Tesla Faces New Lawsuit Over Door Handle Design, Owners Claim Defect Depreciates Vehicle Value

Tesla is facing another legal challenge over the electronic door handle design on its Model S. Robert L. Hyde, a vehicle owner, has filed a lawsuit alleging that his 2023 Model S has significantly depreciated in value due to safety risks associated with this design. The complaint states that if the vehicle’s low-voltage system loses power during a collision or fire, the exterior door handles may fail to deploy, potentially impeding rescue efforts and constituting a serious safety defect. Although Hyde himself has not experienced such a failure, he claims Tesla failed to adequately disclose this risk, amounting to fraudulent concealment, unjust enrichment, and violations of California’s consumer protection laws. He is seeking damages and urging the court to compel Tesla to either redesign the handles or publicly disclose relevant information. Notably, China will ban electric vehicles from using such electronically operated door handles without mechanical backups starting next year, and automakers like Toyota have already begun adding manual external release mechanisms to models equipped with electronic door locks. Tesla has not yet responded to the lawsuit.