Tesla Model Y SUVs May Trap Children, Feds Say

A new federal investigation highlights a truly scary problem for Tesla drivers with kids in their cars.

Federal auto safety regulators are looking into reports of occupants in Tesla Y sport utility vehicles being locked in the cars and unable to get out. The doors could not be opened from the outside, posing a serious safety risk for children in particular.

“The most common complaint was from people who said they were unable to retrieve children from back seats, The New York Times reports. “In four cases, adults had to break windows to free the children, the safety agency said in a document posted on its website.”

The problem appears to occur in SUVs whose doors are powered by a 12-volt battery rather than the larger battery that powers the vehicle. 

“An occupant who remains inside a vehicle in this condition may be unable to be rapidly retrieved by persons outside of the vehicle,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a report announcing the investigation. “Entrapment in a vehicle is particularly concerning in emergency situations, such as when children are entrapped in a hot vehicle.”

NHTSA announced the probe less than a week after Bloomberg News detailed a much wider range of problems with occupants stuck inside Model Y SUVs. Bloomberg reported that several people have been seriously injured after being trapped in the vehicles.

This is just one of several safety issues plaguing Tesla and its drivers. NHTSA is also looking into whether Tesla failed to properly report accidents involving vehicles engaged in Autopilot mode, the automaker’s controversial driver-assist technology. Several people have died in those crashes, including a California man killed in 2018 when his car collided with a freeway barrier near Redwood City.

In yet another investigation, NHTSA is also reviewing reports of crashes of Tesla vehicles involving the manufacturer’s remote parking feature.

Tesla Drivers in California: Know Your Legal Rights

Tesla and other car owners in the Golden State have important rights and protections under the California Lemon Law.

The lemon law requires carmakers to perform a wide range of repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. The law also requires auto manufacturers to buy back (or replace, in some cases) vehicles they cannot or refuse to fix.

The buyback requirement includes compensating the owner for any down payment on the car, along with monthly loan payments and the outstanding balance on any loan. The automaker is also responsible for towing, rental car and other related expenses. 

There is no specific number of repair requests or attempts that must happen before the buyback or replace requirement kicks in. An experienced California lemon law attorney can help you understand your rights and take action.

Speak with a California Lemon Law Attorney

If you have been stuck with a defective or malfunctioning vehicle, a California lemon law attorney at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help you fight back.  

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a California lemon law attorney.