2012 Tesla Model S Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
BestComplaint Index
15/100
#12 most-complained of 14 Model S years
The 2012 Tesla Model S has 61 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 15, ranking 12th of 14 model years — a Best verdict relative to other Model S years. Its top problem area is the Electrical System (38 complaints, 62% share).
- Complaints
- 61
- Recalls
- 8
- Crashes / fires
- 4 / 1
- Injuries / deaths
- 6 / 1
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 89
- 88 city / 90 hwy
Top 2012 Tesla Model S problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System38 (62%)
- Other14 (23%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires9 (15%)
- Visibility & Wipers6 (10%)
- Transmission & Powertrain5 (8%)
- Engine2 (3%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras2 (3%)
- Fuel System2 (3%)
- Structure & Body2 (3%)
- Airbags1 (2%)
What owners report
- Front steering knuckles have reportedly snapped in half, with wheels seen hanging sideways or jammed in the wheel well without any prior crash.
- Owners describe a loud metal-on-metal clunk or grinding from the front-left suspension, with loose steering that pulls to the left.
- One owner reported a cracked subframe causing the car to fishtail aggressively at highway speeds above 55 mph, at 90,300 miles.
- The touch display screen has gone completely inoperative on restart, disabling the rearview camera and other functions until a reset that takes about 5 minutes, at 68,000 miles.
- A rear door handle stopped opening from the inside after a service visit, at 70,000 miles.
- A rear subframe motor mount reportedly broke while backing up slowly under 5 mph, at 92,000 miles.
2012 Tesla Model S recalls
8 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 24V376000May 28, 2024Seat Belts125,233 vehiclesOver-the-air fix
Seat belts:front:warning light/devices
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
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.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-008.
- NHTSA 24V051000Jan 30, 2024Electrical System2,193,869 vehiclesOver-the-air fix
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, 2019-2024 Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
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.
Remedy: Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.
- NHTSA 23V838000Dec 12, 2023Electrical System2,031,220 vehiclesOver-the-air fix
Electrical system:adas:driver monitoring:software
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with all versions of Autosteer leading up to the version(s) that contains the recall remedy. In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature's controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance feature.
Risk: In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-008.
2012 Tesla Model S fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 88 MPG
- Highway
- 90 MPG
- Combined
- 89 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $850
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Electricity
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2012 compared with other Model S years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 Tesla Model S reliable?
- NHTSA lists 61 complaints for the 2012 Model S and a complaint index of 15, the lowest of any Model S year except newer ones, earning a Best verdict relative to other Model S model years.
- What is the top problem area for the 2012 Tesla Model S?
- The Electrical System accounts for 38 of 61 complaints (62% share), with a median failure mileage of 73,000 miles.
- Does the 2012 Tesla Model S have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 8 recalls tied to the 2012 Model S, covering seat belts, electrical system, HVAC, steering, brakes, and airbags. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2012 Model S compare to other years?
- The 2012 model ranks 12th worst of 14 Model S years with a complaint index of 15, far better than 2016 (complaint index 100, Avoid) and 2015 (complaint index 92, Avoid).
- What mileage do problems typically appear at on the 2012 Model S?
- Median mileage at failure across all complaints is 68,481 miles, with Electrical System issues appearing around a median of 73,000 miles.