2016 Tesla Model S: doors won't lock, open or latch

Filed Mar 3, 2026 · Driver assistance · SD

multitude of electrical problems: Fuel/Propulsion System, Lighting, and body controls along with all ADAS: Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Warning, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assistance systems are impacted by random intermittent glitching as computer screen bubbling progressed with goo leaking out of the bottom of the main computer. Most recent symptom was disabling of ALL ADAS systems along with automatic high beam headlight switching. Long ago as screen began to bubble and express fluid the low windshield washer alert came on and remains even when the tank is full. Then the charge port responsiveness degraded and stopped automatically functioning requiring user to bypass by clicking the "open charge port", then waiting 3 seconds, then tapping "unlock charge port". User must perform this as remote manual operation from a NACS charging handle button push will FAIL. Long ago the computer controlled 'home link' module would have excessive time delays on the order of hours or days from when the user would program and or operate the function. I even had a "phanthom" car appear by the computer calculations with E-Braking before the ADAS system failed fully, a 1.0 Tesla system should not have that... Windows have randomly rolled down and the driver side rear door will unlock and open on its own as the door handles present themselves. The safety risk class is unknown unknown; if the root problem is the screen filling leaking on electronics any number of unknown, unplanned, unstudied risk failure modes exist that can not be predicted. Schematically the HOMELINK is on connector X429 sharing CANBUS connections impacting safety: Driver "Instrument Cluster", DAS systems connected to "Power Steering ECU", "iBooster ECU", "ABS / Stability ECU", "Passive Restraints Controller"... see CAN Network - Chassis drawing page 11 , "Energy System - Charger Logic Connections" "Instrument Cluster / LIN" pg35

Filed Jan 6, 2026 · Body · NJ

The retracting door handle on my Tesla Model S failed, creating a dangerous situation where I could not enter the vehicle when needed. This defect poses a serious safety risk because if this failure occurred during a medical emergency, a crash, or a fire, neither I nor first responders would be able to access the vehicle quickly. In real‑world scenarios — such as needing to reach a child in the back seat, assisting an injured passenger, or evacuating the vehicle in traffic — a non‑functional door handle can cause delays that lead to injury. The failure also increases risk in cold‑weather regions, where being locked out of the vehicle can expose occupants to freezing temperatures. This is not a cosmetic issue; it is a critical safety hazard.

Filed Jul 14, 2025 · Electrical · FL

While the car is parked and locked the rear driver side door opens in its own. The door handle does not present itself and is scheduled for repair. This is new and started happening today. Despite how many times I close it. It opens on it own. The door is locked when this happens. Door sitting still. Plugged in to charge and locked. The door opens on its own. It unlatches, Does not fully open.

Filed Apr 20, 2024 · Body, Driver assistance · CA

1.) Passenger Side Door is a potential hazard. Door latch and door mechanism does not open from the outside. 2.) Lane keep assist on Autopilot veers off to the right when it is first engaged and does not want to stay centered until it's been on for awhile.

Filed Feb 7, 2024 · Locks · CA

The passenger door handle and locking mechanism was not functioning properly. The front passenger door handle was not presenting. Also, every time I parked the car or unlocked the car, the door would pop open. Also, while in drive and when the car was in motion the passenger door would pop open unexpectedly. Safety is put at risk as the door would pop open while the car was in drive and in motion. The problem was reproduced several times and the Tesla service center acknowledged the problem and fixed it. They charged me $477. There were no warning signs.

Filed Jan 11, 2023 · Body · CA

All 4 door handles have ceased working. 1st responders wouldn't be able to gain entry.

Filed Oct 14, 2021 · Body, Electrical · CO · 1 injury

The doors on my Tesla are electronic from the inside and outside. Sometimes the car will not let me out or in, especially in the rear drivers side door where the kids are. It will not open the door and presents a huge safety issue. My sons was trapped in the door previously and we couldn't get the door to open - it took about 5 cycles of locking and unlocking the car for the doors electronic door handle to finally allow the door to be opened Recently there was a lawsuit for a similar issue in which a man became trapped inside a Tesla and died of smoke inhalation because the doors would not open and first responders couldn't get in the car either. I contacted Tesla, who was able to diagnose my car and create a repair estimate for the malfunctioning door handles without even looking at the car because the problem is so widespread and well known. They want $700 to repair my door handles that are locking me and the kids inside the car but i don't have money to repair right now.

Filed Jun 11, 2021 · Body · WI · 1 injury

Door/Door Handle. Puts my children at risk, as when I place car in park, door opens on it's own. With or Without someone sitting there. Drivers side rear door. Not the first time this has happened. Tesla blames their self-extending door handles. This will happen if I am outside the vehicle and unlock it. Door opens, it also happens if we are driving, and I put the vehicle in PARK. When the door handles extend, the door opens. My son has unbuckled himself preparing to exit the vehicle, not expecting the door to open on it's own. When it did, if a passing car drove by, the door may even have been ripped off and/or my child injured. Thankfully, THIS TIME, he only got a few scrapes when he hit the concrete. The whole mess of the self-extending door handles has been a nightmare since the beginning. These handles have caused endless problems, and have been replaced on both my current and previous Tesla Model S multiple times, at minimum FIFTEEN DOOR HANDLES HAVE BEEN REPLACED. I would need to go through countless service invoices to get an exact number. A door handle should operate problem free for the life of the vehicle. I should NOT have so many problems with one of the most basic functions of the vehicle.

Filed May 27, 2021 · Body · TX

The rear passenger door would open itself. This happened numerous times. An example of when it occurred and why it was dangerous is I would be in carpool line at my kid’s school and would slow down, stop, put the car in park, one passenger would leave from the front right door, I would put the car back in drive, start to drive off and then would see a warning that the rear right passenger door had popped open all by itself. I’m now driving 20 mph. I have young kids who are in the car which is very dangerous with a moving vehicle and a door next to them that has opened unexpectedly while now in motion. The car door would also open itself when it was just parked in a parking lot with no one inside it. I would come back from the grocery store and I would see the rear passenger right door just open. Tesla told me that I should disable the auto present door handle option for all doors except the driver door as a temporary solution until I could fix it with the dealership. I did this and it made the passenger rear right door inoperable. It jammed the door handle in a fenced out position and then it wouldn’t open or close at all which was another safety issue. If I had been in an accident and people needed to escape the car they would not have been able to through the rear right passenger door at all. Tesla told me they knew they had a problem with these door handles and would “upgrade” me to the new ones (they wanted to do both the rear door handles) for $1,000. They were asking me to fix both the broken one and the one that hadn’t broken as they said it would fail too. I was out of warranty and the manager did not think this was a serious issue. I thought it was a very serious safety issue. I told them that they should investigate and consider doing a recall. They ended up only fixing for free when I brought up filing an official complaint with the federal safety agency. Moving vehicles with car doors unexpectedly opening is a recipe for accidents that can be prevented.

Filed Nov 5, 2020 · Driver assistance, Electrical · 78,000 miles · WI

The mcu (master control unit) is the 17" touch screen display that controls most of the functions of the vehicle. Vehicle has been plagued over it's live with freeze up's and reboots. April 2019, screen locked up and would not restart, which caused vehicle to loose propultion, power assisted brakes, power steering, window controls (had to use emergency manual release to exit vehicle, then go back in and squeeze between the seats to get my disabled son out of the back as the back door handles did not operate either and had to try and find the well hidden manual release hidden under the carpet with no markings to get the rear door open and him out of his car seat). Vehicle also would not go in to park, I had to use my shoes (with steel toe) under the wheels to keep the vehicle from rolling down an incline. This also prevented the hood from being opened to potentially pull the power to the vehicle to force a reset as the reset buttons did not work. Also trunk would not open and had to climb through the inside to get to the manual release for the trunk to get diapers for my disabled son while we waited 4 hours for a tow. Once doors were shut, no way to get back in. Head lights also would not turn off. Had it towed to tesla service of highland park, illinois from milwaukee county, wisconsin. They said the headlights stayed on all night, and that the car "fixed" itself the overnight some how. No additional information would be provided. That was the worst failure, however, it still locks up and reboots at random times as it's in use. Either while driving (when that happens I loose turn signals and other safety features as well as ability to control vehicle settings) or while parked preventing it from being driven.

Filed Jun 25, 2020 · Body · 96,000 miles · WI

Door handle failure. The door physically opens by itself once the vehicle is placed in park and handle extends. This vehicle has had multiple handles replaced already, either due to not extending, so no ability to use and open car door at all, extending but not functioning, not retracting, and extending and physically opening the door with no occupant interaction. Happens when vehicle is stationary. Current failure could allow an external threat into the vehicle when putting the car in the park (such as carjacker, rioter etc...) my previous model s had over 15 door handles replaced due to a mixture of the same above issues. This is out of hand, a recall needs to be done.

Filed Dec 8, 2018 · Body · 72,000 miles · WI

Rear passenger door handle fails to open door. This has been a on-going issue with tesla model s vehicles. My first 2013 model s had over 15 door handles replaced due to failure. My current 2016 model s has had around 6. The last was front passenger door handle replaced in may 2018 which would not extend nor open the door. I have the failed unit in hand, as I had to pay out of pocket non-warranty (as I was over the warranty mileage), technician stated that the door handle shorted out due to water intrusion from poor design (his words). Rear passenger door handle has now failed. It will extend, but will not open the vehicle's door. This is a known, and on-going issue for the model s vehicles of all years and trim levels. Tesla needs to come up with a solution, and permanent fix. I also want to report that all door handles fail to operate below in temperatures of 20*f about 25% of the time after sitting overnight unless the vehicle is remotely pre-heated (as the door handles freeze closed internally (in the door) and will not extend.