NHTSA opens preliminary probe into Tesla Model Y door-handle failures

U.S. regulators opened a preliminary investigation Tuesday into electronic door-handle failures on certain Tesla Model Y SUVs after reports that exterior handles became inoperable, in some cases preventing parents from reopening rear doors to retrieve children. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the review focuses on 2021 Model Y vehicles, a fleet of roughly 174,000 cars, and was prompted by nine owner reports in which exterior handles would not open from the outside. In four of those incidents, people said they broke a window to regain access.

The agency said its Office of Defects Investigation will examine the scope and severity of the problem and the approach used to supply power to the electronic door locks. Preliminary findings suggest the condition appears when the electronic door locks receive insufficient voltage from the vehicle, and available repair invoices indicate some cars had their low-voltage battery replaced after incidents. The NHTSA noted that none of the owners who reported the problem told investigators they had seen a low-voltage battery warning before exterior door handles became inoperative.

The probe is concentrated on the...