NHTSA launches investigation into Model Y door handle issue, Tesla says it has started redesigning door handle

[PCauto] The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched a preliminary investigation on September 16, 2025, into approximately 174,000 units of the 2021 Tesla Model Y, focusing on the complete failure of electronic door handles when the low-voltage battery is insufficiently charged.

Model Y door handle issue has already drawn multiple owner complaints

The investigation into Model Y door handle malfunctions stems from multiple owner complaints, some involving emergency situations where children were trapped inside the vehicle. The incidents not only raised concerns about specific Tesla models but also prompted the industry to reassess the safety redundancy design of hidden door handles and electronic systems.

Background information from the investigation shows that NHTSA's preliminary evaluation is based on nine owner complaints, with four cases involving parents being forced to break windows to rescue trapped children due to an inability to open the doors from the outside.

These incidents mostly occurred after driving or before starting to drive, with children seated in the rear seats. Although the Tesla Model Y has a manual unlocking mechanism inside the vehicle, its design is hidden and the operation is complicated, making it difficult for children to use independently, thereby preventing timely escape in emergency situations.

NHTSA indicated that the investigation could be expanded to cover other model years, including the 2023 Tesla Model 3 and 2020-2023 Tesla Model Y, to comprehensively assess the prevalence of the issue.

Door handle malfunctions may stem from the low-voltage power supply system

In terms of technical defects, the malfunction may be directly related to insufficient voltage in the 12V low-voltage battery. When the battery level drops, the electronic door handle system fails, and the owner does not receive any warning signals, such as dashboard warning lights.

Maintenance records indicate that replacing the low-voltage battery is a common solution, but this does not fundamentally address the issue. The NHTSA further emphasized that the Tesla Model Y lacks a manual opening mechanism on the outside of the door, and the internal manual device may not function effectively due to design issues in case of a power outage or collision.

Since 2018, the NHTSA has received more than 140 related complaints, involving multiple incidents of injury and death, indicating that the problem is not isolated but a systemic safety fault.

This design defect exposes the risks in the trend of automotive electrification, where there is excessive reliance on electronic systems at the expense of the reliability of mechanical backups.

Tesla stated it is redesigning the door handle

Regarding Tesla's response, Franz von Holzhausen, Tesla's Chief Designer, revealed that the company is redesigning the door handle system, planning to integrate the electronic and manual unlocking functions into the same button to enhance reliability in emergency situations.

Additionally, Tesla stated that it will comply with regulatory requirements in global markets, including the initiative by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology to solicit opinions on safety standards for hidden door handles by May 2025.

Today, electric vehicles have adopted many innovative designs that have never appeared in fuel-powered cars and have not been validated before. For reasons unknown, automakers are reluctant to consider the safety risks of these designs. Now, it is time to revisit the discussion on what constitutes a safe design.