China’s record 4.3 million-vehicle recall targets emergency door safety

About 4.3 million vehicles in China are set to receive safety changes intended to make their doors easier to open after a serious crash. Nine automakers announced the action on August 21, making it the country’s largest automotive recall.

Regulators found that emergency mechanical door releases in some vehicles may be difficult for occupants or rescuers to locate or operate, particularly when a collision disables the electrical system. The remedies include clearer markings and warning labels, along with remote software updates for many models.

Tesla accounts for 2.98 million of the affected imported and China-made vehicles, with its recall due to begin on September 25. Its planned software update will automatically lower the windows after a collision, while labels will identify the mechanical release. Xiaomi will recall about 390,000 vehicles, Leapmotor about 371,000 and Xpeng about 264,000. Geely Holding and four other manufacturers have also filed recall plans.

The intervention comes as China strengthens oversight of increasingly software-dependent electric vehicles. Concealed handles, which can be operated through touch-sensitive panels, phones or key fobs, have faced scrutiny following incidents in which people could not open crashed vehicles. China also plans to ban concealed door handles from 2027.