Nine automakers, led by Tesla, are recalling roughly 4.3 million vehicles in China after regulators warned that interior emergency door handles can be hard to see and operate after a crash.
Tesla leads the recall
Tesla will recall 2.98 million Model 3, Model Y, Model S and Model X cars starting September 25, covering domestic and imported versions.
The recall targets 973,156 domestically built Model 3s from March 2019 to April 2026 and 1,956,713 Model Ys from November 2020 to April 2026, plus 35,590 imported Model 3s, 8,328 Model Xs and 2,123 Model Ss.
Regulators say the handles sit flush with trim, making them difficult to locate when low‑voltage power fails in a collision, potentially trapping occupants.
Tesla will affix free warning labels and push an over‑the‑air update that automatically rolls down windows after a crash; vehicles already bearing labels will skip the label step.
Other manufacturers act
Xiaomi will recall about 390,000 vehicles, Leapmotor roughly 371,000, and Xpeng near 264,000, all addressing the same door‑handle issue.
Geely Holding and smaller partners filed additional recalls, with remedies focused on warning labels and remote software fixes.
Regulatory backdrop
Beijing has tightened electric‑vehicle safety rules this year, introducing stricter standards amid a fierce price war in the world’s largest auto market.
The government announced a 2027 ban on concealed door handles, a design popularized by Tesla and widely adopted by Chinese EV makers.
Additional Tesla recall
In a separate filing, Tesla recalled 2,740,642 China‑made Model 3 and Model Y vehicles from March 2019 to December 2025 to improve attention monitoring when Autosteer is engaged.
The update adds cabin‑camera monitoring in addition to steering‑wheel torque checks and will be delivered remotely immediately.
Owners will receive alerts via the Tesla app, text, email, or through the regulator’s recall portal and WeChat account.
Reuters contributed to this report.
