NHTSA Denies Tesla Model 3 Door-Release Petition, Launches Industry-Wide Door Safety RulemakingNHTSA驳回特斯拉Model 3车门缺陷申诉,同步启动全行业车门安全新规制定
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NHTSA denied a petition filed November 7, 2025 by Tesla owner Kevin Clouse seeking a defect investigation into hidden manual door releases on 179,031 model year 2022 Tesla Model 3 vehicles, finding only one matching complaint — from Clouse himself.
The petition alleged the Model 3's emergency egress controls for the mechanical door release are not readily accessible or clearly identifiable, violating FMVSS 206, the federal standard governing door locks, latches, and hinges designed to prevent occupant ejection in a crash.
In the same July 24, 2026 decision, NHTSA agreed to begin rulemaking on new door-safety standards for emergency egress mechanisms across the entire auto industry, not just Tesla.