NHTSA Complaint #11406059 — 2020 TESLA MODEL 3

WE ARE AN CAR MEDIA IN CHINA. WE LEASED A 2020 TESLA MODEL 3 STANDARD RANGE PLUS ON MARCH 15, 2021, FOR PROGRAM SHOOTING. ON MARCH 18, WHEN A TEAM MEMBER TRYING TO CLOSE THE STORAGE COMPARTMENT COVER IN FRONT OF THE CENTRAL ARMREST BOX WHILE OPERATING, THE COVER DID NOT CLOSE SUCCESSFULLY AND POPPED UP UNINTENTIONALLY. A CORNER OF THE COVER SCRATCHED THE OUTER SIDE OF HIS RIGHT THUMB. FOLLOWING IS HIS NARRATIVE IN REGARD OF THIS INCIDENT: WHEN I WAS DRIVING THE TESLA MODEL 3 ON MARCH 18, 2021, AND PULLED OVER THE VEHICLE, I OPENED THE INTERIOR COVER TO STORE ITEMS. AFTER DRIVING FORWARD FOR A SHORT DISTANCE, I ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE COVER WITH MY RIGHT HAND. I TRIED TO PUSH THE COVER DOWN AND CLOSED, AND THEN MADE A U TURN. HOWEVER, THE COVER DID NOT CLOSE SUCCESSFULLY, AND INSTEAD IT ACTUALLY RAISED AGAIN. AT THIS TIME, BECAUSE THE RIGHT HAND DID NOT MOVE OUT OF THE PATH OF MOTION OF THE COVER, THE RIGHT CORNER OF THE COVER SCRATCHED MY RIGHT HAND. THE SHARP CORNERS CAUSED A WOUND OF ABOUT 9MM*3MM AND KEPT BLEEDING FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES. AFTER REFERRING TO THE 2019 IMPORTED VERSION OF THE TESLA MODEL 3, WHICH IS PRODUCED IN THE CALIFORNIA FACTORY, THE INTERIOR COVER DESIGN AND WORKMANSHIP ARE THE SAME AS THOSE OF THE 2020 MODEL 3 PRODUCED IN THE SHANGHAI FACTORY. THEREFORE, WE BELIEVE THAT IN THE U.S. MARKET BEFORE THE 2020 MODEL MODEL 3 ALSO HAS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE EDGE OF THE INTERIOR COVER IS TOO SHARP AND MAY SCRATCH THE USERS. THEREFORE, WE HAVE DECIDED TO REPORT THIS SITUATION TO NHTSA TO INFORM MORE CONSUMERS THIS POTENTIAL DANGER.