The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into Tesla Inc. (TSLA) Model 3 vehicles, and the issue at hand is surprisingly basic: can people actually get out of the car in an emergency?

This isn't about sophisticated autonomous driving systems or battery fires. It's about door handles—or more precisely, where Tesla hides the manual backup when the electronic system fails.

The Hidden Handle Problem

The Office of Defects Investigation is examining around 179,071 Tesla Model 3 sedans from the 2022 model year. The probe, launched on December 23, stems from a defect petition that takes issue with how Tesla designed the mechanical door release.

According to a filing on the NHTSA website, the petition argues that the Model 3's mechanical door release is "hidden, unlabeled, and not intuitive to locate during an emergency."

Here's the context: Tesla vehicles use electronic door latches activated by buttons rather than traditional handles. That's fine when everything works. But when the electronics fail—say, after an accident or power loss—you need a mechanical backup. The complaint suggests that backup isn't obvious enough when seconds count.

A Pattern of Door-Related Concerns

This investigation doesn't exist in isolation. In November, Tesla faced lawsuits connected to fatal accidents involving door handle designs. The defect petition triggers a regulatory assessment that could escalate if safety defects are confirmed.

The scrutiny extends beyond the Model 3. In September, the NHTSA opened a separate probe into Tesla Model Y SUVs following reports of children being trapped inside due to faulty electronic door handles. When your car doors become a recurring regulatory theme, that's not ideal.

Broader Safety Questions

Tesla's safety challenges aren't limited to doors. In October, U.S. senators called on the NHTSA to investigate Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, citing potential safety risks at railroad crossings.

The company also faces a class action lawsuit over allegedly misleading claims about its FSD system. Together, these issues paint a picture of mounting pressure on Tesla's safety and technology representations.

The current investigation marks the beginning of what could be a lengthy regulatory process. For now, nearly 180,000 Model 3 owners are driving vehicles under federal safety review, waiting to see whether regulators conclude that getting out of their car in an emergency is harder than it should be.