Thomas Unise
A Tesla Cybertruck owner has reported a frightening safety incident where a passenger door unexpectedly opened while driving, nearly ejecting their one-year-old child onto the highway.
Dangerous Door Malfunction Details
Oakland resident Viral Shah and his wife experienced a terrifying moment when the rear passenger door next to their baby suddenly swung open as they were driving up a highway ramp. Only the child’s car seat prevented what could have been a tragic accident.
Upon inspection, Shah discovered that the metal loop (striker) that secures the door latch was missing one of its two screws and had come loose. Alarmingly, he found the driver’s door had a similar issue with a loose screw.
Expert Analysis
An engineering expert who reviewed the evidence suggested the problem stemmed from improperly welded “weld-nuts” on the door’s steel pillar that gradually dislodged with regular use. The expert emphasized that such a failure “should never, ever happen” in properly manufactured vehicles.
Shah characterized this not as a simple oversight but as a “systemic design flaw” that affected the most frequently used doors, expressing concern that all doors would eventually experience the same failure with regular use.
Part of a Larger Pattern
This incident adds to the Cybertruck’s troubling safety record, which already includes ten recalls for various issues:
- Accelerator pedals getting stuck
- Power loss while driving
- Stainless steel panels detaching due to inadequate adhesive
- Problematic electronic door mechanisms
Critics have specifically highlighted concerns about the Cybertruck’s button-operated doors, which lack traditional handles and can fail during accidents. The vehicle’s emergency release mechanisms have been criticized as too hidden and impractical.
In a separate tragic incident mentioned in the original article, three recent high school graduates died after being trapped in a Cybertruck that crashed and caught fire when the door buttons failed.
Resolution
After reporting the incident, Shah took his vehicle to a Tesla service center, which acknowledged on an invoice that the rear passenger door was “damaged due to a loose striker.” Tesla offered to buy back the vehicle for nearly its full purchase price, conditional on Shah agreeing not to sue the company. He accepted this offer.
This case highlights serious quality control and safety concerns with the Cybertruck, raising questions about Tesla’s manufacturing processes and the vehicle’s overall safety design.
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