Tesla China Vehicle Recalls Affect 2.94 Million Vehicles

Tesla Recalls Nearly 2.94 Million Vehicles In China

Tesla China Vehicle Recalls announced on August 21 affect 2,935,910 vehicles across two safety-related recall actions involving emergency mechanical door handles and driver attention monitoring. China’s State Administration for Market Regulation identified concerns covering domestically produced and imported Tesla vehicles, with the affected population including Model 3, Model Y, Model X and Model S vehicles. The measures address situations in which occupants may face difficulty escaping after an accident or drivers may fail to receive sufficient warnings while assisted-driving functions are active. Tesla Inc will address the identified risks through warning labels and over-the-air software upgrades, including changes to window operation and driver monitoring.

Emergency Mechanical Door Handle Recalls

Starting September 25, Recall No. S2026M0098V covers 973,156 domestically produced Model 3 vehicles manufactured since March 4, 2019, and 1,956,713 domestically produced Model Y vehicles manufactured since November 16, 2020. A second action, Recall No. S2026M0099V, covers 35,590 imported Model 3 vehicles produced between August 22, 2018 and November 20, 2019, along with 8,328 imported Model X vehicles produced between October 27, 2022 and February 13, 2026, and 2,123 imported Model S vehicles produced between January 18, 2023 and February 10, 2026. These actions collectively address the emergency mechanical door-handle issue.

Emergency Exit Safety Concern

The affected emergency mechanical door handles can be difficult to identify and operate because their color is similar to the surrounding interior trim. If electronic door openers become unavailable after a collision that causes the vehicle’s low-voltage system to fail, occupants could have difficulty quickly locating and using the mechanical release. China authorities are therefore addressing a condition that could affect emergency evacuation following a serious crash. Tesla will affix warning labels to recalled vehicles at no charge and upgrade window-control software through OTA technology. The software update will add a post-accident window-lowering strategy intended to reduce the safety hazard and help occupants gain an additional means of exiting the vehicle.

Driver Attention Monitoring Recall

Effective immediately, Recall No. S2026M0039I covers 2,740,642 domestically produced Model 3 and Model Y vehicles manufactured between March 4, 2019 and December 7, 2025. The recall concerns an insufficient attention-monitoring mechanism that may fail to provide drivers with eye-out warnings when assisted steering is activated or when the combined driving assistance system is operating. If a driver does not intervene in time, the absence of an adequate warning may increase the risk of a collision. Tesla Inc will provide free OTA software upgrades to address the issue and reduce potential collision risks during supported driver-assistance operation.

In-Cabin Camera Added For Driver Monitoring

The driver-monitoring remedy adds an in-cabin camera to complement the existing steering-wheel torque monitoring system. The camera is intended to provide an additional mechanism for prompting drivers to respond promptly when combined driver assistance functions are being used. This approach addresses a different safety concern from the mechanical door-handle recalls, but both actions rely substantially on software or warning-related interventions rather than physical replacement of the affected systems. The scale of the recall population also highlights the importance of driver monitoring and emergency-exit design in vehicles equipped with increasingly advanced electronic controls and assisted-driving functions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Tesla recalling vehicles in China?
Tesla’s latest China recalls address two safety concerns involving emergency door-handle identification and driver attention monitoring across millions of vehicles. The affected population includes domestically produced Model 3 and Model Y vehicles plus specified imported Model 3, Model X and Model S vehicles. Tesla plans warning labels and OTA software upgrades, including post-accident window lowering and an in-cabin camera for enhanced driver monitoring. The remedies are intended to reduce escape difficulties and collision risks associated with electronic door systems and assisted-driving functions.