The service and repair manual for the 2012 Tesla S — the Battery electric engine, 1 trim. Matched to this exact model year, so the specifications and sequences are the ones Tesla published for your car, not figures carried over from a neighbouring year.
01 / FitmentWhat this manual covers
| Model year | 2012 |
|---|---|
| Engines | Battery electric |
| Trims | Base Sedan 4-Door |
| Federal record | 8 recalls · 59 complaints · 73 technical service bulletins (refreshed 2026-08-21) |
02 / InsideSample pages from the 2012 S manual
03 / ContentsSections in the manual
- Quick Lookups 821
- General Information 2,080
- Accessories & Equipment 5,693
- Heating, Ventilation & A/C (HVAC) 552
- Body & Frame 3,075
- Hybrid/Electric Powertrain 912
- Brakes 786
- Restraints 372
- Drivelines & Axles 442
- Steering 426
- Electrical 2,689
- Suspension 996
- Engine Performance 67
- Front 245
- Rear 245
04 / Known issuesRecalls on federal record for the 2012 S
- Parking Brake · 17V260000If 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.
- Air Bags — frontal › passenger side › inflator module · 17V023000An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Steering — electric power assist system · 18V204000Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
- Seat Belts — front · 15V780000If 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.
- Back Over Prevention — software · 21V035000The 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.
- Electrical System — adas › autonomous/self driving › software · 23V838000In 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.
- Electrical System — instrument cluster/panel · 24V051000Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Seat Belts — front › warning light/devices · 24V376000A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Owners have filed 59 complaints and Tesla has issued 73 technical service bulletins for the 2012 S. The manual carries the manufacturer's diagnostic and repair procedures behind these systems.
FAQQuestions about the 2012 S manual
Is this manual specific to the 2012 S?
Yes. It is the OEM manual matched to the 2012 model year, covering the Battery electric across the Base Sedan 4-Door trims. Specifications and procedure sequences are the ones Tesla published for this year.
What 2012 S problems does it help with?
8 recalls are on federal record for the 2012 S, covering parking brake, air bags, steering. The manual carries the manufacturer's diagnostic and repair procedures for those systems; the recall repairs themselves are done free by Tesla dealers.
Does it include 2012 S wiring diagrams?
Yes — the complete wiring diagrams for the 2012 build, alongside repair procedures, specifications and diagnostics.
Is it a subscription?
No. $29.99 once and the manual is yours. It is a digital manual — nothing ships; access details arrive by email after checkout and it works on any device.
RelatedOther S years and 2012 Tesla models
2018 S · 2017 S · 2016 S · 2015 S · 2014 S · 2013 S · all 13 years