidden, unlabelled, and not intuitive to locate during an emergency.”
The filing specifically references a 2023 incident involving Kevin Clouse in Georgia. During the incident, Clouse was trapped inside his burning vehicle after the electrical system failed, and unable to locate the emergency release, he was forced to kick out the rear passenger window to escape, suffering a broken hip and arm in the process.
While this is currently a preliminary evaluation rather than a full recall, it could lead to further regulatory safety action if the NHTSA concludes that safety-related defects are found in Tesla’s design.
Growing Scrutiny
The probe follows heightened scrutiny regarding Tesla’s reliance on electronic door latches and the accessibility of its mechanical backups.
In November, Tesla was sued by the family of a couple who died in a Model S crash in November 2024. The lawsuit alleges that the electronic door release system failed after the battery pack was damaged, trapping occupants inside the burning vehicles. Similar lawsuits were also filed following a Cybertruck crash in November 2024, where families alleged the victims were trapped due to the door handle design.
Global Pressure
This pressure isn’t entirely focused on the United States. China recently proposed new regulations to address both interior and exterior electronic door handles, which will require clearly visible and easy-to-find mechanical releases on both sides of the door.
Future Design Changes
Tesla appears to be aware that its current solutions are a friction point, and is actively looking at redesigning its door handles
In a September interview, Tesla design chief Franz von Holzhausen acknowledged the issue with door handles and stated that Tesla is looking to combine the manual and electronic door release into a single interface. That single interface would meet regulatory safety requirements in all regions - including the US and China.
