Massive recall in China affects Tesla, Xiaomi and others
China has launched the largest recall action in its automotive industry to date. Due to potential issues with mechanical emergency door unlocking systems, manufacturers must rectify several million vehicles. Affected brands include Tesla, Xiaomi, Leapmotor, Xpeng, and Zeekr.
China’s market regulator, SAMR, announced recalls and additional measures involving eleven automakers on Friday. The primary concern for most of the vehicles is the mechanical emergency door release, which may blend too closely in colour with the surrounding trim, making it difficult to locate or operate in an emergency. If a severe accident causes the vehicle’s electrical system to fail, this could prevent occupants from opening the doors quickly and hinder rescue efforts from outside. Nine of the eleven manufacturers plan to address this issue by adding warning labels, among other measures.
The recalls due to this issue alone affect more than four million vehicles. Tesla accounts for the largest share by far. The US manufacturer will recall nearly 2.98 million imported and China-produced Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X vehicles starting 25 September. In addition to adding warnings about the mechanical emergency release, an over-the-air (OTA) update will ensure the windows automatically lower after an accident.
Several Chinese manufacturers are also required to take action. Xiaomi is recalling 390,435 units of the SU7 from the 2024 model year and plans to optimise the unlocking logic and window lowering via software, in addition to adding warning labels. Leapmotor is affected with 371,200 C11 and C01 vehicles, while Xpeng is recalling 264,842 units of the G6, P7+, and X9 model ranges. Zeekr’s measures involve 92,658 units of the 007 and X models. Further recalls have been announced for vehicles from Chery, Dongfeng, Arcfox, and FAW, with actions ranging from additional labelling to replacing the covers of the mechanical emergency releases.
China tightens regulations on door handles
This large-scale recall comes as no surprise. China is currently tightening safety regulations for door systems and will become the first country to largely ban concealed or retractable door handles in their current form from new vehicles starting in 2027. The concern is that electrically operated systems could hinder access to the vehicle after an accident if the power supply fails. The new regulations will therefore require mechanical unlocking options, among other measures.
The impact of such regulations is growing alongside China’s significance in the global automotive market. In July, so-called New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) reached a record 60.4 per cent share of China’s new car sales, with 1.561 million units sold. At the same time, China is increasingly becoming an export hub for electrified vehicles: in July, 553,000 NEVs were exported, a 145.5 per cent increase compared to the same month last year. For the second month in a row, NEVs accounted for more than half of all Chinese vehicle exports.
As Chinese manufacturers expand their international presence, the safety standards developed in China are likely to gain importance beyond the domestic market. The issue of door handles is no longer a concern for Chinese authorities alone: electrically operated and retractable door systems are also coming under increased scrutiny in the US due to potential safety risks following accidents.
Separately, Tesla has announced another recall in China, involving around 2.74 million Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, due to concerns over driver monitoring. The current system, which relies on steering wheel torque, does not meet Chinese regulators’ requirements. Tesla will address this via an OTA update to incorporate the interior camera. Including this and other recalls announced on the same day, the total number of affected vehicles exceeds seven million.