NHTSA Opens Probe Into 174K Tesla Model Y SUVs After Reports Of Children Trapped Inside: ‘A Child May Not Be Able To…’

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into an estimated 174,290 Tesla Inc. TSLA Model Y crossover SUVs over faulty electronic door handles.

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Parents Had To Break Windows To Regain Entry, NHTSA Says

The investigation, opened on Monday after the agency said it received multiple complaints that owners of the 2021 Model Y were unable to regain access to the vehicle after exiting. The owners also complained that they were unable to retrieve the children placed in the car after exiting the car or before beginning a drive cycle.

Four instances highlighted in the report via Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) «reported resorting to breaking a window to regain entry into the vehicle,» the report said.

The NHTSA acknowledged the manual releases on the doors, but also said that «a child may not be able to access or operate the releases even if the vehicle’s driver is aware of them,» which could lead to complications during emergencies, such as children suffering from heatstroke due to being entrapped in a hot vehicle, among other risks.

«This condition appears to occur when the electronic door locks receive insufficient voltage from the vehicle,» the report said, adding that none of the VOQs highlighted seeing any low voltage warnings before the doors became inoperative. NHTSA said its investigation will «assess» the technology used by Tesla to supply power to the doors.

«NHTSA’s investigation is focused on the operability of the electronic door locks from outside of the vehicle as that circumstance is the only one in which there is no manual way to open the door,» the agency said.

Source: NHTSA

China’s Ban On Flush Door Handles

The news comes as authorities in China have proposed banning electronically-operated flush door handles, which recede into the door panel when not in use, by the year 2027. The authorities cited safety and functionality concerns with the technology.

Flush door handles are mainly employed by electric vehicle manufacturers, who maintain that the technology helps reduce wind resistance and therefore aids in increased range for the car.

Ford’s Mustang Mach-E Recall

Meanwhile, Ford Motor Co. F had earlier issued a recall for over 197,000 Mustang Mach-E vehicles over issues with its electronically-operated door handles.

The issue mainly affected the rear seat occupants, who could become trapped inside the vehicle after the front seat occupants exit the car, which could be a risk in emergencies.

Tesla Model Y L Sees Strong China Performance

Elsewhere, the Model Y L, a six-seater variant of the Model Y SUV exclusive to China, has been seeing a strong sales performance in the market. The Crossover SUV has already racked up 120,000 orders in the region and is averaging 10,000 orders a day, according to local Tesla representatives.

Tesla’s Chinese sales in Q3 have grown compared to the previous quarter, with the company reporting 15.4k new insured registrations in China during the second week of September.

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