How do I know if my 2012 Tesla S has a recall?

To know if your 2012 Tesla S has an open recall, start by entering your vehicle's VIN or license plate in our Safety Recall Checker. We will find recalls that affect your vehicle and need to be repaired.

How do I check my VIN for recalls for free?

Check your 2012 Tesla S VIN for free by entering it into our Safety Recall Checker.

What happens if my 2012 Tesla S has an open recall?

If your 2012 Tesla S is affected by a recall, it means that NHTSA and the manufacturer have identified an issue with your vehicle. After you check your vehicle, you can contact a dealership to schedule a repair.

How long does a recall take to fix?

How long it takes to fix a recall depends on the exact repairs needed. Something simple like a software update can be done in minutes, but complex mechanical repairs may take days or weeks. Ask the dealership when you schedule your appointment.

Do you need a warranty for a recall?

Your 2012 Tesla S does not need to be under warranty to get recalls fixed. Recalls for safety-related items on your 2012 Tesla S are taken care of by Tesla at no cost to you even if your vehicle warranty has expired or if you are not the original owner of the vehicle.

How long does a recall last on a car?

A recall does not expire as long as the vehicle manufacturer remains in business or continues to make the replacement parts. Generally, recalls can be fixed for free up to 15 years after your car's date of manufacture.

Why should you check for safety recalls?

Road Safety Risks

Open recalls can be dangerous for you and your family.

Mail Delays

Older or used cars can be more difficult for manufacturers to locate.

Risk of Costly Damage

We'll connect you with a dealership near you to fix the recall at no cost.

2012 Tesla S

8 Recalls

NHTSA 24V-376 · OEM SB-24-00-008

Seat Belt Warning Light And Chime Does Not Activate When Needed

125,233 Potential Units Affected

A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

Vehicles Affected: 2013 Tesla S, 2012 Tesla S and 31 others

NHTSA 24V-051 · OEM SB-24-00-003

Font Size Of Instrumentation Warnings Too Small

2,193,869 Potential Units Affected

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.

Vehicles Affected: 2013 Tesla S, 2012 Tesla S and 31 others

NHTSA 23V-838 · OEM SB-23-00-008

Autosteer Use By Driver Not Paying Attention Can Lead To Accident

2,031,220 Potential Units Affected

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.

Vehicles Affected: 2013 Tesla S, 2012 Tesla S and 29 others

NHTSA 21V-035 · OEM SB-21-21-001

Rear Camera, Defrost Settings, Turn Signals Fail

134,951 Potential Units Affected

The eMMC controller wear-out condition can cause the loss of the rearview camera display, defrost/defog control settings, and exterior turn signal lighting, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.

Vehicles Affected: 2013 Tesla S, 2012 Tesla S and 8 others

NHTSA 15V-780 · OEM SB-15-20-002

Front Seat Belts Not Properly Attached To Pretensioner

59,415 Potential Units Affected

If the seat belt is not correctly attached to the pretensioner, it may not properly restrain the seat occupant in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury.

Vehicles Affected: 2013 Tesla S, 2012 Tesla S and 2 others

NHTSA 17V-023

Passenger Air Bag Inflator Ruptures On Deployment Injuring Occupants

2,997 Potential Units Affected

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Vehicles Affected: 2012 Tesla S

NHTSA 17V-260 · OEM SB-17-33-002

Rear Brake Caliper Parking Brake Mechanism Fails

31,709 Potential Units Affected

If the gear breaks during parking brake release, the vehicle will not be able to be moved. If the gear breaks during parking brake application, the parking brake may not adequately hold the vehicle, potentially resulting in the vehicle rolling, increasing the risk of a crash.

Vehicles Affected: 2013 Tesla S, 2012 Tesla S and 5 others

Recalls

Tesla S Recalls by Year

Model Recalls By Year

Recall FAQs

If your 2012 Tesla S is affected by a new safety recall, Tesla will attempt to contact you by sending you a notice in the mail. This notice will detail the defect, when parts for repair will be ready, how to get your car fixed, and whether your unrepaired car is currently safe to drive or not.

If you aren't the original owner, have changed addresses, or have never visited your local dealership for service or maintenance, then you most likely will not receive a recall notice in the mail.

Another way to know whether your 2012 Tesla S has an open recall is to enter your VIN or license plate into the RepairPal Safety Recall Checker above. The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a 17-digit alphanumeric code that can be found on the bottom edge of your car's windshield, on the driver's side. It can also be found on your vehicle's registration card.

You can check your 2012 Tesla S for recalls by entering your VIN or license plate into the RepairPal Safety Recall Checker found above. The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a unique 17-digit alphanumeric identification code on the bottom edge of your car’s windshield, on the driver’s side. It can also be found on your vehicle’s registration card.

Checking your VIN is the best way to find out if your car is affected by any recalls. Identical vehicles of the same make, model, year, and trim may not be affected by the same recall. A VIN is unique to a specific vehicle.

Your 2012 Tesla S is affected by a recall if the manufacturer or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has decided that a problem with your car makes it a safety risk or fails to meet safety standards. When this happens, the vehicle manufacturer is obligated to fix your vehicle.

Normally, you will receive a letter in the mail that explains the recall and how to get the defect fixed promptly and at no charge to you. The letter will explain what the exact defect is, when the parts will be ready, how to get your car fixed, and whether your car is safe to drive or not.

But in many cases, the manufacturer won't know you own an affected vehicle, which is why you should check your 2012 Tesla S for safety recalls frequently.

Use our Safety Recall Checker to check your 2012 Tesla S for open recalls.

How long it takes to fix a recall depends on many different factors:

How many vehicles are affected by the recall? How complex is the problem to fix? How many different parts are involved in the repair? Are the repair parts available? Has the dealership received the parts for the repair yet? Do dealership technicians have training to conduct the specific repair? How many recalled cars can the dealer repair each day (while also doing their daily service business)?

Recalls are unrelated to your warranty coverage. Any recalls that are issued for safety-related items on your 2012 Tesla S will be repaired by the vehicle manufacturer at no cost to you. Even if your vehicle's warranty has expired and you are not the original owner of the vehicle, you are still eligible to have any open safety recalls on your vehicle repaired.

You can check for any open recalls on your 2012 Tesla S by entering its VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) or license plate number into the RepairPal Safety Recall Checker above. If there are any open recalls on your vehicle, contact a dealer as soon as possible to have repairs done.

Safety recalls that address a defective part or system on your 2012 Tesla S that came from the factory do not expire and can generally be fixed up to 15 years after the date of manufacture. Even if you are not the original owner, you can have repairs done to resolve any open recalls. This is important, especially if the recalls are safety-related. The only exceptions are if the carmaker is no longer in business or if the dealership can no longer get the needed parts. Recall repairs are generally free up to 15 years after the date of manufacture.

To check whether there are any open recalls on your 2012 Tesla S, enter its VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) or license plate number into the RepairPal Safety Recall Checker here. Your 2012 Tesla S VIN can be found at the base of the windshield or on your registration card. If there are any open recalls on your vehicle, contact a dealer as soon as possible to have repairs done.

Tesla S Recalls

Check your specific VIN or plate below.

There are 8 recalls that may affect your 2012 Tesla S.

Check your Tesla S for safety recalls and get them fixed for free at a Tesla dealership near you.

2012 Tesla S

8 Recalls

NHTSA 24V-376 · OEM SB-24-00-008

Seat Belt Warning Light And Chime Does Not Activate When Needed

125,233 Potential Units Affected

A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

Vehicles Affected: 2013 Tesla S, 2012 Tesla S and 31 others

NHTSA 24V-051 · OEM SB-24-00-003

Font Size Of Instrumentation Warnings Too Small

2,193,869 Potential Units Affected

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.

Vehicles Affected: 2013 Tesla S, 2012 Tesla S and 31 others

NHTSA 23V-838 · OEM SB-23-00-008

Autosteer Use By Driver Not Paying Attention Can Lead To Accident

2,031,220 Potential Units Affected

Vehicles Affected: 2013 Tesla S, 2012 Tesla S and 29 others

NHTSA 21V-035 · OEM SB-21-21-001

Rear Camera, Defrost Settings, Turn Signals Fail

134,951 Potential Units Affected

Vehicles Affected: 2013 Tesla S, 2012 Tesla S and 8 others

NHTSA 15V-780 · OEM SB-15-20-002

Front Seat Belts Not Properly Attached To Pretensioner

59,415 Potential Units Affected

If the seat belt is not correctly attached to the pretensioner, it may not properly restrain the seat occupant in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury.

Vehicles Affected: 2013 Tesla S, 2012 Tesla S and 2 others

NHTSA 17V-023

Passenger Air Bag Inflator Ruptures On Deployment Injuring Occupants

2,997 Potential Units Affected

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Vehicles Affected: 2012 Tesla S

NHTSA 17V-260 · OEM SB-17-33-002

Rear Brake Caliper Parking Brake Mechanism Fails

31,709 Potential Units Affected

Vehicles Affected: 2013 Tesla S, 2012 Tesla S and 5 others