ISLAMABAD: US auto safety regulators have opened a preliminary investigation into the 2021 Tesla Model Y after receiving multiple complaints from parents who were unable to open the vehicle from the outside, sometimes resorting to breaking windows to retrieve their children, according to an announcement reviewed Tuesday by AFP.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it received nine complaints involving the Model Y, with several incidents where parents were unable to access the rear seats to retrieve children.
In four of those cases, the parents reportedly had no option but to break a window to regain entry into the vehicle.
Although Tesla vehicles are equipped with manual door releases inside the cabin, those mechanisms are not always accessible to children, raising serious safety concerns.
Entrapment risks in emergencies
“Entrapment in a vehicle is particularly concerning in emergency situations, such as when children are entrapped in a hot vehicle,” the NHTSA stated in its notice.
A preliminary review indicates the issue may stem from the electronic door locks receiving insufficient voltage, which renders the exterior door handles inoperative. However, Tesla owners involved in the incidents did not receive low-voltage battery warnings prior to the failure.
The agency has now initiated a “preliminary evaluation” to determine the scope and severity of the issue.
Not first Tesla door issue
This investigation follows a string of incidents involving Tesla’s door mechanisms, some of which have had dangerous or even life-threatening consequences.
In one high-profile case from April, Alijah Arenas, a college basketball recruit from the University of Southern California, described being trapped inside a burning Tesla Cybertruck after it crashed into a tree. He said he was “fighting time” to escape, but couldn’t open the doors. Arenas was later placed in a medically induced coma. He survived by dousing himself with water as smoke filled the cabin.
Focus on exterior door lock failures
The current NHTSA probe is specifically focused on the inoperability of exterior electronic door locks, situations where there is no manual alternative to open the door. Although interior manual releases exist, the agency noted they are not accessible from the outside, and thus create a serious safety risk when passengers, especially children, are inside the vehicle.
The preliminary evaluation covers approximately 174,300 units of the 2021 Model Y, Tesla’s most popular midsize SUV.
Battery power concerns
The agency noted that the failures appear to occur when low voltage disrupts power to the door locks. In several repair invoices reviewed, battery replacements were performed after such incidents. Yet none of the owners reported receiving a low-voltage warning prior to the malfunction.
As part of the ongoing investigation, the NHTSA will evaluate:
- The design and reliability of Tesla’s power supply system for the door locks
- The effectiveness of battery alerts
- The potential risk posed in emergency entrapment situations
Despite the growing safety concerns and the federal investigation, Tesla’s stock remains resilient. As of 2 p.m. in New York (18:00 GMT) on Tuesday, Tesla shares were up approximately 2%, according to AP.
