Need a mechanical door release? NHTSA says read the manual…

Read the manual.

On July 22nd, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) finished a review of a defect petition received on November 24, 2025 .

The petition alleged that the controls for the emergency mechanical door release are not accessible and clearly identifiable and thus failed to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 206.

The result is that, as far as the Agency is concerned, the emergency door releases for the front doors are clearly defined in the owner’s manual, and thus:

“The Agency has thoroughly assessed the material submitted by the Petitioner, consumer complaint information in NHTSA’s databases, and other relevant information already in possession of the Agency. NHTSA does not believe that the issues presented by the Petitioner indicate the likelihood of a safety related defect that would warrant a defect investigation, and the issue is best addressed through the rulemaking process. After full consideration of the available information and the commencement of the related rulemaking proceeding, the Petition is denied.”

Tesla Model 3 vehicles do not have emergency releases for the rear doors through 2023, but there is no indication as to whether or not there were passengers in the rear seats or if anyone was injured or worse in the case cited.

Only one petition was received by the agency, which seemed to carry more weight than the potential for someone to become trapped inside.

Flush handles

Frustratingly, tracking this issue through the press always, always, always starts with a discussion of Tesla’s flush door handles.

But make no mistake, problems have nothing to do with flush door handles. They are the result of the electronic rather than mechanical operation — the handles could stick out six feet — it would have no bearing on whether or not someone could get out in an emergency.

An upside

There is one, and only one upside. The Agency said that “NHTSA’s Office of Rulemaking received a petition to initiate the issuance of a new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) to mandate a robust and obvious door egress system in all motor vehicles. The request has been granted, and the Agency will accordingly commence a rulemaking proceeding.”

We’d like to suggest this rule, the China rule: no more electronic locks latches! They require mechanical back-up operation — whether obvious or not — thus adding cost to the consumer while simultaneously creating a safety hazard. Electronic locks and latches are nothing more than a useless keep up with the Joneses exercise.

We’ve been on this issue for 10 years and will remain on it. See our Get Out page here for more.

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The material on these pages is provided for information sharing purposes only and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business, nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Remember — only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

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