China’s regulators have initiated one of the year’s largest vehicle safety recalls, affecting over 4 million cars, including nearly 3 million Teslas, due to design flaws in emergency door handles that could hinder escape during crashes.
China’s regulators have triggered a sweeping recall of more than 4 million vehicles over concerns that interior emergency door handles may be difficult to identify and use in a crash. According to China’s State Administration for Market Regulation, the issue affects multiple domestic and foreign brands, with Tesla accounting for the largest share.
The concern centres on hidden or flush-mounted handles and the mechanical release mechanism inside the cabin. In some vehicles, the emergency handle is similar in colour to surrounding trim, which may make it harder to find quickly if the low-voltage electrical system fails after a severe impact. That could delay escape by occupants and complicate rescue efforts, according to reporting by AP and The Washington Post.
Tesla’s China recall alone covers about 2.98 million vehicles, including China-made Model 3 and Model Y cars, as well as imported Model 3, Model S and Model X models, AP reported. Reuters’ reporting, echoed by other outlets, said the broader action also includes vehicles from Xiaomi, Leapmotor, Geely, XPeng, Chery, BAIC and several other Chinese manufacturers, making it one of the country’s largest safety campaigns this year.
Among the other affected models are Xiaomi’s SU7, Leapmotor’s C01 and C11, XPeng’s G6, P7+ and X9, and a series of Zeekr, Dongfeng, FAW Hongqi, BAIC BluePark and Chery vehicles. The remedies vary by maker but are expected to include warning labels on the mechanical emergency release and, for most vehicles, an over-the-air software update that adds a post-crash window-lowering function. The recall follows renewed scrutiny of door-handle design after a fatal Xiaomi SU7 crash drew attention to the difficulty of locating emergency release mechanisms.
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