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2013 Zero SProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1 owner complaint about the 2013 Zero S, most often about the exterior lighting. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 13V-635 the manufacturer reports only 76% of affected cars repaired.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls1Lowest repair rate 76%Owner complaints10 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage0kExterior lighting, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 25, 2016. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2013 Zero S has problems

1 complaint grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Exterior lighting10
Service brakes10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

2013 Zero 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.

76%repaired · 2015 Q3

Electrical system: software

Recall 13V-635 · Dec 18, 2013 · 667 vehicles · 506 repaired

Risk. A sudden loss of power to the motor may increase the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

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 Zero.

Best & worst years

2013 vs. every other 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 S median. How we score

'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'17'18'21'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
In owners' words

What S owners report

Recent exterior lighting complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I WAS BREAKING SIGNIFICANTLY (USING THE MAXIMUM SETTING FOR THE REGENERATIVE BREAKING FEATURE) AND THE BRAKE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. THIS IS NOT A FAULT, MERELY A DESIGN FLAW OR OVERSIGHT. TO MY KNOWLEDGE IT AFFECTS ALL OF ZERO'S MODELS FOR EVERY YEAR. I WAS IN MOTION ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS.
Complaint 10861302 · Apr 25, 2016 · 190 miles

Own a 2013 S?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.