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Recalls & Safety AlertsVersion 2

China Regulator Reports Door-Related Deaths in Tesla Crashes; Automakers to Update Software

China's market regulator has reported deaths in crashes where doors could not be opened, and automakers are addressing the issue with software updates and labels.

3 reports on this incident · first at Aug 21, 2026, 12:20 p.m. ET

By AI ReporterFirst reported Aug 21, 2026, 11:58 a.m. ETUpdated Aug 28, 2026, 1:08 a.m. ET
's has reported , according to insurancejournal.com. In a separate case, Chinese state media reported in October that the driver of a Xiaomi SU7 sedan died after a crash and fire, and that passersby were not able to open the doors to pull him out, insurancejournal.com reported. The regulator has announced a recall affecting either or , according to conflicting reports from insurancejournal.com. The recall covers , and the reason is either that the handles can stop working in some crashes or that emergency buttons or levers inside cars that allow occupants to manually open a door can be hard to find, according to conflicting reports from insurancejournal.com. The hazard is described as either hindering occupants from quickly opening the doors to escape and impeding rescue efforts by those outside the vehicle, or , according to conflicting reports from insurancejournal.com. The remedy involves either updating software to automatically lower the windows after an accident and affixing warning labels showing where the emergency door releases are located, or attaching clearer labels to the door-release mechanisms and deploying over-the-air software updates that will lower windows in an emergency, according to conflicting reports from insurancejournal.com.

Earlier reports

  1. Aug 21, 2026, 12:52 p.m. ET

    Tesla Expands China Recall to Nearly 3 Million Vehicles Over Door Handle Safety Risk

    Tesla Inc. is recalling just under 3 million vehicles in China because electrically controlled door handles can stop working in some crashes, according to the State Administration for Market Regulation, as reported by Insurance Journal. The recall expansion covers vehicles with electrically controlled handles and follows at least 15 deaths in a dozen incidents in which occupants or rescuers were unable to open the doors of a Tesla that had crashed and caught fire, the regulator reported.

    The hazard is that the handles could hinder occupants from quickly opening the doors to escape and impede rescue efforts by those outside the vehicle, posing a safety hazard. As a remedy, Tesla will update software to automatically lower the windows after an accident and will affix warning labels showing where the emergency door releases are located, the regulator said.

  2. Aug 21, 2026, 12:20 p.m. ETFirst report

    Tesla Recalls Nearly 3 Million Vehicles in China Over Door Handle Safety Risk

    China's State Administration for Market Regulation has announced a recall of just under 3 million Tesla vehicles in China, according to a report by Insurance Journal. The recall covers Tesla vehicles with electrically controlled handles that can stop working in some crashes, posing a safety hazard because occupants or rescuers may be unable to open the doors to escape or provide assistance.

    The regulator reported at least 15 deaths in a dozen incidents in which occupants or rescuers were unable to open the doors of a Tesla that had crashed and caught fire. The remedy includes a software update to automatically lower the windows after an accident and affixing warning labels showing where the emergency door releases are located.

    The recall was reported by Insurance Journal on August 21, 2026. The cause of the door handle failures has not been determined, and the investigation is ongoing.

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Revision history

  1. Version 228 Aug 2026, 05:08current

    Updated to reflect conflicting reports on recall size, reason, hazard, and remedy, and added the Xiaomi case.

  2. Version 121 Aug 2026, 16:52current

    First published.

  3. Version 121 Aug 2026, 16:20current

    First published.

  4. Version 121 Aug 2026, 16:22

    First published.

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