Nine to eleven automakers including Tesla, Xiaomi, Leapmotor, Xpeng, Zeekr, Lynk & Co, Geely, Chery, FAW, and Dongfeng announced on August 21, 2026, a recall affecting about 4.3 million vehicles in China over emergency mechanical door-release handle safety issues. The recall covers vehicles with door handles that can be difficult to locate or operate after severe collisions causing low-voltage system failure, potentially preventing occupants from escaping or being rescued [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8].
Tesla's recall includes approximately 2.98 million imported and China-made Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X vehicles manufactured between March 2019 and April 2026. The recall process will begin on September 25, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 4, 11, 12, 7, 8]. Tesla will issue over-the-air (OTA) software updates to automatically lower vehicle windows after collisions, improving occupant escape options [1, 2, 3, 10, 4, 11, 12, 5, 7, 8].
Other automakers will install free warning labels on door handles and roll out OTA updates to address the safety issue [1, 2, 3, 10, 4, 11, 12, 5, 7, 8]. For example, Xiaomi will recall about 390,000 vehicles, Leapmotor around 371,000, and Xpeng roughly 264,000 affected by the door handle problem [3, 5, 8].
China will ban concealed or hidden electronic door handles starting in 2027, requiring all vehicles sold domestically to have easily identifiable and operable mechanical interior and exterior door handles that do not require tools during emergencies. This policy makes China the first country to phase out the door handle design popularized by Tesla and widely adopted by Chinese EV manufacturers [1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 5, 7, 8].
The door handle recall follows a fatal crash and fire in 2025 involving a Xiaomi SU7 in Chengdu, where trapped occupants could not open the doors due to inaccessible handles, raising safety concerns [3, 5, 8]. Michael Brooks, Executive Director of the Center for Auto Safety, stated, "If there is no clear and reliable manual unlocking method after vehicle power failure, drivers and passengers could be trapped inside during life-threatening situations" [8].
This campaign marks China's largest-ever automotive recall. Zhang Wenjie, a Shanghai car maintenance workshop owner, noted, "The door problem has become a big issue since late last year as Chinese regulators and passengers attached greater importance to safety" and expects the recalls to raise industry awareness about design and quality [9]. Sam Fiorani, VP at AutoForecast Solutions, added that OTA updates help contain recall costs and reduce service downtime even when some physical repairs are necessary [8].
In addition to door handle issues, Tesla plans a separate recall affecting about 2.74 million vehicles for updates to driver monitoring systems using interior cameras to detect driver attention [10, 12].
