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General
Noticia
NHTSA denies investigation into 2022 Tesla Model 3 emergency door handles
The NHTSA denied a petition to open a defect investigation into the mechanical emergency door releases on the 2022 Tesla Model 3. The request followed a crash where the vehicle lost electrical power and caught fire, rendering the primary electric door handles inoperable. The driver could not locate the manual door release and exited through a rear window. The agency acknowledged entrapment risks from hard-to-find releases but noted only one similar complaint among nearly 180,000 vehicles. Current FMVSS 206 does not mandate specific location or labeling for manual releases. NHTSA decided to upd
- Petition to investigate 2022 Model 3 emergency handles was denied
- Only one similar complaint among nearly 180,000 vehicles
- FMVSS 206 does not regulate manual handle location or labeling
🔎 Why it matters: NHTSA's decision on the 2022 Model 3 emergency door handles petition impacts interpretation and potential updates to FMVSS 206.
📈 Upside: NHTSA considers updating regulations for all manufacturers the appropriate approach.
📉 Risk: Current manual handle designs that are hard to find may pose entrapment risks in emergencies.
🤖 Automated analysis and summary. Every story links its original source for verification.