Tesla admits hidden door handles pose safety hazard following China’s new regulations, recalls nearly 3 million vehicles.
According to the BBC, Tesla is recalling almost 3 million cars in China because of new rules on hidden door handles. In February 2026, Chinese authorities announced that all car doors must have a mechanical release on both the inside and outside. This has led to the country’s biggest car recall, affecting 4 million cars from companies such as Xiaomi, Xpeng, and others. The list includes Chinese-made and imported Teslas, numbering around 2.98 million, with similar door handles.
The new safety regulation will come into effect on 1 January 2027. The ruling cites safety concerns about electric cars with hidden doors. As per the BBC, the new regulation comes after fatal crashes were reported in China, where Xiaomi car doors refused to open during accidents. The recalled cars must have a warning label on the inside. Also, the recalled cars require a software update that opens windows in the event of emergencies.
As per a statement from a Tesla spokesperson, the Model X, Y, S, and 3 have hidden door handles. Tesla admitted that their current design “poses a safety hazard” and can impede users trying to exit the vehicle:
“In extreme situations such as a severe collision causing the vehicle’s low-voltage system to fail, this could hinder occupants from quickly opening the doors to escape and impede rescue efforts.”
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US Regulators Probed Tesla About Door Handle Issues Last Year
Tesla also came under scrutiny in the United States for its door handles. In a letter dated October 27, 2025, NHTSA informed the auto company about a preliminary investigation into Tesla users unable to open car doors. The US regulatory body said it received “16 reports of exterior door handles becoming inoperative due to low 12VDC battery voltage in certain MY 2021 Tesla Model Y vehicles.”
Earlier in September 2025, a Bloomberg feature also highlighted the dangers of Tesla doors malfunctioning during crashes. As of July 2026, the NHTSA is considering bringing in new laws that enforce a safety standard for all car doors in the US. The agency came to this conclusion after a California resident petitioned for car doors to have mechanical releases. However, it is unclear how long such a law will take to come into effect.
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