2012 Tesla Model S problems and complaints
Owners have filed 59 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Tesla Model S. The most-reported areas: Electrical System (36), Unknown Or Other (11), Suspension (9).
Key takeaways
- 59 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 4 involve a crash, 1 a fire, 6 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 36 | 61% |
| Unknown Or Other | 11 | 19% |
| Suspension | 9 | 15% |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 8% |
| Visibility/Wiper | 5 | 8% |
| Power Train | 4 | 7% |
| Equipment | 3 | 5% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 2 | 3% |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 3% |
| Structure | 2 | 3% |
| Engine | 1 | 2% |
| Visibility | 1 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Engine - filed 2023-03-17
Motor is starting to make sounds and according to teslamotorsclub.com the motor will fail eventually. Many have to had to have the motor switched out multiple times. It is quite evident that there was a design flaw which Tesla corrected in later years.
Power Train - filed 2023-03-07
The drive unit has water damage from normal driving. The car never went through deep water or was flooded, but the tech at the service center is saying the units are sealed but still can get water in them and corrode. How can a vital sealed part of the vehicle be damaged by normal driving and claim water damage? The ...
Electrical System,exterior Lighting,visibility/Wiper - filed 2022-11-29
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.
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More for the 2012 Tesla Model S
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.