Nearly three million Teslas recalled over hidden door handles

More than 4 million cars affected in total

The controversial designs of hidden door handles, which are now at the centre of the big recall, has affected more than 4 million vehicles, the BBC reported.

Affected by the recall are 2.98 million Teslas made in China, and it comes amid safety concerns that these hidden door handles are difficult to locate and open in situations of emergency.

Carmakers XPeng, Xiaomi and Geely are other brands that have been affected by the recall.

Following the recall, these cars will now have a warning label stuck on the interior door.

They will also receive a software update to automatically lower the windows in the case of a crash.

Why the designs have come under scrutiny

Two fatal crashes in China which involved Xiamo EVs, in which power failures were suspected to have prevented doors from being opened, is the cause of the scrutiny.

In a statement made Friday, Tesla said that it was recalling some of its Model 3, Y, S and X vehicles due to door handles that are "difficult to identify and operate because their colour is similar to the interior trim".

"In extreme situations such as a severe collision causing the vehicle's low-voltage system to fail, this could hinder occupants from quickly opening the doors to escape and impede rescue efforts by those outside the vehicle, posing a safety hazard," it said.

Warning labels would be placed on the recalled vehicles and a software updates would get issued to automatically lower a car’s windows after a collision, Tesla said.

If the affected companies plan to make a similar recall for the rest of the world remains unclear.

US President Donald Trump and White House Senior Advisor at the time, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, standing next to a Tesla Model Y on the South Lawn of the White House on March 11, 2025 Getty Images)

The handle designs created a 'snowball' effect

Tu Le, founder of consultancy Sino Auto Insights that that these designs of hidden handles have “snowballed” as Chinese brands were quick to copy the “sleek” look of Tesla’s Model S sedan since 2014.

He further added that the use of warning labels and a software update is more of a “band-aid” than a lasting solution for the issue.

Authorities in China announced the ban on hidden door handles in February.

Vehicles will only be allowed to be sold in China if they have a mechanical release on both the inside and outside of their doors, as per new rules due to take effect on 1 January 2027.

Meanwhile, Tesla’s door handles were also involved in a probe by US safety regulators after reports that children were left trapped in cars as the handles suddenly stopped working.