2012 Tesla Model S Other or unknown Problems
- Complaints
- 12about this part
- Share
- 20%of 61 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 51,850miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 12 complaints about the other or unknown of the 2012 Tesla Model S, 20% of the 61 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 51,850 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“The touchscreen on my 2012 Tesla Model S becomes unresponsive each time I start the car. This dramatically limits the car's functionality and requires a several minute long reset process. The car is stationary as it happens when I first try to start it.”
NHTSA complaint #11330643, filed 2020-06, 43,904 miles“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 owners, infact Model S like mine and even the brand new Tesla model 3 and model y with just less than 10o miles. This clearly is a huge negligence on the part of Tesla not wanting to fix the issue. …”
NHTSA complaint #11385791, filed 2020-12, 56,700 miles“W mcu going out concerning I cannot safely operate vehicle. No way to control defrosting. Also door handles stick and pinch my fingers each time I open door. Screen is starting to bubble, hasn't failed yet.”
NHTSA complaint #11331602, filed 2020-06, 85,009 miles“Loss of rear view camera. The middle touch screen or mcu quit working. This is my 3rd mcu. The car has 41k miles. The last one lasted just over 1 year, just out of a 1 year warranty. The mcu controls almost all features of the car, including the rear camera for backing up.”
NHTSA complaint #11330717, filed 2020-06, 39,916 miles“The vehicle's main display, which shows the backup camera, freezes/locks when turning on the vehicle. The error message on the drivers display is that the large display is unresponsive . Then, when restarting the display's operating system (by holding the two buttons down on the car's steering wheel), the system reboots and the display goes permanently blank until the vehicle is parked, the vehicle powers off. When starting the vehicle for a second time, the same issue occurs. So I no longer have a backup camera. …”
NHTSA complaint #11330877, filed 2020-06, 47,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 11008831Sep 30, 2024Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a…
- 11008830Sep 30, 2024Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a…
- 11008829Sep 30, 2024Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a…
- 11008827Sep 30, 2024Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a…
- 11008824Sep 30, 2024Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a…
- 11008807Sep 30, 2024Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a…
- 11008806Sep 30, 2024Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a…
- 11008805Sep 30, 2024Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a…
- 11008803Sep 30, 2024Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a…
- 11008800Sep 30, 2024Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a…
Other or unknown: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 29% |
| 2024 | 23 | 61% |
| 2023 | 58 | 50% |
| 2022 | 34 | 24% |
| 2021 | 45 | 25% |
| 2020 | 14 | 18% |
| 2019 | 4 | 9% |
| 2018 | 36 | 21% |
| 2017 | 96 | 22% |
| 2016 | 150 | 23% |
| 2015 | 189 | 28% |
| 2014 | 83 | 23% |
| 2013 | 122 | 26% |
| 2012 | 12 | 20% |
Other parts of the 2012 Tesla Model S
37 complaintsSuspension
9 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
6 complaintsExterior lighting
5 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
5 complaintsEquipment
3 complaintsBack-over prevention (rear camera)
2 complaintsFuel system
2 complaintsBody and structure
2 complaintsAir bags
1 complaintsBrakes
1 complaintsEngine
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2012 Tesla Model S
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology