NHTSA Investigates 179,000 Tesla Model 3s Over Emergency Door Releases

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through its Office of Defects Investigation has opened a formal defect investigation into about 179,071 Tesla Model 3 compact sedans from the 2022 model year, the agency said on December 23, 2025. The investigation was made public on December 24 and follows a petition alleging that the vehicles’ mechanical emergency door release mechanisms are hidden, unlabeled and not intuitive to locate in emergency conditions.

The petition that prompted the review described a 2023 head on collision involving a Georgia man who said electronic door controls stopped working and the cabin caught fire. In his submission to the agency the petitioner wrote, “The electronic door controls immediately stopped functioning. The interior cabin caught fire, and I became trapped inside the vehicle. The required mechanical emergency door …” The petition asserts that occupants may be unable to find or operate manual releases when electronic systems fail, and it flagged particular difficulty for rear seat passengers.

Tesla vehicles use electronic latches for everyday operation while incorporating mechanical emergency releases intended for use during power loss or other failures. The agency will examine owner statements, warranty and repair records, crash reports and engineering analyses as part of its review. That process can take weeks to months, and does not by itself mean a recall will follow. If investigators determine the condition presents an unreasonable safety risk, the agency can expand the probe or pursue a recall and require corrective remedies.

The Model 3 inquiry arrives amid heightened regulatory attention to electronic door mechanisms. In September 2025 the agency opened a separate preliminary evaluation into roughly 174,290 Model Y vehicles over reports that electronic door handles were becoming inoperative. Vehicle egress design has also been the subject of litigation in recent years, with lawsuits filed over access to manual releases in various models. Regulators and safety advocates have increasingly urged clearer, more visible emergency controls as electronic systems proliferate.

For Tesla the investigation raises both direct and systemic concerns. If NHTSA moves from investigation to recall, the company could face substantial repair costs and logistical challenges given the scale of the fleet involved. Beyond immediate expenditures, a formal finding of a defect would invite additional litigation risk and increase regulatory scrutiny of software reliant systems across automakers as the industry shifts to electronic actuation for doors, trunks and charging flaps.

From a policy perspective the case highlights tensions between design innovation and redundancy. Electronic latches can improve convenience and security, but they also require reliable fail safe mechanical alternatives and clear user instructions. Regulators will be weighing whether current standards for labeling, accessibility and user education are sufficient for modern vehicle designs.

Tesla did not immediately respond to requests for comment. NHTSA’s next steps will include collecting technical information and engaging with the automaker, after which the agency will decide whether the alleged condition constitutes a safety defect requiring mandatory corrective action.