Tesla's Model Y Is Trapping People's Kids In The Back Seat

The safety agency says nine owners described incidents where the Model Y's exterior door handles failed to open. While that may sound like a relatively small hit rate in a batch of 174,000 vehicles, in four of those cases, parents had to break a window to regain access to the vehicle because a child was in the back seat. NHTSA notes that entrapment in a vehicle is particularly concerning in emergencies, especially when children are in a hot vehicle.

Tesla vehicles do have manual door releases inside, but young children are usually unable to reach the manual release or operate it—creating a potential safety risk in emergencies.

According to the agency’s early findings, the issue appears tied to insufficient voltage supplied to the electronic locks, often traced to a failing low-voltage battery. Service records show batteries being replaced after incidents, though owners did not report any warnings beforehand.

The owner’s manual includes sections about “Jump Starting” and “Opening the Hood with No Power”. There is a multi-step process that should be followed to restore power to the electronic door locks in order to open the doors from the outside—the process requires applying 12 volts DC from a separate power source to two different points accessible from outside the Model Y.

That's all well and good, but now try to do it in the Kroger's parking lot with your toddler trapped in the back seat in 95-degree heat. NHTSA's evaluation is just the first step in the review process, and it could result in a wider recall campaign if regulators decide the issue poses an unreasonable risk.

Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter here.