China Orders Tesla’s Biggest-Ever Recall of Nearly 3 Million Cars

Chinese regulators have ordered Tesla to address defects affecting nearly 3 million vehicles, making the campaign the electric automaker’s largest recall to date and the biggest automotive recall ever conducted in China. The action comes amid concerns over emergency door-release mechanisms and driver-monitoring systems.

China’s State Administration for Market Regulation, or SAMR, said Friday that Tesla will recall 973,156 Model 3 vehicles produced between March 4, 2019, and April 29, 2026. The action also covers 1.96 million China-made Model Y vehicles manufactured from November 16, 2020, through April 30, 2026, along with more than 35,000 imported Model 3s, 8,000 Model X vehicles and 2,000 Model S cars. Altogether, the recall affects approximately 2.98 million vehicles.

According to Chinese regulators, the affected vehicles use emergency mechanical door releases that could be difficult for occupants to locate following a serious crash or a loss of electrical power. Tesla told SAMR it will address the issue by installing warning labels on the vehicles’ handles at no cost to owners.

In a separate recall announced by SAMR, Tesla must also repair 2.74 million China-made Model 3 and Model Y vehicles produced between March 2019 and December 2025. Regulators said a defect could prevent the driver-monitoring system from alerting drivers to keep their eyes on the road. Tesla plans to resolve that issue through an over-the-air software update.

Tesla has faced continued regulatory scrutiny in recent years, although many of the company’s recalls can be addressed remotely through software updates. In the United States, Tesla has issued five recalls so far this year, including one announced earlier this month involving 20,000 vehicles because of headlights that were too bright. In May, more than 218,000 Model 3, Model Y and Model S/X vehicles were recalled over a rear-camera problem.

The automaker, led by Elon Musk, is also facing a reported investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration involving 1.2 million Tesla vehicles following reports of suspension failures that could potentially cause a “loss of vehicle directional control.” Tesla’s Autopilot self-driving system has separately been associated with hundreds of crashes and dozens of deaths.