Tesla is recalling 2,975,910 vehicles in China after the country’s market regulator determined that its emergency door release is too hard to find and operate in a crash. It’s Tesla’s largest-ever recall in China, and it lands as the automaker’s door design faces mounting legal and regulatory pressure on two continents. Several other automakers who followed Tesla into similarly designed door releases have also issued similar recalls. What the recall covers According to a filing with China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), the recall covers 973,156 domestically built Model 3s, 1,956,713 domestically built Model Ys, 35,590 imported Model 3s, 8,328 imported Model Xs, and 2,123 imported Model Ss. The regulator’s concern isn’t the flush exterior handles that Tesla popularized. It’s the interior emergency mechanical release — the manual backup that lets occupants open a door when the car loses power. Advertisement - scroll for more content SAMR says the release is difficult to identify and operate because it closely matches the color of the surrounding interior trim. In a severe crash that disables the electrical system, the regulator warns, occupants could struggle to get out. Tesla filed the recall plan under China’s Regulations on the Recall of Defective Automobile Products. The remedy is not a hardware change to the door mechanism. Instead, Tesla will add warning labels and push an over-the-air software update that changes how the windows lower to aid escape. The recall takes effect September 25, 2026. Tesla isn’t alone — but it’s the biggest Eight other automakers filed recalls with SAMR on the same day for the same interior-release problem, including Xiaomi, Leapmotor, Xpeng, Geely, Chery, Dongfeng, BAIC BluePark, and FAW. That makes this one of the broadest coordinated safety actions China’s regulator has ever taken on the issue — and Tesla’s nearly 3-million-vehicle door recall dwarfs the rest. The move follows a steady tightening in China. In February, China finalized a proposed ban on Tesla-style hidden door handles on safety grounds, and last year regulators began cracking down on sleek EV door handles alongside other design trends the country has moved to rein in. Pressure is building in the US too The Chinese recall arrives while Tesla’s door design is under scrutiny in the United States. Tesla is facing multiple wrongful-death lawsuits that blame its door handles for trapping occupants after crashes, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration widened its probe into the design last year. In July, NHTSA denied a defect petition on the door releases but opened new rulemaking that could reshape the standard. Members of Congress have also introduced the “SAFE Exit Act” specifically targeting the handles. If you’re worried about how much of your budget an EV adds to your home energy bill, the smartest hedge is generating your own power. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. – Get your free quotes here. Stay up to date with the latest content by subscribing to Electrek on Google News. You’re reading Electrek— experts who break news about Tesla, electric vehicles, and green energy, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow Electrek on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our YouTube channel for the latest reviews.