Just as cars with retractable door handles have been banned from being sold in China starting next year unless automakers fit mechanical release systems on both sides of their vehicles, Tesla has been hit with yet another lawsuit regarding this exact issue.
The family of 20-year-old Samuel Tremblett, who died in his burning Tesla Model Y after an October 29 crash on Route 138 in Easton, Massachusetts, has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. automaker on February 4 in Massachusetts federal court.
Victim Survived The Crash, But Couldn’t Exit The Vehicle
The suit alleges that the Tesla’s electrically powered doors trapped the driver inside his burning Model Y after the EV left the southbound lane of Route 138 and came to a stop in the woods about 20 feet from the road. Tremblett survived the single-vehicle crash and immediately called 911, panicking because the car had caught fire and he wasn’t able to open the doors.
“I can’t get out, please help me. It’s on fire. Help please. I am going to die,” he told the operator, according to transcripts of the call presented in court. Unfortunately, the young man’s remains were later found in the back seat of the vehicle, according to a police report of the incident. That appears to suggest that he had desperately tried to open all the doors of the vehicle before he lost consciousness because of the smoke and burns.
“Unable to open the doors, Mr. Tremblett was trapped in the Tesla vehicle and died from thermal injuries and smoke inhalation before he was able to be rescued,” read the complaint filed in Massachusetts federal court. Tesla didn’t respond to Bloomberg News’ request for comment.
At Least 15 Lives Allegedly Lost Because Of Tesla’s Flush Door Handles
IIHS
This is the latest of many lawsuits involving Tesla’s concealed door handles that have claimed at least 15 lives according to a Bloomberg News investigation, in accidents where passengers were unable to escape burning vehicles because their doors wouldn’t open.
Tesla is obviously aware of this issue and in September 2025 one of its top executives said the company was working on a redesign of the door handles. In December, the EV maker updated its website to say that after a serious collision is detected, the “doors will automatically unlock for emergency access” and the hazard lights will turn on to increase visibility. Unfortunately for Samuel Tremblett, that update came two months too late.
Few Tesla Users Know Mechanical Releases Exist And How To Use Them
Every Tesla on the road today features two batteries, the high-voltage pack that propels the car and the low-voltage battery that powers essential interior functions like the windows, doors and the touchscreen, among other things. If the low-voltage battery dies or is disabled, the doors may not unlock and have to be manually operated from inside the vehicle.
While Teslas feature mechanical door releases, many owners and passengers aren’t aware they exist or have difficulty finding and operating them, especially in case of an emergency.