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Understanding the Tesla 12V Battery Service Warning

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During the time when I was sitting on the sideline waiting patiently for delivery of my Model S, I read up on pretty much anything and everything related to the vehicle. I remember reading about 12V battery failures on the Model S, something Elon himself even commented on during one of the earnings calls.

RELATED: Tesla Model S 12V Lithium-Ion battery replacement (up to 70% lighter, 4x life)

It was reported that Tesla had chosen a poor vendor for the 12V battery which impacted early Model S owners but apparently this issue is still happening across later production vehicles. My Model S as well as several others that I personally know of received the 12V battery service indicator. For me this took place after 7 months and 18,000 miles of ownership.

Purpose of the Tesla 12V battery

Model S Battery

Tesla Model S 12V Battery (source: TMC forum)

The 12V battery in the Model S performs many of the same duties as it would in any internal combustion engine (ICE) car.The connections to the 12V battery on a Model S appear to be a bit more complex than in a traditional ICE as seen in the following picture (source: TMC forum).

RELATED: Why Tesla’s lead acid 12V battery needs to be lithium-ion based

The 12V battery maintains power for critical systems when the main battery pack is damaged or disabled. It powers the hazard lights, airbags, door locking and unlocking operations, as well as other critical componets of the Model S. The 12V battery also ensures that electronics are “awake” and listening to the key FOB in order to automatically lock and unlock the vehicle based on proximity. It also allows the car to maintain its 3G connection for remote access when the rest of the vehicle is powered off. If the 12V battery happens to fail, it will isolate the main battery pack from the car and prevent charging. This is a safety feature of the Model S designed to help protect first responders in the event of an accident.

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What does my warning mean?

The “12V Battery Needs Service” warning can indicate a number of problems and the only way to truly understand the reason for the alert is to call Tesla Service (they’re available 24×7) and have them pull the logs. This is something that Tesla service can diagnose remotely.

Tesla 12V battery terminal

Tesla 12V battery terminal

In severe cases Tesla Service will tell you to stop driving the car, but generally it’s an indication that the voltage level has dropped below a certain threshold but the vehicle can continue to operate normally until replaced. In the rare event that the the 12V battery dies while driving, the car will become disabled and will require a jump start to power on again. Our friend Kman has a good video on getting access to the terminals behind the nosecone to jump start the 12V, but please consult Tesla service and take caution before attempting this on your own.

Depending on the severity of the issue, there may be a 2-3 week lead time before Tesla Service replaces the 12V battery.

Many owners manage to get the battery replaced quickly, but in my case a busy Tesla Service Center combined with the fact that it was Thanksgiving holiday during a snowy New England week, had me driving with the warning light on for almost 2 weeks (about 1,000 miles) without encountering any issues.

Another interesting point to note is that Tesla may call you before you even see 12V battery service warning. Multiple owners have reported this proactive stance in advance of a warning which is great to see. Evidently Tesla’s early warning threshold is supersedes the trigger that kicks off the dash indicator.

Why are the 12V batteries failing?

Some owners are on their 3rd 12V battery already. Many others are reporting failures at the 1 year mark. In ICE cars you can normally expect about 4 years of life before needing to replace the 12V battery which begs the question – why are Tesla 12V batteries failing?

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Some of the failures have been in the DC to DC converter that charges the 12V battery through the main battery pack. That converter can be seen as an equivalent to the alternator in your traditional ICE car. However, this doesn’t seem to be the main cause of the 12V battery failures. Current conjecture is that vampire load and the excessive strain on the 12V are causing the reliability issues.

Tesla may have a lingering design issue in their use of the 12V battery.

From my reading, I think they upgraded the quality of the battery in the earlier models but we’re still facing the same underlying design issue in the way the 12V is stressed. Can Tesla fix the way the 12V battery is used with software updates alone? We don’t know, but fortunately they’re taking care of all of the replacements in the meantime. Unless they can address it remotely via software updates, there could be a factory “recall” brewing (and I use this term loosely).

Either way, Tesla should be more upfront about these issues and let owners know what they’re doing to address the underlying problem.

Getting the 12V battery serviced

From everthing I’ve heard and experienced through my own Model S, the replacement including labor and parts is 100% covered by Tesla.

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Tesla Service can handle the replacement at your location, but given the poor weather conditions here in New England, I opted to have them pick up my Model S and do the replacement in the comfort of their own Service Center. They were able to service it within the same day, and to Tesla fashion they also updated/fixed a bunch of other minor things for free, while at it.

Summary

The 12V battery is a relatively inexpensive part in the Model S and is fairly simple to replace, but the bigger concern is why they seem to be failing so quickly. It isn’t a major issue for now but certianly something we should continue monitoring as concerned Model S owners.

I’ve started a poll over on TMC to see what kind of failure rate we’re seeing on the 12V battery so feel free to contribute to it or use it as a way monitor progress. So far over 75% of respondents have had their 12V battery replaced within 2 years.

"Rob's passion is technology and gadgets. An engineer by profession and an executive and founder at several high tech startups Rob has a unique view on technology and some strong opinions. When he's not writing about Tesla

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Tesla Cybertruck takes a bump from epic failing Dodge Charger

The Cybertruck seemed unharmed by the charging Charger.

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Credit: Hammer_of_something/Reddit

There comes a time in a driver’s life when one is faced with one’s limitations. For the driver of a Dodge Charger, this time came when he lost control and crashed into a Tesla Cybertruck–an absolute epic fail. 

A video of the rather unfortunate incident was shared on the r/TeslaLounge subreddit.

Charging Charger Fails

As could be seen in the video, which was posted on the subreddit by Model Y owner u/Hammer_of_something, a group of teens in a Dodge Charger decided to do some burnouts at a Tesla Supercharger. Unfortunately, the driver of the Charger failed in his burnout or donut attempt, resulting in the mopar sedan going over a curb and bumping a charging Cybertruck.

Ironically, the Dodge Charger seemed to have been parked at a Supercharger stall before its driver decided to perform the failed stunt. This suggests that the vehicle was likely ICE-ing a charging stall before it had its epic fail moment. Amusingly enough, the subreddit member noted that the Cybertruck did not seem like it took any damage at all despite its bump. The Charger, however, seemed like it ran into some trouble after crashing into the truck.

Alleged Aftermath

As per the the r/TeslaLounge subreddit member, the Cybertruck owner came rushing out to his vehicle after the Dodge Charger crashed into it. The Model Y owner then sent over the full video of the incident, which clearly showed the Charger attempting a burnout, failing, and bumping into the Cybertruck. The Cybertruck owner likely appreciated the video, in part because it showed the driver of the Dodge Charger absolutely freaking out after the incident.

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The Cybertruck is not an impregnable vehicle, but it can take bumps pretty well thanks to its thick stainless steel body. Based on this video, it appears that the Cybertruck can even take bumps from a charging Charger, all while chilling and charging at a Supercharger. As for the teens in the Dodge, they likely had to provide a long explanation to authorities after the incident, since the cops were called to the location.

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Anti-Elon Musk group crushes Tesla Model 3 with Sherman tank–with unexpected results

Ironically enough, the group’s video ended up highlighting something very positive for Tesla.

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Credit: Led By Donkeys/X

Anti-Elon Musk protesters and critics tend to show their disdain for the CEO in various ways, but a recent video from political action group Led By Donkeys definitely takes the cake when it comes to creativity.

Ironially enough, the group’s video also ended up highlighting something very positive for Tesla.

Tank vs. Tesla

In its video, Led By Donkeys featured Ken Turner, a 98-year-old veteran who served in the British army during World War II. The veteran stated that Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, is “using his immense power to support the far-right in Europe, and his money comes from Tesla cars.” 

He also noted that he had a message for the Tesla CEO: “We’ve crushed fascism before and we’ll crush it again.” To emphasize his point, the veteran proceeded to drive a Sherman tank over a blue Tesla Model 3 sedan, which, of course, had a plate that read “Fascism.” 

The heavy tank crushed the Model 3’s glass roof and windows, much to the delight of Led By Donkeys’ commenters on its official YouTube channel. But at the end of it all, the aftermath of the anti-Elon Musk demonstration ended up showcasing something positive for the electric vehicle maker.

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Tesla Model 3 Tanks the Tank?

As could be seen from the wreckage of the Tesla Model 3 after its Sherman encounter, only the glass roof and windows of the all-electric sedan were crushed. Looking at the wreckage of the Model 3, it seemed like its doors could still be opened, and everything on its lower section looked intact.

Considering that a standard M4 Sherman weighs about 66,800 to 84,000 pounds, the Model 3 actually weathered the tank’s assault really well. Granted, the vehicle’s suspension height before the political action group’s demonstration suggests that the Model 3’s high voltage battery had been removed beforehand. But even if it hadn’t been taken off, it seemed like the vehicle’s battery would have survived the heavy ordeal without much incident.

This was highlighted in comments from users on social media platform X, many of whom noted that a person in the Model 3 could very well have survived the ordeal with the Sherman. And that, ultimately, just speaks to the safety of Tesla’s vehicles. There is a reason why Teslas consistently rank among the safest cars on the road, after all.

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Tesla Model 3 driver is using FSD to travel to Mt. Everest Base Camp

The ambitious, nearly 4,000-kilometer (2,485-mile) Tesla FSD journey is being livestreamed on Chinese social media.

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Credit: Douyin 老高懂电车

Count on Tesla drivers in China to push Full Self Driving (FSD) as far as it could go. As could be seen in videos posted on Chinese social media, a brave Model 3 owner is currently going on an epic journey from Henan Province to the base camp of Mt. Everest on FSD.

Recent posts from the Model 3 driver suggest that the ambitious destination may be within reach.

Epic FSD Journey

As noted by Tesla owner-enthusiast Aaron Li, the journey from Henan Province to the base camp of Mt. Everest spans almost 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles). The journey itself is epic, with stunning vistas and roads that require some drivers to bring oxygen canisters with them. The fact that it is being done using FSD makes it extra impressive. 

Based on the videos that have been recently shared, the Model 3 running FSD seems to be nearing the Everest Base Camp. There seems to be a good chance that the Tesla Model 3 may reach its destination this Friday.

Previous Everest Trips

This is not the first time that a Tesla has driven to Mt. Everest’s base camp.  That would be a Model 3 that was driven in September 2020. That vehicle, which went on a long 5,500 km (3,400-mile) journey, was manually driven to its destination. 

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In April 2021, Tesla China announced that it has completed the buildout of 11 Supercharger stations in the picturesque route from Chengdu to Tingri. This route would allow drivers to reach the base camp of Mt. Everest. Sure enough, in July 2022, Tesla China shared a video of two Teslas—a Model X and Model Y—reaching the Everest base camp without any issues. Numerous other Tesla drivers have since taken on the long, picturesque journey.

Check out this Tesla Model Y’s journey to the Mt. Everest base camp in the video below.

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