(Reuters) -The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Tuesday it had opened a preliminary evaluation into about 174,290 Tesla Model Y cars over reports of their electronic door handles becoming inoperative.

The auto safety agency's Office of Defects Investigation said it had received reports citing an inability to open exterior doors, especially after parents exited to remove or place a child in the rear seat, or after a drive cycle.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

(Reporting by Disha Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Pooja Desai)