Tesla recalls 3 million cars in China over door safety

Tesla ↗ 0.37% on Friday launched two separate recalls covering millions of vehicles in China, as Beijing intensifies its safety oversight of the electric vehicle industry amid a cutthroat price war.

The larger of the two actions is part of China's biggest automotive recall to date. Tesla and eight other automakers filed to recall a combined 4.3 million vehicles over concerns that emergency mechanical door releases may be difficult to locate or operate following a severe collision, according to China's State Administration for Market Regulation. Tesla's share alone covers 2.98 million imported and domestically built Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X vehicles, making it the company's largest recall in any market.cnbc+2

Door Handle Safety

The recall stems from the flush, electronically actuated door handles that Tesla popularized and that Chinese EV makers widely adopted. When a vehicle loses power after a crash, occupants may be unable to identify the manual backup release, which regulators say blends into the surrounding interior trim. Reports have linked at least 15 fatalities to rescuers being unable to open doors at Tesla vehicle fire scenes, according to South Korea's SBS News.electrek+2

Tesla's remedy includes free installation of warning labels to identify the emergency handles and an over-the-air software update that automatically lowers all windows after a collision is detected. Xiaomi, Xpeng ↗ 4.04%, Leapmotor, and Geely brands Zeekr and Lynk & Co. are among the other companies filing similar recalls. China in February finalized a ban on hidden door handles starting in 2027, making it the first country to phase out the design.autos.yahoo+5

Driver Monitoring Deficiency

In a separate action filed the same day, Tesla is recalling 2,740,642 domestically built Model 3 and Model Y vehicles produced between March 2019 and December 2025 over inadequate driver monitoring. SAMR found that Tesla's existing steering-wheel torque detection was insufficient to alert drivers when their gaze left the road while using assisted-driving features. Tesla will add cabin-camera eye-tracking via an over-the-air update.electrek+2

Broader Regulatory Pressure

The recalls land as Tesla faces parallel scrutiny in the United States, where the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened rulemaking that could reshape door-handle standards, and multiple wrongful-death lawsuits blame the design for trapping crash victims. Members of Congress have introduced the "SAFE Exit Act" targeting the issue. Tesla's door-handle recall in China takes effect September 25.reuters+1