Millions of Teslas recalled in China over door handle safety

Tesla is initiating a recall of almost three million vehicles in China, citing a safety defect in the interior door handles. The national market watchdog, China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), announced the recall on Friday, affecting domestically produced Model 3 and Model Y electric cars, as well as imported Model 3, Model X, and Model S vehicles.

The issue centers on interior emergency mechanical handles that share a color with the car's interior, making them hard to spot and use during emergencies. SAMR noted that in severe collision scenarios where the vehicle's low-voltage system fails, these handles could impede passengers' ability to exit quickly for escape or rescue.

This recall is not isolated to Tesla. Eight other Chinese car manufacturers, including Xiaomi, XPeng, Geely, Chery, and Leapmotor, are also recalling vehicles due to similar handle-related safety risks. Xiaomi is recalling about 390,000 units of its 2024 SU7 series, while XPeng is recalling nearly 265,000 cars. BAIC BluePark is recalling approximately 46,000 Arcfox Kaola EVs for a lack of clear text prompts near the emergency mechanism.

In response, companies are offering to attach warning labels near the handles and some plan remote software upgrades for window lowering post-crash. These mass recalls align with China's upcoming regulation, set to take effect January 1, 2027, which will mandate both interior and exterior mechanical releases for car door handles, phasing out designs like Tesla's electronic or flush-fitting handles that have become popular for their high-tech aesthetic.

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In extreme situations such as severe collisions causing the vehicle's low-voltage system to fail, (the handles) may affect passengers' ability to quickly open car doors for escape and rescue operations outside the vehicle.