Tesla under investigation in the US for faulty handles

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation into complaints that the door handles on Tesla's Model Y SUVs could become inoperable under certain conditions, according to local media reports. The agency's Office of Defects Investigation (Odi) said it had received nine reports from owners who were unable to get into their vehicles. In the most common scenario, parents reported being locked out after getting out of the car, unable to open the rear doors to retrieve their children. In four cases, owners broke a window to reopen it, according to Odi.

A preliminary investigation found that the problem can occur if the electronic door locks do not receive sufficient voltage from the vehicle's battery system. Odi noted that none of the reports indicated the display of low battery warnings. The report stated that Tesla vehicles are equipped with manual door unlocking devices inside, although these can be difficult for children to reach and some owners are not aware of them. According to Tesla user manuals, restoring power to the electronic locks requires a multi-step process that uses an external power source.