China’s safety agency just ordered the recall of 4.3 million vehicles with retractable door handles because the handles can make it too difficult to open the doors in an emergency. It is the largest automotive recall in China’s history.
Recall by the Numbers
Of the 4.3 million Chinese vehicles recalled, 2.98 million are Teslas while nine other manufacturers comprise the remaining 1.3 million affected vehicles. Furthermore, China is the first country to ban flush-mounted door handles by 2027. The move came after a motorist died when bystanders were unable to open the doors to a vehicle that was on fire.
The Problem
The emergency mechanical door release handle in these recalled vehicles may be hard to open or locate in a crash. There have been cases in both China and the U.S. of deaths — electronic door release failures are partly responsible for an estimated 15 deaths in the U.S. — because passersby couldn’t figure out how to open a car door to help someone trapped inside. Secondary release handles inside the car can also be hard to locate, and finding them can be even more chaotic after a crash has taken place.
Tesla said it would redesign its door handles back in 2025 due, in part, to these issues. While Tesla popularized the flush door handle appearance, several brands in the U.S. including Rivian, Hyundai, and more, have adopted the look. The fixes can largely be tackled with over-the-air updates and updated warning labels, officials noted.
Handling the Issue
The recall for nearly 3 million Chinese-made Tesla vehicles begins Sept. 25. The repairs include new warning labels and over-the-air updates that automatically lower the car’s windows after a crash.
In the U.S., the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it would consider new rules for retractable door handles. Now that we’ve seen China’s approach to this problem, will the U.S. follow a similar path with a massive recall?
