U.S. investigates 174,000 Tesla Model Y SUVs over door-handle failures

U.S. government investigates Tesla vehicles

The United States government is conducting a formal investigation into safety issues related to Tesla vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the federal agency responsible for car safety, has begun a preliminary evaluation.

The NHTSA sent an information request on October 27, 2025, seeking data for PE25-010, which focuses on the 2021 Model Y exterior door handle performance under low-voltage conditions.

The government is concerned that the unique exterior door handles are malfunctioning and preventing people from entering or exiting the car.

Complaints trigger a federal safety probe

This investigation was launched because hundreds of Tesla owners reported the same problem to the government. NHTSA cited 9 owner complaints at the opening, rising to 16 by October 27, 2025, according to the agency’s information request. The primary concern is that the flush-mounted electric door handles can stop working.

This failure may prevent people from being able to open the door from the outside, which is especially dangerous if the vehicle has lost power. This issue creates a serious safety risk if a person needs to be rescued quickly in an emergency.

Scope of the safety review expands

Following numerous reports, the federal safety review focuses on many vehicles that have already been sold in the United States. The initial investigation looks at every 2024 and 2025 Model 3 and Model Y vehicle built for the U.S. market.

The initial population under review is 174,000 MY2021 Model Y; NHTSA may broaden the scope depending on evidence. Government engineers must now collect parts and data to determine if the handle problem is a minor, isolated issue or a widespread, dangerous technical defect.

Technology of the flush-mounted handles

The safety issue involves the unique design of Tesla’s doors. The handles on the Model 3 and Y are designed to be flat, or flush, with the car’s body, helping the vehicle conserve energy.

To open the door, a person must press the broader end of the handle, which causes the front part to pivot outward. This system relies on both mechanical parts for the pivot and an electronic latch system that must receive power from the car’s battery to unlatch the door.

Low power issue affects the mechanism

The investigation strongly suggests that the door handle failures are linked to the car’s 12-volt low-voltage battery system. The electronic latch requires a specific amount of power to function correctly.

When the 12-volt battery is too low, the electronic signal to the latch fails to function. This causes the handles to become inoperative from the outside. Drivers reported that they often were not warned that the 12-volt battery was running low before the door handle failure happened.

This is not Tesla’s first door issue

While the current 2025 investigation is new and specific, Tesla has faced door challenges before. This history is vital to the case. Older Model S vehicles utilized different, more complex motorized retractable handles that often failed to pop out.

Also, the same Model 3 and Y handles have sometimes been reported to freeze shut in frigid weather. These previous problems demonstrate that reliable, high-tech door systems have been a persistent engineering challenge for the automaker.

Emergency door releases are required

Because the main inside door opener is an electric button, the government requires a manual emergency release to be installed inside all cars. This is a crucial component of the vehicle’s safety technology.

The 2024 and 2025 Model 3 and Model Y front doors have a strong mechanical lever. This lever is located directly in front of the window buttons and is designed to be pulled if the car loses all electrical power.

Rear door safety is a serious concern

The complaints that started the investigation often highlighted the harrowing nature of escaping the rear door. Per Tesla’s manual, the rear door can be opened by removing a small cover at the bottom of the rear door pocket and pulling the mechanical release cable.

This hidden design is precarious for children or older passengers trying to exit quickly, reinforcing the government’s concern over passenger safety.

Possible outcomes of the probe

The government’s Preliminary Evaluation is the first step in the process. After reviewing all the data and the more than 300 complaints, the NHTSA will make a decision. There are three possible outcomes for the investigation.

First, the agency found no safety problem and closed the case. Second, it could be moved to an Engineering Analysis, a more in-depth and serious study. Third, the NHTSA could require Tesla to issue a safety recall to address all the defective door handle parts.

Tesla’s previous technical fix

Tesla has previously attempted to address the issue of the car losing power to the door handles. The company sent out several over-the-air software updates to the vehicles. These remote updates were designed to monitor the health of the 12-volt battery more effectively.

The software updates warn the driver to replace or service the battery before its power is too low. This feature is part of the car’s advanced technology, but the ongoing investigation shows the software fix was insufficient.

Hardware changes made in early 2025

To improve safety, Tesla began to change the design of the rear door release. Tesla’s Model 3 manual notes that vehicles built at Gigafactory Shanghai as of approximately February 2025 are listed in the door-release section. In contrast, Tesla’s Model Y manual shows the covered rear release cable but doesn’t specify a February 2025 design change.

The company made the manual rear cable easier to find by placing it under a small, removable cover near the door pocket. This hardware change was made quietly and does not apply to the hundreds of thousands of older cars under investigation.

Want to know why thousands of Tesla SUVs are under scrutiny? Read more in U.S. investigates 174,000 Tesla Model Y vehicles for door-handle failures.

Government focus on vehicle safety standards

If the government finds enough evidence of a safety problem during the Preliminary Evaluation, the next factual step is to upgrade the investigation. The NHTSA would move the case to an Engineering Analysis.

This is a more intense phase, during which engineers study the technical design more closely. At this stage, the government can request formal testing of the door systems and their components. This step must be completed before the agency can legally require Tesla to issue a safety recall for the Model 3 and Model Y.

Curious why Tesla dropped its most affordable Cybertruck? Get the story in Tesla scraps cheapest Cybertruck as demand falls short.

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This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.