NHTSA denies Tesla door-release defect petition,< Made-ln-USA >
opens new door rules.
NHTSA has denied a petition asking it to open a defect investigation into the hidden manual door releases on the Tesla Model 3. But in the same decision, the agency agreed to start writing new door-safety rules for the entire auto industry.
Here is the good news:
Here’s the part that matters more than the denial. A separate petition landed at NHTSA’s Office of Rulemaking on November 4, 2025, asking the agency to create a brand-new federal standard mandating “a robust and obvious door egress system in all motor vehicles.” NHTSA granted it. It will now commence a formal rulemaking on emergency door releases.
The agency also spelled out the risk in plain language: “A concealed or hard to locate door release could prevent an operator or occupant from exiting the vehicle in the event of an emergency, such as a crash or fire.”