Tesla recalls nearly 3 million cars in China over door escape risk

Tesla is recalling nearly 3 million vehicles in China after regulators found the manual door release inside the car — the backup handle used to get out if the car loses power in a crash — was too hard to find or use. The problem isn't the flush outer handles Tesla is known for, but the interior emergency release, which blends in with the surrounding trim and can be hard to spot in an emergency. The recall covers Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X vehicles built or sold in China, and takes effect September 25, 2026. Rather than changing the physical door hardware, Tesla plans to add warning labels and send an over-the-air software update that changes how windows lower to help people escape.

Eight other automakers, including Xiaomi, Xpeng, and Geely, filed similar recalls the same day for the same issue, making this one of China's broadest safety actions on hidden door mechanisms, though Tesla's recall is by far the largest.

This isn't just a China issue. In the US, Tesla faces wrongful-death lawsuits over door handles trapping people after crashes, and federal safety regulators have opened new rulemaking on the door release design after denying an earlier petition. Members of Congress have also introduced a bill specifically targeting the handles. If you own one of the affected Tesla models, this recall as filed applies to vehicles in China — but the underlying design concern is part of a wider review playing out in the US as well.