Tesla faces safety investigation over faulty Model Y door handles

In the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated an investigation into potential defects in the electronic door handles of approximately 174,290 Tesla Model Y SUVs from the 2021 model year. These door handles have reportedly become inoperable, leading to dangerous situations where passengers, particularly children, have been trapped inside the vehicles. The probe was prompted by nine reports received by the Office of Defects Investigation, which described instances where parents were unable to access their children in the back seat or re-enter the vehicle after placing them inside before a drive. The unfortunate implications of such incidents raise serious safety concerns, especially regarding children's safety in emergency situations. The NHTSA highlighted the risks associated with entrapment, particularly in hot cars, as children could face life-threatening conditions if unable to exit. Furthermore, according to the investigation, these door handles may fail due to insufficient voltage supplied to the vehicle's electronic door locks, and in several extreme instances reported, parents resorted to breaking their vehicle's windows to rescue their children. Interestingly, despite potential defects, owners have reported no warnings indicating low battery voltage prior to these malfunctions. While internal manual door releases exist, they remain inaccessible to small children, exacerbating the entrapment risk. The agency has stated that it will closely monitor any further reports of entrapment to determine if additional actions are necessary. The investigation underscores ongoing concerns regarding Tesla's approach to electronic door mechanisms, highlighting the fundamental need for reliable safety functionality in vehicles designed with family use in mind.