Design flaws caused a Tesla Model 3 to suddenly accelerate out of control before it crashed into a utility pole and burst into flames, killing a woman and severely injuring her husband, a lawsuit filed in federal court alleges.
Another defect, with the door handle design, thwarted bystanders who were trying to rescue the driver, Jeff Dennis, and his wife, Wendy, from the car, according to the lawsuit filed Friday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
Wendy Dennis died in the Jan. 7, 2023, crash in Tacoma, Washington. Jeff Dennis suffered severe leg burns and other injuries, according to the lawsuit.
Mustangs have been using a window-retract feature with mechanical handles since at least 2015 (S550 generation). I’ve had to open them with dead batteries and they opened fine without the retraction, though I’m sure it wears the rubber strip faster. I believe the Audi A5/A7 family has done the same for years. While frameless doors have been around for decades, the seal IS different on auto-drop doors to improve sealing. Regardless, as you said, “removing the mechanical handle” has a reason, and it’s incredibly easy to argue against. Like many other Tesla design decisions, it’s a cost-saving measure disguised as a functional necessity.