The NHTSA confirmed on Wednesday that it will conduct an investigation into complaints about the mechanical door releases of 2022 Tesla (TSLA) Model 3 vehicles. The investigation will cover 179,071 vehicles.
The Office of Defects Investigation received a petition on November 24 requesting the defect investigation into the mechanical door release. The petition cited allegations that the mechanical door release is hidden, unlabeled, and not intuitive to locate during an emergency.
The NHTSA received one complaint of an injury tied to the issue.
“During a head-on collision on [XXX] in Georgia, the electrical system in my 2022 Tesla Model 3 lost power and the electric door releases stopped functioning. The vehicle interior caught fire and I was trapped inside. I was unaware of the location of the hidden mechanical emergency door release because it is not visibly labeled, not explained upon delivery, and not intuitive in an emergency. I was forced to climb to the back seat and break the rear passenger window with my legs to escape while the interior was burning. I suffered a broken hip, broken arm, and later required a full hip replacement. The mechanical emergency door release was concealed and unlabeled, resulting in entrapment during a fire, which is a violation of FMVSS 206 and presents a continuing and life-threatening safety hazard to all drivers and passengers.”
Separately, there are media reports indicating occupants of a Tesla Model 3 or emergency responders struggled to open the vehicle doors.
Shares of Tesla (TSLA) dipped 1.0% in Wednesday morning trading.