The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recently opened an investigation into approximately 180,000 Tesla Model 3s produced in 2022, focusing on a potential issue with their emergency door-release mechanisms.
According to the official NHTSA announcement, their Office of Defects division received a petition on November 24 claiming that the mechanical door release is “hidden,” “unlabeled,” and “not intuitive to locate during an emergency.”
The petition to look into the problems stems from reports that the emergency door’s design could delay occupants inside the car when its electronic systems fail, at some of the most critical times, like after a crash.
The NHTSA evaluation was prompted by other reports and rumors of problems involving more Tesla models, in which doors also failed to open post-crash or were difficult to open during a rescue.
A recent Bloomberg report detailed a collection of cases across multiple models in which occupants or rescuers outside faced considerable challenges breaking into the cars. A potentially “longer-than-should-be” process, which can directly contribute to worse injuries or fatalities – especially in situations like fire-related crashes.
That report claims that, as of 2025, at least 15 deaths can be attributed to Tesla door safety issues.
As of the time of publication, Tesla has not issued a public response on its website or official X account regarding this specific defect petition. Elon Musk has also not commented on the door problems in any recent posts.
This recent check-in by the NHTSA is in a “petition evaluation” phase and is still listed as an “open investigation,” with more details likely to come.
In the meantime, Tesla drivers who own that year and model have been told to check the manual door release locations in their vehicle’s manual or on Tesla.com. Owners can also check for updates via NHTSA’s recall portal at www.nhtsa.gov/recalls using their VIN.
