2012 Tesla Model S: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
59 NHTSA owner complaints · 8 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The early Model S (2012–2015) carries complaints about the drive unit, the retractable door handles, the touchscreen's eMMC memory chip wearing out — the subject of a 2021 recall — and the suspension. Later years shift toward Autopilot and touchscreen complaints. Read the full note on the model page. 2012 specifically: a year the record favours — 59 complaints, score 76/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Tesla Model S and Model 3: what the record says and what it cannot, including 2012 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 59 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 4.21
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
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.
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 car operated just fine the day before. Please advise.
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.
Recalls: 8 campaigns (7 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 17V023000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Tesla Motors, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling all 2012 Model S vehicles. |
| 23V838000 | Electrical System:Adas:Autonomous/Self Driving: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. |
| 17V260000 | Parking Brake | Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016 Model S and Model X vehicles. |
| 15V780000 | Seat Belts:Front | Tesla Motors, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Model S vehicles manufactured May 31, 2012, to November 12, 2015. |
| 24V376000 | 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. |
| 21V035000 | Back Over Prevention:Software | Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Tesla Model S and 2016-2018 Model X vehicles with a center display equipped with a NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and an 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device. |
| 18V204000 | Steering:Electric Power Assist System | Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Tesla Model S vehicles equipped with Bosch steering racks. |
| 24V051000 | 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. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 89 MPGe · estimated annual energy cost $850 · EPA range 265 mi
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Electrical System36 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other11 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Suspension9 complaints · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle (4.0 h labour + parts)$780–$1,580
- Exterior Lighting5 complaints · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$1,380
- Visibility/Wiper5 complaints · typical job: Wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$490–$1,200
- Power Train4 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
Other Tesla Model S years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Tesla Model S?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (36 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2012 Tesla Model S a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 76/100, computed from 59 NHTSA complaints and 8 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2012 Tesla Model S's most common problem?
36 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2012 Tesla Model S sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2012 Tesla Model S cost to run per year?
About $3,349 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $16,748 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2012 Tesla Model S have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 8 recall campaign(s) for the 2012 Tesla Model S, 7 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 10/01/2017. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
What will a 2012 Tesla Model S really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 59 complaints, 8 recalls on record
- 59 NHTSA complaints on record (4.2/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (30.4/yr)
- 8 recall campaigns, 7 touching safety-critical systems