Tesla and eight other automakers are launching China's largest automotive recall to date, affecting roughly 4.3 million vehicles over fears that electronic door handles could leave passengers trapped after a crash.
The safety drive comes as China prepares to completely ban concealed door handles starting in 2027 following fatal crash fires where rescuers couldn't open doors.
Key details and caveats behind the massive recall include:
- Massive Scope: Tesla leads the action with 2.98 million imported and local Model 3, Y, S, and X vehicles starting September 25. Chinese brands Xiaomi (~390,000), Leapmotor (~371,000), and Xpeng (~264,000) are also filing their largest recalls ever.
- Low-Cost Fixes: Remedies center on over-the-air (OTA) software patches and physical warning labels. Tesla’s software fix will automatically lower windows following a collision, while others are adding high-visibility labels near manual releases. Analysts note this keeps automaker costs and owner downtime minimal.
- The "Maybe" Factors: Leapmotor pushed back slightly on the severity, framing its involvement as a precautionary upgrade involving power-window controls and labels rather than a traditional defect response. Meanwhile, despite U.S. regulators examining electronic door risks, automakers have not yet announced plans to expand the recall to North America.
Source: Reuters
