NHTSA Defect Petition DP25002: Emergency egress controls are not readily accessible and clearly identifiable.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition on November 24, 2025, requesting a defect investigation intothe mechanical door release on model year (MY) 2022 Tesla Model 3. The petition cites allegations that the mechanical door release is hidden, unlabeled, and not intuitive to locate during an emergency.The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11698174. A defect petition has been opened to evaluate the issue and determine whether to grant or deny the petition.
US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration