WASHINGTON — U.S. federal road safety regulators have opened a Tesla investigation over potential defects in the electronic doors of the 2021 Model Y, following reports of parents who had to break windows to rescue their children trapped in the back seat.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it received at least nine complaints about exterior door handles failing, apparently due to low battery voltage. While Tesla vehicles are equipped with manual interior door releases, the agency noted that children may not be able to reach or operate them.
The preliminary investigation covers roughly 174,300 Tesla Model Y SUVs and will focus on the reliability of electronic locks from the outside. NHTSA will also review the vehicle’s electrical system design and how Tesla powers the doors.
This issue adds to a series of previous incidents. In April, college basketball player Alijah Arenas survived a crash in a Cybertruck that caught fire after he could not open the doors. In another case, relatives of a Model 3 driver sued Tesla in Los Angeles, alleging negligence and fraud for failing to fix a design flaw linked to deadly fires.
Tesla is already facing additional NHTSA investigations, including:
- Its “Smart Summon” feature, which allows cars to move autonomously in parking lots and has been linked to minor collisions.
- Driver-assistance systems in 2.4 million vehicles, under scrutiny after accidents in fog or low-visibility conditions.
- Alleged failures to report crashes to NHTSA on time.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk continues to promote Tesla’s next-generation autonomous features, claiming drivers will “not even need to look out the window”, with plans to launch Tesla robotaxis next year.
Despite regulatory pressure and declining sales, Tesla shares rose more than 2% on Tuesday, closing at $419.25, after Musk spent $1 billion on company stock.
