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The 2012 Tesla Model S has 1 critical safety recall on file — the kind NHTSA opens when crashes, fires, or injuries are documented. 59 owner complaints alongside. Read those first.
The 2012 Tesla Model S has 59 NHTSA owner complaints and 8 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is electrical at 34 complaints, typically surfacing around 90,887 miles (~$850 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Model S (this page) | 59 | 8 |
| 2013 Model S | 459 | 11 |
| 2014 Model S | 365 | 9 |
| 2015 Model S | 0 | 9 |
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: suspension is flagged critical on this model , showing up around 38,750 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 8 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 6.0/10 model. The priciest documented failure is powertrain (~$2,500) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
The heater and defroster stopped working in this cold weather as we were driving home with my sons. They were freezing and cold. I was not able to see clearly rather very foggy windshield due to non-working cabin heater and defroster. This issue had happened to many many Tesla…
This complaint may refer to the reference number provided below: NHTSA action number: dp19005 - investigation subject: battery management software updates to whom it might concern, back to may 2019, Tesla pushed a software update, firmware number 2019.16.2, to my car via…
You are investigating Tesla front suspension failures. You should also investigate Tesla rear suspension failures. Here is just one recent example.https://www.iaai.com/vehicledetails/38453571?rownumber=39 the suspension link has snapped like a pretzel causing the suspension…
I appears that Tesla had capped my battery. I have lost significant range for no reason and they have no explanation.
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
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.
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. RQ24009 on NHTSA →
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. DP23002 on NHTSA →
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. EA21002 on NHTSA →
How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.0 out of 10 based on 59 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Tesla Model S has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
The 2012 Tesla Model S is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 6.0/10 — around the segment average; 8 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the electrical first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 34 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 90,887 miles. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 6.0 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 59 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is electrical. Typical failure occurs around 90,887 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is electrical, with 34 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 90,887 miles. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop.
The suspension is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $900 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 38,750 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 59 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $900, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.