US road safety regulators have launched an official investigation into certain units of the Tesla Model Y due to a potential defect in the electronic door handles, which could trap passengers inside the vehicle.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the preliminary evaluation covers about 174,300 Model Y SUVs from 2021, suspected of having an issue tied to the electronic door system, possibly triggered by low battery voltage. The agency reported receiving nine complaints from owners who were unable to open their vehicle’s doors.
The most common scenario described involved parents exiting the car and then trying to reach the back seat to place or retrieve a child, only to find the doors wouldn’t reopen. In four cases, people were forced to smash a window just to regain access to the vehicle. Although Tesla vehicles are equipped with manual emergency release mechanisms, the NHTSA stressed that a small child would be unable to reach or operate them, creating a serious safety risk in emergencies.
Early findings suggest the malfunction occurs when the electronic locks receive insufficient voltage. However, owners reported that no low-battery warning appeared before the handles became unusable, making the issue even more concerning. Repair records reviewed by the agency show that batteries were replaced after such incidents, hinting at a connection between the defect and the vehicle’s power supply.
The NHTSA investigation will aim to determine the true extent and severity of the problem, while also evaluating the reliability of Tesla’s design for powering the electronic locks. For now, the focus remains on the inability to open doors from the outside, since this is the only situation without a manual fallback. Nonetheless, the agency confirmed it will keep monitoring any new reports related to interior door openings and will take further action if necessary.
