The Used Car Index

2012 Zero Zero S problems

NHTSA lists 1 complaints for the 2012 Zero Zero S, 1 of them mention a crash and 0 mention a fire. 0 complaints mention an injury, with 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-08.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as ZERO ZERO S.

At a glance

Complaints
1
With crash
1
With fire
0
With injury (complaints)
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
0
Recalls
6
Do not drive recalls
1
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
667
Investigations
0
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
0

Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
WHEELS1100.0%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags

These labels are model-generated, not NHTSA data.

Failure modes
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
mechanical failure1100.0%0.97
Severities
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
high1100.0%1.00

Model: typesafe/jev-1.13-20260917; schema version: tag-v1. 1 tagged complaints of 1 complaints (100.0%).

Confidence is the model's own probability for the label it chose (0 to 1), not accuracy.

Model-generated labels on tagged complaints only. Model years 2013 and newer are tagged in full; 2012 in part (see tagged_share); earlier model years have no tags. NHTSA's own flags remain separate in the complaints block.

Recalls

See new recalls and investigations this week.

6 recalls.

18V215000

Date: 2018-04-04. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM.

Defect: Zero Motorcycles (Zero) is recalling all 2012 Zero S, Zero DS, and Zero DSP (Police) motorcycles. Cell pouches in the battery packs may wear from contact with the holders, allowing humidity to enter the pouch and cause an electrical short within the battery. (excerpt)

Consequence: An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire. (excerpt)

Remedy: Zero Motorcycles will notify owners and offer them a choice of either the repurchase of their motorcycle or a financial trade-assist towards a newer model year Zero Motorcycles motorcycle. The recall began on April 30, 2018. Owners may contact Zero customer service at 1-888-841-8085. Zero's number for this recall is SV-ZMC-018-383. Note: Since owners are advised to no longer ride or charge th (excerpt)

Do not drive: Yes. Park outside: No.

13V635000

Date: 2013-12-18. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

Defect: Zero Motorcycles Inc. (Zero) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 XU, S, DS, and model year 2013 FX motorcycles. The affected motorcycles have controller firmware that, as a result of certain system faults, may shut off power to the motor.

Consequence: A sudden loss of power to the motor may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Zero will notify owners, and dealers will update the controller firmware, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in mid-January 2014. Owners may contact Zero at 1-888-786-9376.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

13V329000

Date: 2013-07-30. Systems: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC.

Defect: Zero Motorcycles is recalling certain model year 2011 and 2012 S and DS motorcycles. On the affected motorcycles, the front caliper mounting bolts are susceptible to corrosion which could lead to their cracking and possible fracture.

Consequence: If a front caliper bolt fractures, the caliper may come loose and interfere with the rotation of the front wheel. This could cause the front wheel to stop suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Zero Motorcycles will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front caliper bolts. The recall BEGAN ON August 16, 2013. Owners may contact Zero Motorcycles at 1-888-841-8085.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

12V455000

Date: 2012-09-17. Systems: EQUIPMENT.

Defect: Zero Motorcycles, Inc. (Zero Motorcycles) is recalling certain model year 2012 S and DS motorcycles. These motorcycles are equipped with a motor encoder position signal that may drift over the extended use of the motorcycle. If the signal drifts outside of the given parameters, the motor controller may shut off, resulting in the motorcycle inadvertently losing power.

Consequence: A loss of power could lead to a crash and potential injury or death of the rider.

Remedy: Zero Motorcycles will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the motorcycle's motor controller free of charge. The safety recall began on September 28, 2012. Owners may contact Zero Motorcycles, Inc. at 1-888-786-9376.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

12V310000

Date: 2012-07-02. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

Defect: ZERO MOTORCYCLES, INC. (ZERO) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 S, DS, X, XU, AND XU-LSM MOTORCYCLES. INSUFFICIENT WEATHERPROOFING MAY CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT OF THE BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WHEN SUBJECTED TO WET CONDITIONS, RESULTING IN THE MOTORCYCLE INADVERTENTLY LOSING POWER.

Consequence: SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER CAN LEAD TO A CRASH AND POTENTIAL INJURY OR DEATH TO THE RIDER.

Remedy: ZERO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE MOTORCYCLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 31, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ZERO MOTORCYCLES, INC. AT 1-888-786-9376.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

12V307000

Date: 2012-06-29. Systems: EXTERIOR LIGHTING.

Defect: ZERO MOTORCYCLES, INC. (ZERO) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 AND 2012 S, XU, AND DS MOTORCYCLES, MODEL YEAR 2011 MXD, AND XD MOTORCYCLES AND 2012 X MOTORCYCLES. THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AT THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER MAY NOT ACTIVATE UNTIL SIGNIFICANT BRAKE LEVER TRAVEL OCCURS.

Consequence: THE BRAKE LIGHT MAY NOT ACTIVATE WHEN A MODERATE AMOUNT OF FRONT BRAKE IS APPLIED. AS SUCH, MOTORISTS TRAVELING BEHIND THE MOTORCYCLE MAY NOT BE ALERTED WHEN AN AFFECTED MOTORCYCLE IS SLOWING DOWN, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A POSSIBLE CRASH AND POTENTIAL INJURY OR DEATH TO THE RIDER.

Remedy: ZERO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM BRAKE-LIGHT SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 3, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ZERO MOTORCYCLES AT 1-831-438-3500.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

0 investigations; 0 open.

Manufacturer communications

0 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
ZERO S1

Same model, other years

All model years | All Zero models

Other Zero models, 2012

Sources

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