Investigations
Emergency egress controls are not readily accessible and clearly identifiable.
NHTSA Defect Petition DP25002 - closed, opened 2025-12-23 and involving the TESLA MODEL 3.
Among 503 NHTSA Defect Petition files in PlainCars' ODI extract, this record (DP25002) is one published case in that type class , and one of 19 investigation files attributed to TESLA.
NHTSA investigation DP25002 is a Defect Petition opened on 2025-12-23 and currently closed. The subject of record is TESLA MODEL 3, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for TESLA. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2026-07-22 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Defect Petition like DP25002 starts when a person or group formally asks NHTSA to investigate a specific alleged defect. Petitioners submit evidence, NHTSA reviews it within 120 days, and either grants the petition (opening a PE) or denies it with a written explanation in the Federal Register.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has completed its review of a defect petition received on November 24, 2025, requesting an investigation into the emergency mechanical door release in 2022 Model Year (MY) Tesla..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time. Related TESLA files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has completed its review of a defect petition received on November 24, 2025, requesting an investigation into the emergency mechanical door release in 2022 Model Year (MY) Tesla Model 3. The petition alleges that the controls for the emergency mechanical door release are not accessible and clearly identifiable and thus fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 206. A vehicle equipped with electric door handles without an accessible mechanical door release creates a risk to safety when the electric door handle becomes inoperative due to loss of power and occupants are unable to easily locate the mechanical door release to exit the vehicle in case of an emergency. A concealed or hard to locate emergency door release could prevent an operator or occupant from exiting the vehicle in the event of an emergency, such as a crash or fire. The potential risk for entrapment can result in a severe injury or death of the operator and other occupants of the vehicle. As of March 13, 2026, out of the population of 179,031 subject vehicles, NHTSA has identified one (1) consumer complaint, in NHTSA’s databases alleging that the mechanical door release is concealed and unlabeled, resulting in a risk of entrapment in the event of an emergency, as cited in the Petition. The complaint is for the same Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) as the subject vehicle of the Petition. The allegation describes a front impact collision, where the vehicle lost electrical power, and the electric door mechanism stopped working. The 2022 MY Model 3 has a mechanical release for the front doors, located in front of the window switch on the door's interior and consists of a lever that can be pulled up to open the door. The subject vehicle does not have a mechanical release for the back doors. The owner’s manual for the 2022 MY Tesla Model 3 includes a section labeled “In Case of Emergency” that details how to open doors from the interior whe
About This Investigation Type
A Defect Petition (DP) is initiated when an individual or organization formally petitions NHTSA to investigate a potential safety defect. NHTSA reviews the petition and decides whether to open an investigation.
Other TESLA Investigations
Traffic safety violations while Full Self Driving ("FSD") is engaged
Electronic door handles become inoperative
Compliance with Standing General Order 2021-01 Reporting Requirements
Recall 23V838 Remedy Effectiveness
Loss of steering control
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. about how PlainCars sources NHTSA data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.