Component
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HANDLE:INTERIOR
40 NHTSA complaints about structure:body:door:handle:interior issues across 16 makes and 25 models.
Data updated August 2026
NHTSA ODI component intake brief
ODI category STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HANDLE:INTERIOR
40 filings · 25 models · 16 makes · vintage August 2026
- FILINGS SPARSE 40 ODI rows
- MODELS 25 nameplates citing this part
- MAKES 16 manufacturers in corpus
- CRASH 0.0% 0 crash-flagged
- RANK #356 of 696 categories
- SEV QUIET 0 deaths · 3 injuries
Filing-volume peers
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HANDLE:INTERIOR sits SPARSE on ODI intake volume (#356 of 696 standardized categories) with a QUIET severity stamp (0 reported fatalities across 25 models). Open LEXUS RX (category leader) →
The structure:body:door:handle:interior is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 40 filings from 16 manufacturers and 25 distinct vehicle models, a footprint large enough that defect engineers can isolate part-family patterns across different platforms that share the same supplier or the same federal motor vehicle safety standard.
Among filings citing this component, owners have reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the LEXUS RX with 6 filings, followed by MERCEDES-BENZ C300 and FORD FUSION. These severity counters are what separates a nuisance complaint trend from a pattern NHTSA is likely to escalate into a Preliminary Evaluation.
Component-level analysis is how the Office of Defects Investigation spots cross-manufacturer supplier issues, the same airbag inflator, the same takata-style ignition switch, the same brake hose material, before they become industry-wide recalls. When you see a single component accumulating large complaint volume across several unrelated nameplates, that is usually a signature of a shared supplier or a shared federal standard being stressed by real-world conditions. Use the affected-vehicles table below to see whether the pattern is concentrated on a handful of models or distributed evenly, and cross-reference each model's full recall and investigation history before drawing conclusions about any one nameplate.
Most Affected Vehicles
| # | Vehicle | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LEXUS RX | 6 |
| 2 | MERCEDES-BENZ C300 | 5 |
| 3 | FORD FUSION | 5 |
| 4 | VOLVO XC90 | 2 |
| 5 | FORD EXPLORER | 2 |
| 6 | VOLKSWAGEN ID.4 | 1 |
| 7 | TOYOTA HIGHLANDER | 1 |
| 8 | TESLA MODEL X | 1 |
| 9 | TESLA MODEL S | 1 |
| 10 | RAM 2500 | 1 |
| 11 | NISSAN PATHFINDER | 1 |
| 12 | MERCEDES-BENZ C350 | 1 |
| 13 | MAZDA MAZDA3 | 1 |
| 14 | LEXUS LS | 1 |
| 15 | KIA SPORTAGE | 1 |
| 16 | HYUNDAI GENESIS | 1 |
| 17 | FORD TRANSIT | 1 |
| 18 | FORD RANGER | 1 |
| 19 | CHEVROLET TAHOE | 1 |
| 20 | CHEVROLET SILVERADO | 1 |
| 21 | CHEVROLET EQUINOX | 1 |
| 22 | CHEVROLET CAPTIVA | 1 |
| 23 | CADILLAC CTS | 1 |
| 24 | BUICK LUCERNE | 1 |
| 25 | BMW 328I | 1 |
Recent Complaints
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lucerne. The contact stated that while using the front driver's side interior door handle to exit the vehicle, there was an abnormal cracking sound coming from the door.
The contact owns a 2014 Mercedes-Benz C350. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the front driver’s side interior door latch detached. The contact had to reach through the front drive
If a passenger or child in the second row attempts to open a door before/while the doors are unlocked, the interior AND exterior handles no longer function. This can be temporarily fixed by doing a co
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while attempting to open to the front driver's side door from the inside of the vehicle, the contact heard an unknown part inside the door fall
Problem: Driver door fails to open The door actuator and latch will intermittently fail and the door will refuse to open. In the event of an accident the driver can fail to exit the vehicle possibly
Vehicle Information: Year: 2013 Make: Mercedes-Benz Model: C300 (4MATIC) Approximate Mileage: 126,026 Component: Latches/Locks/Linkages – Interior Door Handle Summary of Issue: On October 10, 2025,
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Genesis. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the driver's side rear door failed to open. The contact entered the vehicle and attempted to open the dri
My driver side rear door handle comes off when I open the door. I am having the dealership look into this on 8/28/2025.
The contact owns a 2018 Lexus RX 350. The contact stated that upon arriving to the residence and parking the vehicle, the front driver’s side door failed to open while pulling on the interior door han
On our 2018 Lexus RX 350 L, the left front interior door handle broke and we had to roll the window down and open the door from the outside. I learned that there was a recall - Lexus Special Service C
Driver door does not unlock after a trip, with passengers inside the vehicle. Driver is unable to exit the vehicle from the driver door. This has happened a couple times now, a Tesla mechanic stopped
The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the carbon fiber-optic piece on the rear passenger door was fractured. The contact stated the occupant was exiti
The inside driver door handle broken.
See attached document for complaint. I am writing to you regarding the safety recall 57J9-Door Handles recall for My 2021 Volkswagen ID 4, VIN [XXX] . I have been receiving a notice regarding this r
Driver door does not open from inside the vehicle. Door opens when opened from outside the vehicle.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer XLP. The contact stated that his wife received a minor cut from the front driver’s side interior door handle because the chrome wrap on the door handle had starte
Door handle for drivers side door breaks off into hand. Exiting vehicle made extremely complicated: if window is compromised in any way or lock system is compromised in any way, exit of vehicle is imp
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the driver's side door failed to open using the interior door handle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer whe
Mileage 3445, vehicle age 3.5 months. Car located in home garage with doors unlocked. Car Locked itself making entry impossible. All systems refused to open with “clicker” or mechanical key. Possi
See attached document for complaint
Related Vehicle Components
Data Sources
Vehicle complaint data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database. Includes consumer-reported safety issues filed with NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Severity counts cross-reference NHTSA FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) for fatal incidents where a corresponding FARS record exists.
Component categories are standardized by NHTSA. Crash-test ratings where shown are drawn from the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Complaint counts, crash reports, fire reports, and fatality data reflect consumer-submitted reports and may not represent all incidents.
Disclaimer: This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for vehicle purchase decisions. NHTSA complaint data is self-reported by consumers and has not been verified or investigated. A high complaint count does not necessarily indicate a defect. Always consult a qualified mechanic and check official NHTSA recall notices before making safety-related decisions.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. Component figures are computed directly from NHTSA complaint data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.