NHTSA Denies Tesla Petition, Will Pursue Rulemaking on Emergency Door Releases

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has denied a Tesla petition seeking a defect investigation into roughly 180,000 Model 3 vehicles for an issue involving emergency mechanical door releases.

What Happened

NHTSA rejected Tesla's petition that sought to throw out concerns about its door handles. The agency determined that Tesla's petition did not present evidence of a safety-related defect warranting an investigation. Instead, NHTSA said it would pursue a rulemaking process to address the lack of clear labeling and location of emergency mechanical door releases across all automakers. The agency identified only one complaint involving the mechanical door releases: a 2022 Model 3 owner reported the release was concealed and unlabeled after their vehicle lost power following a front-end collision. Tesla vehicles have electronically operated door handles, but include manual releases in case the 12V battery dies.

Why It Matters

All Teslas have mechanical emergency door releases on all four passenger doors, but their locations vary as vehicles are redesigned over time. Many owners may not know these releases exist or how to use them during a power loss. NHTSA's decision signals it intends to create federal rules requiring automakers to make emergency door latch releases more clearly labeled and identifiable—a standard that would apply industry-wide rather than targeting Tesla specifically.

The Bottom Line

NHTSA will move forward with rulemaking on emergency door-egress labeling rather than opening a defect investigation into Tesla's Model 3. Vehicle owners should consult their safety manuals to locate the mechanical door releases in their specific model year.