China orders record 4 million-vehicle recall over hidden door handles
What's next: China plans to ban concealed handles from Jan. 1, 2027, forcing carmakers to add clearer mechanical exits.
China's market regulator triggered the country's biggest auto recall campaign after emergency door-release systems in more than 4 million vehicles were found hard to identify or operate in a crash. Tesla accounted for 2.98 million recalled Model 3, Model Y, Model S and Model X vehicles, while Xiaomi, Xpeng, Geely, Chery, Leapmotor and other brands also took action. Most fixes combine free warning labels near mechanical releases with over-the-air software updates that lower windows after collisions. The sweep reflects tighter Beijing oversight of EV safety as hidden handles, popularized by Tesla and copied by Chinese rivals, face growing scrutiny after concerns they could slow escapes or rescue efforts during power failure.