The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into reports that the door handles on Tesla’s Model Y SUVs may fail to operate in certain situations.
The probe, announced on Tuesday by the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), follows nine complaints from vehicle owners who reported being unable to open their doors. In several cases, parents reported that they were unable to access the rear doors to remove their children after exiting the vehicle.
According to ODI, four owners were forced to break a window to regain entry into their cars.
This inquiry comes just days after Bloomberg published findings on multiple incidents in which Tesla owners and passengers became trapped inside vehicles following crashes.
A preliminary ODI review suggests that the issue may arise when the electronic door locks receive insufficient voltage from the battery system. However, none of the owners who submitted complaints reported seeing low-voltage battery warnings.
Tesla vehicles are equipped with manual door releases, but these are located inside the car. ODI noted that the releases can be difficult for children to reach, and some owners are unaware of their existence.
Tesla’s manuals indicate that electronic door locks can be restored by connecting an external power source, though the process involves multiple steps.
Tesla has not yet commented on the investigation.
