Tesla door-handle danger reports prompt attention from US regulators

Safety regulators in the US will begin exploring new rules for a safe and obvious way to exit cars, following a petition stating Tesla vehicles can’t be easily escaped after a crash.

A notice published this week by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the US said it will start work on new rules to mandate “a robust and obvious door egress system in all motor vehicles”.

“On November 4, 2025, NHTSA's Office of Rulemaking received a petition to initiate the issuance of a new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) to mandate a robust and obvious door egress system in all motor vehicles,” it said.

MORE: Volvo EX60 shark-fin door handles boost driving range, not related to Chinese ban

The request has been granted, and the Agency will accordingly commence a rule-making proceeding, the notice stated.

“A decision as to the issuance of a rule will be made on the basis of all available information developed in the course of the rulemaking proceeding, in accordance with statutory criteria.”

China, where most Teslas are built for Australian buyers, has already mandated similar rules. From next year, power-operated door handles in Chinese cars will need to include a physical release that is easily accessible for interior and exterior handles.

The plan to crack down on confusing car door handles is in response to petitioner Kevin Clouse, who claimed he was unable to escape his 2022 Tesla Model 3 after it lost power and caught fire following a head-on collision.

MORE: Hidden door handle ban confirmed for China poised to affect the world

“The Petitioner stated he was unable to locate the mechanical door handle, forcing him to climb into the back seat and exit the vehicle through a rear passenger window,” the notice stated.

The Petitioner further stated that “the mechanical emergency door release in his 2022 MY Tesla Model 3 is not accessible and clearly identifiable.”

Clouse had petitioned for a “defect investigation” to be opened into current Tesla vehicles, but the NHTSA instead stated that “the issue” would be “best addressed” through new legislation.

The announcement by the NHTSA doesn’t guarantee when or if any new rules will ever come into force, with Bloomberg reporting that developing new requirements for automakers in the US can take years and face opposition from industry.

MORE: Tesla earning $1.2 billion from Full Self-Driving subscriptions

The Tesla Model Y was Australia’s overall best-selling vehicle in May and June, becoming the first electric vehicle to ever top monthly sales charts.

The Model Y’s Australian user manual shows there are manual door handle releases in front of the window switches on the vehicle's front doors, which, in the latest builds, are marked so they can be more easily seen.

For the rear doors, there are manual release cables concealed under a cover at the bottom of the rear door pockets.

Bloomberg has also repeatedly reported on cases where occupants of Tesla vehicles died after rescuers or those inside were unable to open the cars doors after it crashed and caught fire.