LOS ANGELES, Dec 19 — Some Tesla owners are buying glass breakers, emergency pull cords and even switching vehicles, as concerns grow over being trapped inside cars when electronic doors lose power, Bloomberg reported.
The issue came into sharp focus in May when Erin Geter’s toddler son became trapped inside her Tesla after the electric doors failed. Weeks later, the 39-year-old from Huntersville, North Carolina, bought a Honda CR-V.
“I was very traumatised,” Geter said, adding that she now prefers a car with standard door handles.
Her experience reflects a wider unease among Tesla drivers.
Some are purchasing escape tools to keep in their cars, while rideshare drivers are showing passengers how to use Tesla’s manual door releases, which vary by model and can be hidden under mats or in door pockets.
Online marketplaces are also selling third-party straps and cords designed to make the releases easier to find.
A Bloomberg News investigation found more than 140 consumer complaints filed with US auto safety regulators since 2018 involving Tesla door handles that became stuck or failed to open, particularly after crashes.
Nearly 35,000 people have also signed a Consumer Reports petition urging automakers to fix electronic doors.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a safety probe into certain Model Y vehicles.
Tesla board chair Robyn Denholm has said the company is reviewing the design and looking at “a better way” to handle emergency releases, while working to raise awareness of their locations.
Concerns extend to passengers as well.
Chad Lincoln, a Tennessee-based Uber driver who rented a Model 3, said riders repeatedly asked how to escape in an emergency.
While he likes the technology, he said the safety issue has put him off buying a Tesla.
“The safety concerns around the manual release are really big for me,” he said.
Safety advocates say most buyers never think about door design.
“They’re not thinking, ‘How am I going to escape this vehicle?’” said Michael Brooks of the Centre for Auto Safety.
Some owners have taken matters into their own hands.
A TikTok video by Los Angeles resident Bri Policarpio demonstrating Tesla’s manual release has drawn 1.4 million views.
“That’s one thing you would assume is very intuitive,” she said.
For Geter, preparation was not enough.
She had already bought a glass breaker, but it was locked inside when her son was trapped. First responders were called before a door suddenly opened.
“I just felt so helpless at that moment,” she said.
