Tesla Model Y door handles now under federal safety scrutiny

Break window to free child

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation says it has received nine complaints from the owners of model year 2021 Tesla Model Y that have resulted in this investigation. The complaints detail owners' experiences with a 12 V power failure and inoperable doors, trapping children or dogs in cars on hot days. In most cases, the car suffered a power failure after the parent had placed the child in the back seat, and in four instances, the only way to free the trapped occupants was by breaking a window.

NHTSA notes that while there are manual emergency door releases, "a child may not be able to access or operate the releases even if the vehicle’s driver is aware of them." To make matters worse, NHTSA says that none of the reported complaints say they saw a low voltage warning light before the 12 V battery failed. The agency also criticizes the complicated process required to start a Tesla with off-board 12 V power, which "requires applying 12 volts DC from a separate power source to two different points accessible from the vehicle’s exterior," something that "may not be readily available to owners or well known."