Overview
- NHTSA broadened its defect investigation and ordered Tesla to produce documents covering Model 3 and Model Y door systems, latches, 12‑volt batteries, and related software, warning of substantial daily fines for noncompliance.
- The agency said it has received 16 reports of inoperative exterior handles tied to low 12‑volt voltage in certain 2021 Model Y vehicles as of Oct. 27.
- A wrongful‑death suit filed in Dane County, Wisconsin, by the children of Jeffrey and Michelle Bauer alleges a 2016 Model S lost power after a Nov. 1, 2024 crash, causing electronic doors to fail and trapping occupants in a subsequent fire.
- The complaint says rear‑seat occupants faced an obscured mechanical release located under carpeting and names the driver’s estate as a defendant, while the sheriff’s office cites road conditions, excess speed, and impaired driving as crash factors.
- Tesla has not announced a recall; its design chief has said the company is redesigning handles to integrate electronic and manual releases, as rivals rethink flush designs and Chinese regulators weigh clearer emergency‑release requirements.