US probes 2021 Tesla Model Y after reports of “dead” door handles trapping people

US auto-safety regulators have opened a preliminary evaluation into about 174,000 of Tesla’s 2021 Model Y after reports that the SUV’s electronic exterior door handles can lose power and stop working—potentially locking people inside.

NHTSA says it has nine complaints describing doors that couldn’t be opened from outside, often involving parents stepping out to grab a child from the back seat or buckling a child in—only to find the door wouldn’t reopen. In four cases, parents smashed a window to get back in. The agency notes Model Y has manual releases inside, but young kids may not be able to use them, which can delay rescue.

Early findings point to the locks failing when they get too little voltage from the vehicle’s low-voltage system. Some repair records show the small battery was replaced after incidents, but owners say they didn’t see low-voltage warnings before the handles quit. NHTSA’s inquiry will focus on whether the exterior locks remain operable during power loss, since there’s no manual workaround outside the car. (The office will keep monitoring any entrapment reports from inside as well.)

The probe—sparked days after a Bloomberg investigation highlighted injuries and deaths tied to power-loss lockouts, especially after crashes—is the first step that could lead to a recall if regulators find an unreasonable safety risk. Tesla didn’t immediately comment.

With input from Reuters, the Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg.