Another day brings another legal challenge for Tesla, this time centered on a tragic crash that once again raises questions about the company’s design choices.

The latest lawsuit claims that the electrically operated door handles of a 2018 Model 3 failed to function after a collision and subsequent fire, trapping one of the occupants inside and leading to her death.

Read: Trapped Children Die In Tesla Fire After Door Handles Allegedly Wouldn’t Open

It marks yet another serious concern for Tesla, one that could prove costly and push the automaker to reexamine how its vehicles handle emergency situations, particularly when power is lost.

Door Handles Under Scrutiny

Filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, the complaint outlines a sequence of events. On January 7, 2023, Jeffrey Dennis was driving his Tesla Model 3 with his wife in Tacoma, Washington, when the car reportedly accelerated suddenly and struck a utility pole at the corner of South 56th and South Washington Streets.

Shortly after impact, the EV caught fire. It’s alleged that several witnesses tried to open the Tesla’s doors to rescue the couple, but were unable to do so because they failed to operate without battery power. The lawsuit says that some witnesses even tried to break the Model 3’s windows with a baseball bat, but it also failed.

First responders eventually managed to extract the pair, though Wendy Dennis succumbed to her injuries at the scene. Jeffrey Dennis suffered severe burns to his legs.

Could It Have Been Prevented?

The complaint says the Model 3 has a “unique and defective door handle design” that prevented rescuers from freeing the couple. It is also alleged that Tesla knew about the defect with the door handle but failed to address it, and continued to market and sell the popular EV.

The lawsuit doesn’t stop at the door handles. It also claims that Tesla’s Automatic Emergency Braking system failed to activate as the vehicle sped toward the utility pole. In addition, it accuses the company of using “a highly explosive battery chemistry” despite the existence of safer, more practical, and less costly alternatives.

Jeffrey Dennis is seeking financial relief for the wrongful death of his wife and his long-term injuries, as well as compensatory damages and punitive damages under California law.

Crashes on Houston’s busy freeways are an unfortunate reality of city life, and one earlier this week proved especially tragic. The driver of a BMW was killed, and the driver of a Tesla Cybertruck died in hospital after the two vehicles collided in Houston, Texas.

Shockingly, police say the BMW’s driver had mistakenly entered the freeway, traveling the wrong way after driving down an exit ramp and heading westbound in the eastbound lanes.

Watch: Cybertruck Ripped In Half By A Mercedes Built Like A Tank

The crash occurred around midnight on October 28 along the I-10 Katy Freeway. According to police, the BMW, whose specific model hasn’t been identified, slammed into the Cybertruck and burst into flames almost instantly. The force of the impact also pushed the Tesla into an 18-wheeler.

Initially, it was only the driver of the BMW who was declared dead on the scene, and the driver of the Cybertruck was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Sadly, the Tesla driver succumbed to their injuries.

Houston Police Department Sgt. Rebecca Dallas told KHOU that the BMW driver had entered the freeway in the opposite direction, ignoring multiple Do Not Enter and Wrong Way signs along the ramp.

Investigators are expected to conduct an autopsy of the BMW driver to see if they were impaired at the time of the collision. The name of the driver who caused the crash hasn’t been released. However, the driver of the Cybertruck has been confirmed as a 38-year-old father of two young children.

Accidents Like This Are Far Too Common

Accidents like this are far from rare. More than 1100 wrong-way fatalities have been recorded across Harris County in the past decade, and last year alone, 233 people were injured in similar incidents throughout the area. Clearly, something needs to be done to reduce these numbers.

Local authorities may need to explore a combination of measures, from adding more signage to exit ramps to enhancing driver education. Small changes could go a long way toward preventing future tragedies on Houston’s highways.

A Tesla driver in Illinois has been arrested after plowing into the rear of a Ford Explorer police cruiser that had stopped for a traffic investigation.

However, this was more than a simple case of a distracted driver rear-ending another motorist, as the Tesla owner told police that the vehicle’s Autopilot system was engaged and that he had fallen asleep behind the wheel.

Read: Tesla Quietly Settles Fatal Autopilot Crash Just Before Jury Could Weigh In

Local authorities say a 2022 Tesla Model Y caused the crash and shared images of the crumpled cruiser on Facebook. They show that the impact has caved in the SUV’s rear end and that both taillights have been knocked out of position.

In all likelihood, some damage has also been done to the frame, and there’s a good chance the Ford could be declared a complete write-off.

Autopilot or Absent Driver?

The South Barrington Police Department says the squad car was pulled over to the shoulder with its emergency lights flashing when the Tesla plowed into the back of it. The driver told officers he had activated Autopilot, dozed off, and didn’t wake up in time to react.

Two officers and the driver were taken to Ascension St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates. All three sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were later released.

Driver Arrested and Charged

To make matters worse for the 43-year-old driver, he was found to be carrying a loaded handgun, despite not having a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification card. As a result, he was reportedly arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a firearm.

He was also cited for failing to yield a full lane or reduce speed when approaching an emergency vehicle. The Tesla owner was taken to Cook County Circuit Court, where he’s scheduled to appear on December 3.

If the driver did indeed fall asleep with Autopilot engaged, it could raise concerns about the effectiveness of Tesla’s driver monitoring system.

The electric carmaker will likely send engineers out to analyze the Model Y and determine whether the driver-assistance system was enabled at the time of the collision and if its warning systems functioned as they should have.

If their slick tech features have convinced you that Chinese cars are finally a match for Western rivals, Euro NCAP’s latest test results might make you think again. While some Chinese cars really are as good as the competition, one new small Asian EV has just flunked an important European crash test that its rivals all aced.

More: Your Next Car Might Not Be As Safe As It Could Have Been

The car in question is Dongfeng’s Nammi Box, a small hatchback that’s broadly equivalent to a Renault 5 or BYD Dolphin. But while those cars were awarded four and five stars respectively after being run through Euro NCAP’s crash test mill, the Box scored just three stars.

Safety Reality Check

Multiple spot-welds failed during the offset front impact test, increasing the risk of deformation around the cabin and reducing protection for occupants, the safety organization reported.

The test, which is performed at 31 mph (50 kmh) and with a 50 percent overlap against a deformable barrier on an oncoming 3,090 lbs (1,400 kg) sled, also traveling at 31 mph, is designed to replicate the kind of collision that is responsible for the most road deaths and serious injuries.

And a compromised body structure wasn’t the only black mark against the Box. Insufficient pressure in the steering wheel airbag meant the driver’s head still managed to make contact with the wheel.

Design Flaws Under Pressure

Just as worrying, the doors failed to automatically unlock, which could prevent first responders from helping injured passengers.

Euro NCAP additionally criticized China’s state-owned Dongfeng for not providing any kind of safety aid to prevent front seat passengers from bashing into each other in a side impact collision.

Summing up, the testers awarded the Box just 69 percent for adult occupant protection and 67 percent for vulnerable road user protection, numbers that place it well below most modern small EVs on sale in Europe.

“The Dongfeng BOX doesn’t match the safety performance of other small EVs tested by Euro NCAP,” said the organization in a statement. “It was a concern that the spot welds were compromised during our tests and could be further compromised in higher-speed accidents. Such a failure must be addressed to match competitor vehicles in what’s a fast-growing part of the EV market,” it added.

Euro NCAP

In Dongfeng’s defense, it wasn’t the only small hatchback to receive a feeble three-star rating. So did VW’s ancient T-Cross crossover, which is a bit of an outlier. Other VW Group products like the Audi Q3, Skoda Octavia, and VW Golf all achieved a maximum five-star rating.

As did China’s Chery Tiggo 7 and 8. The SUVs were marked down in a previous test for a problem with their rear curtain airbags, but Chery then redesigned the system.

It performed as planned during the re-test, earning Chery five stars, reminding us that there’s still a big safety difference between the best and worst-performing Chinese cars.

Euro NCAP/Dongfeng

It’s not just Tesla under fire for how its electronic door handles respond after a crash, fire, or even a total power loss. In the early hours of Monday morning, a Xiaomi SU7 in China crashed and erupted in flames, and despite frantic attempts by bystanders to open the door and free the driver, the 31-year-old at the wheel did not survive.

Chinese media reported that the black SU7 crashed at around 3:15 a.m. The driver of the Xiaomi is said to have lost control, spinning into a wide median strip lined with shrubs and plants before coming to rest on the opposite side of the road in Chengdu. Moments later, the vehicle burst into flames.

Watch: Xiaomi Blames iPhone For EV Taking Off On Its Own

Video captured from the scene showed several men frantically attempting to smash the driver’s window while trying in vain to open the driver’s door. One of the men was repeatedly punching the window, while another can be seen trying to kick it out.

They were soon forced to retreat as the flames spread, waiting for firefighters to arrive. Although the crews managed to extinguish the blaze, they were unable to save the driver.

Early reports suggest the 31-year-old may have been driving under the influence of alcohol.

Questions Over Safety Systems

The Xiaomi SU7 features simpler pull-type exterior door handles compared to some other EVs. As with most modern vehicles, the doors are designed to automatically unlock when an accident is detected or airbags are deployed.

For reasons yet unclear, that system appears to have failed in this case. The car is equipped with a manual release inside the cabin.

Xiaomi Shares Take a Hit

News of the incident spread quickly, amplified by images and videos of the burning SU7 circulating on Chinese social media, sending Xiaomi’s stock tumbling by as much as 8.7 percent, its sharpest one-day drop since April. Shares eventually closed 5.24 percent lower, erasing billions from the company’s valuation.

More: China Might Kill Electric Flush Door Handles With These New Rules

In April, three individuals were killed after a Xiaomi SU7 crashed in China’s eastern Anhui province. It has been claimed that the two individuals in the front seats were unable to open the doors as they immediately locked after the crash. An individual was pulled from the rear after an eyewitness smashed out one of the windows, but they died from their injuries.

The incident adds to mounting scrutiny over electronic and semi-electronic door mechanisms in China. Regulators are considering restrictions on such designs amid broader safety concerns, while U.S. authorities continue to probe similar failures in Tesla models.

Xiaomi shares plunged nearly 9% after a fatal crash involving its SU7 electric car, Bloomberg reports

According to the outlet, a 31-year-old driver in China collided with another vehicle, crossed into the opposite lane, and the car caught fire. Witnesses tried to pull the man… pic.twitter.com/yPQ70FoKXN

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 13, 2025

Tesla is facing renewed scrutiny after another troubling incident involving its vehicles. As the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigates owner reports that the company’s electric door handles can become inoperative, preventing occupants from entering or exiting the vehicle, Tesla is now being sued by the parents of two teenagers who died in a Cybertruck crash last November.

The lawsuits allege that safety issues with the electric pickup’s handles prevented the teens from escaping the vehicle.

Also: Fiery Crash Kills Driver Trapped Inside Tesla Model 3

The fatal crash occurred in the early hours of November 27 in Piedmont, California. Four teenagers were in the Tesla when it smashed into a cement wall and became wedged between it and a large tree. Moments later, the vehicle burst into flames, killing three of the four occupants, all of whom were 2023 graduates of Piedmont High School.

Expanding Legal Battle

Carl and Noelle Tsukahara, parents of 18-year-old Krysta Tsukahara, recently added Tesla to an earlier lawsuit initially filed against the estate of the 19-year-old driver, Soren Dixon, and the vehicle owner’s estate. The parents of 20-year-old Jack Nelson, another victim of the crash, have also filed a separate suit against the company.

When Power Fails

As noted by the lawsuits, the door handles of the Cybertruck operate off the 12-volt battery, and if the vehicle loses power after a crash, the electronic door mechanism will fail. The EV does have manual door releases at the front and rear, but they can be hard to find. This is especially true in the second row, where a manual release cable is hidden beneath a rubber mat at the bottom of the door pocket.

Read: Feds Looking Into Fatal Tesla Cybertruck Crash That Killed Three Teens

The lawsuit from the Tsukaharas asserts that their daughter survived the impact and was fully conscious. However, she was unable to escape the Tesla’s second row and died from smoke inhalation and burns. It’s claimed that Tesla has long been aware of issues with the safety of its electric door handles.

“These are not new concepts or ideas and are things vehicle designers should be taking into account,” one of the Nelson family’s attorneys told the San Francisco Chronicle. “It’s a preventable death if you have a vehicle occupant who dies who otherwise could exit a vehicle if their doors were functional, or be rescued.”

More: Crash Victim Trapped In Burning Tesla Sues Over Door Handles

Both lawsuits seek unspecified punitive damages against Tesla. The family attorney of the Tsukaharas, believes he has a “very, very strong case,” against the electric carmaker.

“They will want to blame Mr. Dixon, anybody but themselves, but this vehicle absolutely should not have entombed these individuals and my clients’ daughter. It’s our way of holding the wrongdoer accountable, and correcting bad conduct.”

A tragic crash in North Miami Beach has reignited concerns about Tesla’s door and safety systems, after a Model 3 driver lost their life when the car caught fire and rescuers were reportedly unable to pull them out.

The incident adds to a growing list of cases where occupants were trapped following collisions, raising more questions about emergency access to the company’s vehicles.

More: Crash Victim Trapped In Burning Tesla Sues Over Door Handles

The crash unfolded just after 4 pm on Wednesday when the Model 3, heading west on Northwest 163rd Street, was said to have been cut off by an SUV. The Tesla allegedly swerved into a utility pole and almost immediately caught fire.

North Miami Beach police spokesman Corey Darden said officers arrived quickly but were unable to reach the driver before the flames spread beyond control. Paramedics also transported another person to the hospital, though their condition and role in the crash remain unclear.

Read: Trapped Children Die In Tesla Fire After Door Handles Allegedly Wouldn’t Open

Footage captured in the aftermath of the crash shows local police crews desperately trying to control the blaze using fire extinguishers.

At one stage, they could also be seen smashing one of the rear side windows, but according to an eyewitness, “it really didn’t do anything.” Police had to let fire crews take over due to the fear that the Tesla might explode, the Miami Herald reports.

What stands out in the aftermath is that the body damage to the Model 3 does not look especially severe. The front of the electric sedan is not visible in the footage, but the rear and sides show little sign of a major impact. It’s unclear what initially triggered the blaze.

A Wider Pattern Emerging?

This crash occurred just a week after a Tesla Model S driver and two children were killed in Germany when their vehicle veered off the side of a road and burst into flames. In that case, a witness desperately attempted to rescue the occupants but was unable to get the doors open before the vehicle was consumed.

Tesla has acknowledged concerns over emergency access in its vehicles and recently stated it is developing a new door handle design that merges manual and electronic releases into a single button.

Screenshot via Leandro Seguro/Local 10 News/Youtube