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NHTSA rejects petition for Tesla emergency door release probe
The agency said the issue is better handled through rulemaking, after it pointed to federal rules that do not cover labeling or location of emergency mechanical door releases.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has denied a petition seeking a defect investigation into the emergency mechanical door release on about 180,000 Tesla Model 3 vehicles, according to an Insurance Journal report.
NHTSA said the petition did not provide evidence of a likely safety related defect that would warrant an investigation, and it added that the matter would be more appropriately addressed through an ongoing rulemaking process. The petition covered 2022 model year Model 3 vehicles and alleged the manual door release can be difficult to locate after a crash if the vehicle loses power, increasing the risk that occupants could get trapped.
NHTSA said federal safety rules for vehicle door locks and latches do not address the labeling or location of emergency mechanical door releases, and it referenced a separate petition to consider whether regulations should require an emergency door egress system for electrical power failures. The agency said it would gather additional information and solicit public comments to determine whether a new safety standard is appropriate.
The agency also said it received a single consumer complaint involving a 2022 Model 3 alleging the mechanical door release was concealed and unlabeled after the vehicle lost electrical power in a front impact crash, and noted that the petition cited the same vehicle. Insurance Journal reports that Tesla’s electronically operated door handles have faced scrutiny after crashes in which occupants were reportedly unable to exit after losing power, prompting calls for stricter federal emergency door release standards.