SAN FRANCISCO, California: The parents of a 19-year-old college student killed in a Tesla crash have filed a lawsuit claiming she was unable to escape the vehicle as it erupted in flames because of a critical design flaw in the doors.

The suit, filed on October 2 in Alameda County Superior Court, alleges Tesla had long known that its door system could fail in emergencies but failed to fix it. The victim, Krysta Tsukahara, an arts student, was trapped in the back of a Cybertruck as smoke and fire engulfed the cabin, her parents said.

According to the complaint, Tsukahara died after the driver—who was intoxicated with alcohol and drugs—lost control and slammed into a tree in a San Francisco suburb. Three of the four occupants, including the driver, perished in the crash. The only survivor was pulled out after a rescuer smashed a window to reach them.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The lawsuit was first reported by The New York Times.

The filing comes just weeks after federal regulators launched an investigation into reports from Tesla owners who said doors became stuck, preventing occupants from escaping. The timing is especially sensitive for the automaker, which is simultaneously trying to convince the public that its vehicles will soon be safe enough to operate without drivers.

The complaint underscores recurring concerns about Tesla's door mechanisms. Critics note that when a fire damages the car's electrical system, the battery-powered locks can fail, leaving occupants reliant on manual release latches that are hard to locate in a panic.

This is not the first legal challenge Tesla has faced over safety issues. In August, a Florida jury awarded more than $240 million in damages to the family of another college student who died in a separate Tesla crash.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which opened its stuck-door probe last month, is reviewing complaints from drivers who say they were unable to open rear doors to free children, sometimes resorting to breaking windows.