Tesla and eight other automakers will recall about 4.3 million vehicles in China over concerns that emergency door-release mechanisms could be difficult to locate or operate, marking the country’s largest automotive recall and highlighting growing scrutiny of vehicle safety.
The recalls, announced on Friday, cover vehicles from Tesla, Xiaomi, Leapmotor, Xpeng, Geely Holding and other manufacturers. Remedies range from warning labels and improved markings around door handles to software upgrades delivered remotely.
The scale of the action comes as Beijing increases oversight of the electric-vehicle industry and introduces tougher safety requirements in the world’s largest vehicle market. Automakers are simultaneously competing in a fierce price war while rapidly introducing new technologies and vehicle designs.
China has also said it will ban concealed door handles from 2027, making it the first country to phase out a design popularised by Tesla and widely adopted by domestic Chinese EV manufacturers.
Most of the recalls concern emergency mechanical door-release handles that regulators say may be difficult to identify or operate following a crash. The issue has attracted particular scrutiny after several cases in which passengers were trapped inside burning vehicles.
Chinese state media reported in October that the driver of a Xiaomi SU7 sedan died after a crash and fire because passersby could not open the doors to pull him out.
Tesla’s recall is the largest among the automakers involved. It covers 2.98 million imported and China-made Model 3, Model Y, Model S and Model X vehicles, with the recall scheduled to begin on September 25.
According to a statement from the State Administration for Market Regulation, Tesla said mechanical emergency door-release handles may be difficult to identify after a severe collision and electrical system failure, potentially hindering occupants’ escape or rescuers’ access. Its remedy includes warning labels and a remote software update that automatically lowers vehicle windows after a collision.
Xiaomi will recall about 390,000 vehicles, while Leapmotor and Xpeng will recall about 371,000 and 264,000 respectively. Tesla, Xiaomi, Leapmotor, Xpeng and Geely Holding have described the recalls as their largest on record, according to filings with the regulator. The other companies involved are undertaking considerably smaller recalls.
The remedies are expected to be relatively limited in cost. Sam Fiorani, vice president of research firm AutoForecast Solutions, said modern over-the-air updates reduce the costs and downtime associated with major recalls, while the physical work required would also be relatively inexpensive compared with significant recalls in the past.
The technology behind the door handles has also attracted scrutiny beyond China. The handles can be opened through a key fob, smartphone or touch-sensitive panel, but concerns have emerged over their operation when vehicles lose electrical power.
Last month, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it would consider new safety standards addressing the risk of occupants becoming trapped in vehicles during electrical power failures.
NHTSA said late on Friday that automakers had not notified the agency of plans to file a similar recall for the US market.
The Chinese recall therefore marks not only an unprecedented regulatory action in the country’s automotive sector but also a significant warning over the safety implications of increasingly software-driven vehicle designs. With millions of affected vehicles and concealed handles facing a planned phase-out, emergency access has become a central test of how rapidly automotive innovation can be reconciled with basic safety requirements.
