China's market regulator has announced recalls affecting nearly three million Tesla vehicles and millions more from Chinese manufacturers due to emergency door handles that are difficult to identify and operate during emergencies.
China's State Administration for Market Regulation announced a series of recalls on Friday involving Tesla and eight Chinese automakers over safety concerns with interior door handles that could impede emergency exits from vehicles. Tesla's recall encompasses approximately 2.9 million domestically-manufactured Model 3 and Model Y electric vehicles, with the recall process beginning September 25. The company is also recalling roughly 46,000 imported units of its Model 3, Model X, and Model S variants.
According to the watchdog, the problematic handles are designed in colours matching the vehicle interior, making them difficult to locate and operate during emergencies. In Tesla's Model 3, for instance, passengers must reach into a door pocket compartment to locate a release cable for opening the rear door. The regulator warned that in severe collision scenarios where a vehicle's electrical system fails, these handles could significantly delay passengers' ability to exit the vehicle for escape and rescue operations. Tesla is simultaneously recalling 2.7 million domestically-made Model 3 and Model Y vehicles over separate monitoring system issues related to steering assistance functions, though it remains unclear if some vehicles are counted in both recalls.
Chinese manufacturers face similar issues, with Xiaomi recalling approximately 390,000 SU7 series vehicles, XPeng recalling nearly 265,000 cars, and other brands including Geely, Chery, and Leapmotor also issuing recalls. BAIC BluePark began recalling around 46,000 Arcfox Kaola vehicles over insufficient warning text near emergency mechanisms. The manufacturers have offered solutions including free warning label installations and software upgrades to lower windows automatically after crashes, addressing growing safety concerns in China regarding how modern vehicle design aesthetics may compromise emergency functionality.
