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Welcome back, everyone. Today we’re tackling a piece of Tesla news that’s sparking concern—and for good reason. Tesla is redesigning its flush door handles after multiple reports that people, including children, were trapped inside Tesla vehicles when the electronic door-release mechanism failed. The U.S. NHTSA is investigating over 170,000 Model Y cars because, in certain power-loss or crash scenarios, the electronic and manual release systems are separate—and often confusing. If you’ve ever wondered, how safe are flush door handles in electric cars, this episode is for you.
Here’s the crux: Tesla’s current handles rely on a sequence—push electronic release, the window drops slightly, the latch disengages, then you open. That looks sleek on the outside but hides risk. The manual release is tucked away, and in an emergency, many people don’t know where it is—or that it even exists. That echoes problems discussed in “Do Not Make These Mistakes and Ruin Your Tesla,” where using the manual door release improperly or relying exclusively on electronics without knowing your vehicle’s failbacks are among the mistakes Tesla owners often make.
Watch my podcast on Tesla’s door-handle redesign at the Torque News Youtube Channel below.
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Tesla says the fix will be a combined mechanism: one release that works electronically in normal circumstances but mechanically when power is out. Testing is reportedly underway. But here’s where history matters: in 2019, a crash with a Tesla Model S showed how flush external handles and electronic systems can fail in real emergencies. Rescuers couldn’t open the doors because handles didn’t extend properly— eerily similar to predictions from a Tesla forum post in 2017. That story is covered in the Torque News piece “Rescuers Unable to Help Occupants of Crashed Tesla Model S – Scenario Eerily Predicted on Tesla Forum 2017.”
So, what should you do as a Tesla (or EV) owner right now? First, locate the manual door release in your car—don’t wait for an emergency. Know if it’s visible, read the manual, test (safely) that it works. Second, spread awareness—tell family and passengers where to look in a panic. Third, follow developments on Tesla’s redesign—whether your vehicle qualifies for retrofit or safety updates. Also revisit Torque News’ “12 Mistakes Tesla Owners Are Making”—mistake #6 in that list is about relying too much on electronic mechanisms without understanding manual backups.
I want to leave you with a question: if you were in a crash, with power systems down, could you get out? Would your children or someone sitting in the back? Drop a comment below if you’ve ever tested the manual door release in your Tesla, or if you’re surprised by where it’s located. And if you found this useful, share it with other EV owners. Because when it comes to safety, understanding how to open your Tesla door when the system fails isn’t just a feature—it might be the difference between getting out or being trapped.
Armen Hareyan is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Torque News. He founded TorqueNews.com in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, and Youtube. He has more than a decade of expertise in the automotive industry with a special interest in Tesla and electric vehicles.
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Source: torquenews.com
