2012 Tesla S Service and Repair Manual

This factory service and repair manual for the 2012 Tesla S applies to a 4-door sedan with a battery-electric drive (EV) in place of any combustion engine, offered in one trim, listed simply as Base. Procedures address the electric drive, the steering rack, the suspension and the brakes, while wiring diagrams and diagnostics trace the sedan's body electrical and lighting circuits.

Engines covered

• Battery-electric drive (EV)

Body styles covered

• 4-door sedan

Trims covered

• Base

Known issues on the 2012 S. The federal record holds 8 recalls for the 2012 S. On certain cars fitted with a Bosch steering rack, the aluminum bolts securing the assist motor can corrode and snap, so steering assist fades or disappears; new bolts and a sealer were the fix. Certain cars whose center display pairs an NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor with an 8GB eMMC flash memory chip can wear that memory out, taking the rear camera view, defrost settings and turn signals with it. Of 61 complaints, 37 concern the electrical system and 9 the suspension; 4 reported a crash, 1 a fire, 1 an injury and 1 a death. Torque values, procedures, wiring diagrams and diagnostics here address the steering gear, display and body wiring.