Tesla bulletin SB-21-12-005
Tesla filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Dec 5, 2024, received Nov 8, 2021, about the structure — 2 documents under this number. It names 3 model years (2016–2018). A service bulletin is not a safety recall: it is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a condition, and whether the work is paid for depends on the warranty in force. Quoting the number at a service desk can save a diagnosis.
What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationFor some Model X vehicles built before May 2018, should water seep into the printed circuit board of the rear door cladding sensor, an alert might be displayed on the touchscreen.
Documents filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB-21-12-005 | Service bulletin | Dec 5, 2024 | 11012218 |
| SB-21-12-005 | Service bulletin | Oct 22, 2021 | 10203345 |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5; the full text comes from the manufacturer or a dealer. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. Quote it at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themA vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Tesla SB-21-12-005 a recall?
No. A service bulletin is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the SB-21-12-005 repair free?
Not automatically. A service bulletin describes how to diagnose or repair a condition; who pays depends on the warranty in force, any extension, and the dealer. Quoting the number can save a diagnosis either way.
Which vehicles does SB-21-12-005 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 3 model years: 2018 Tesla Model X, 2017 Tesla Model X, 2016 Tesla Model X. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.