Tesla NASDAQ:TSLA avoided a formal federal safety investigation into its door-release design, but regulators said the complaints exposed a broader gap in existing vehicle rules.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration denied a petition seeking an investigation into Tesla's mechanical door releases after reviewing the available evidence. The complaints followed several crashes in which occupants allegedly struggled to open vehicle doors before suffering additional fire-related injuries.
NHTSA said the issue is better handled through new industrywide regulations because current federal rules do not clearly govern the placement or labeling of internal manual door releases. The agency acknowledged that a concealed or difficult-to-find release could prevent occupants from escaping during a crash or fire.
That means Tesla does not face an immediate recall tied to the petition. However, future standards could require automakers to make emergency door releases easier to locate and operate across all vehicles.