Exterior view of the Tesla Gigafactory during a government-sponsored media visit in Shanghai, China, April 14, 2026.
Go Nakamura | Reuters
tesla is voluntarily recalling approximately 3 million vehicles in China to address two safety issues. This is the latest setback for the company as it seeks to remain a major player in the world’s largest car market.
One of the recalls concerns Tesla’s electronically-operated retractable door handles, and the other relates to the company’s driver “attention monitoring” system, according to a notice issued Friday by Tesla and China’s product safety regulator.
Tesla said in its door handle recall notice that a severe crash could “fail the vehicle’s low-voltage system,” and that the resulting door handle problem “could prevent occupants from opening the door quickly for evacuation, impeding rescue efforts for people outside the vehicle, and creating a safety hazard.”
The company said it plans to “apply warning labels” to the recalled vehicles and upgrade its “window control software” with an over-the-air update to automatically lower the windows after an accident is detected. The recall applies to Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X vehicles, including some imported vehicles and vehicles manufactured in China between March 4, 2019 and April 29, 2026.
The Model Y is one of China’s best-selling cars, but Tesla faces increasing pressure in the country from local competitors such as BYD and Xiaomi, which are making more affordable and innovative electric vehicles. Tesla delivered 25,158 Model Ys in China in July, down 18% from 30,766 in the same period last year, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association.
The flush door handles popularized by Tesla are found in cars made by Tesla’s competitors, including Xiaomi and Geely, which also announced a recall in China on Friday. A fatal accident believed to have been caused by a faulty or inaccessible door handle led to regulatory changes in China and a large-scale recall involving nine automakers.
Regulatory changes are also being considered in the U.S. In July, the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced it would begin the process of enacting a new federal rule that would “require all motor vehicles to have a robust and obvious door-lowering system,” according to a regulatory filing.
Another Tesla recall on Friday addresses a flaw in some vehicles’ driver monitoring systems, which are meant to ensure drivers remain alert and ready to take over steering and braking at any time using partially autonomous driving features such as Autosteer.
In its recall notice, Tesla said it will provide customers with a free over-the-air software update and add “in-cabin camera monitoring” in addition to a steering wheel-based torque sensor to encourage drivers to stay more focused and take over steering and braking when needed.
Tesla’s recall notice says that for vehicles that cannot be upgraded via over-the-air software updates, a service center will “contact the affected users” to schedule a repair appointment.
The second recall affects Model 3 and Model Y vehicles manufactured in China between March 4, 2019 and December 7, 2025.
Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.
Attention: Chinese EVs enter the UK market
