Tesla Recalls 3 Million Vehicles in China Over Safety Concerns

Tesla has announced a significant recall of nearly 3 million vehicles in China, addressing two distinct safety concerns. The first issue involves the electronic door handles, which the company states can be difficult to identify and operate, particularly in severe collision situations where the vehicle's low-voltage system fails. This could impede a driver's ability to quickly exit the vehicle or hinder rescue efforts from the outside.

To rectify this, Tesla plans to apply warning labels to the affected vehicles and will update the window control software via over-the-air (OTA) technology. This update will automatically lower the windows upon detecting an accident. The recall encompasses Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X vehicles, including imported models and those manufactured in China between March 4, 2019, and April 29, 2026.

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Due to the interior emergency mechanical handle being close to the interior color, it is difficult to identify and operate. When an extreme situation occurs, such as a severe collision causing the entire vehicle's low-voltage system to fail, it may affect the driver's ability to quickly open the door to escape and the rescue of external personnel, posing a safety hazard.

The second recall focuses on a defect in the driver attention monitoring system for certain vehicles. This system is designed to ensure drivers remain attentive and ready to take control of the steering wheel and brakes when using automated driving features like Autosteer. Tesla noted that the current monitoring mechanism may not provide sufficient alerts if a driver's gaze deviates, potentially increasing collision risk.

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The existing attention monitoring mechanism is insufficient to provide driver gaze deviation warnings. If the driver does not intervene in time, it may increase the risk of collision, posing a safety hazard.

Tesla will provide a free software update through OTA technology for this issue as well. This update will enhance driver focus by adding cabin camera monitoring in addition to the existing steering torque monitoring, prompting drivers to take over steering and braking when necessary. For vehicles that cannot be upgraded via OTA, Tesla service centers will contact owners to arrange repairs. This recall affects Model 3 and Model Y vehicles manufactured in China between March 4, 2019, and December 7, 2025.

This widespread recall follows reports of deaths potentially linked to faulty or unusable door handles, which prompted China to revise its regulations. Consequently, nine manufacturers, including Tesla, have issued recalls in China. The U.S. is also considering similar regulatory changes, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) initiating procedures to establish new federal regulations requiring all motor vehicles to have robust and clearly identifiable door escape systems.

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All motor vehicles must be equipped with robust and clearly identifiable door escape systems.