repaired · 2026 Q2
Front: warning light/devices
Risk. A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
2012 Tesla Model SProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 61 owner complaints about the 2012 Tesla Model S, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 8 safety recalls, and for recall 21V-035 the manufacturer reports only 66% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 17, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2012 Tesla Model S has problems
61 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
37Electrical system
9Suspension3 crash/fire/injury
5Visibility/wiper
5Exterior lighting
5Power train
3Equipment
2Fuel/propulsion system
2Structure
2Back over prevention
77 other systems1 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 37 | 0 |
| Suspension | 9 | 3 |
| Visibility/wiper | 5 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 5 | 0 |
| Power train | 5 | 0 |
| Equipment | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 |
| Back over prevention | 2 | 0 |
| 7 other systems | 7 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
8 recalls
2012 Tesla Model S recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2025 Q4
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Risk. Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2025 Q4
Driver monitoring: software
Risk. In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as…
repaired · 2023 Q1
Back over prevention: software
Risk. The eMMC controller wear-out condition can cause the loss of the rearview camera display, defrost/defog control settings, and exterior turn signal lighting,…
Show 4 more recalls
repaired · 2020 Q3
Steering: electric power assist system
Risk. Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2019 Q2
Parking brake
Risk. If the gear breaks during parking brake release, the vehicle will not be able to be moved.
repaired · 2019 Q1
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2017 Q1
Seat belts: front
Risk. If the seat belt is not correctly attached to the pretensioner, it may not properly restrain the seat occupant in the event of a crash, increasing their risk…
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Tesla.
Mileage at failure
When do electrical system problems start?
78kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 22 electrical system complaints. 73% were reported before 100,000 miles.
1under 30k miles16under 100k miles6100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2012 vs. every other Model S year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Model S median. How we score
'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
8 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2012 Tesla Model S, and the recalls they led to.
- Battery Management Software UpdatesNo recall
- Pedestrian alert soundsLed to recall 22V-063
- Sudden Unintended AccelerationOpen
- Loss of rearview cameraLed to recall 21V-035
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
- Autopilot System Driver ControlsLed to recall 23V-838
- Loss of rearview cameraNo recall
- Recall 23V838 Remedy EffectivenessOpen
In owners' words
What Model S owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
In October 2024, I brought my recently purchased used Model S to the Cincinnati Service Center for an antenna inspection, MCU upgrade, and general inspection to ensure the vehicle was safe and operating properly. During the inspection, I was informed that additional issues had been discovered.…
I tried to start the car and got the “Center Display unavailable” message. Reset the computer doesn’t help. I have to wait for more than 5 minutes for the system to be on.
I charge my Model S on a 30 amp circuit with the car location amperage set to 20 amps to avoid overheating the circuit. Around Sept 12 while plugged in to the 30 amp, the car pulled in 50 amps off the line causing a melting of the wires and a near fire based on the damages later found. The car is…
Own a 2012 Model S?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.