The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) may conduct a closer examination of the door handle mechanisms in certain Tesla vehicles after a consumer claimed he was trapped inside his car.
The NHTSA’s Office of Defect Investigation filed a document evaluating the issue on Dec. 23. The document says the ODI received a defect petition on Nov. 24 alleging that the 2022 Tesla Model 3’s “mechanical door release is hidden, unlabeled and not intuitive to locate during an emergency.”
Bloomberg reports that Kevin Clouse, based in Georgia, filed the petition, claiming he was trapped in his Tesla in 2023. The NHTSA has not yet decided whether to open an investigation, according to multiple news sources.
This potential investigation is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding Tesla’s door handle mechanism. Bloomberg reports that about 15 people have died after car accidents because they couldn’t open their Teslas’ doors.
