Tesla recalls nearly 3 million vehicles in China over safety defects

Tesla will voluntarily recall approximately 3 million vehicles in China to address two separate safety issues, according to notices published Friday by the company and China's State Administration for Market Regulation.

One recall concerns the vehicle's electronically operated and retractable doorhandles. According to Tesla's submission to regulators, the mechanical emergency door handles can be difficult to identify and operate because their color is similar to interior trim finishes. In the event of a severe collision that causes a low-voltage system failure, this could prevent occupants from quickly opening doors to escape and may hinder rescue efforts.

The doorhandle recall affects 2,975,910 vehicles and is scheduled to begin September 25, 2026. The affected models include 973,156 domestically produced Model 3 units and 1,956,713 domestically produced Model Y units, along with 35,590 imported Model 3 vehicles, 8,328 Model X vehicles, and additional units of other models.

The second recall addresses deficiencies in the company's driver "attention monitoring" systems, though specific details about this issue were not fully detailed in the available notices.

Eight other automakers in China also issued voluntary recalls to address doorhandle safety concerns, indicating the issue extends beyond Tesla vehicles in the Chinese market. The doorhandles in question can sometimes malfunction or prove inaccessible to rescuers following collisions.