Zero 2012 S Motorcycles Recall: Fire Risk from Battery Short
Zero Motorcycles is recalling 2012 S, DS, and DSP models due to battery cell pouches wearing, which can cause electrical shorts and fire risk. Owners can repurchase or get trade assistance.
Use caution until it’s fixed
An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.
What happened, in plain English
Zero Motorcycles is recalling all 2012 S, DS, and DSP models because battery cell pouches can wear, allowing humidity to enter and cause electrical shorts that increase fire risk. This affects owners who should stop using the motorcycles until a remedy is applied. Read more at govinfonow.com/recall/1252221-zero-2012-s-motorcycles-recall-fire-risk-from-battery-short.
Source Summary by GovInfoNow · govinfonow.com/recall/1252221-zero-2012-s-motorcycles-recall-fire-risk-from-battery-short · Updated October 7, 2026 · Official notice: NHTSA #18V215000
Cite this page
“Zero 2012 S Motorcycles Recall: Fire Risk from Battery Short.” GovInfoNow, updated October 7, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/1252221-zero-2012-s-motorcycles-recall-fire-risk-from-battery-short. Based on NHTSA recall #18V215000 (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=18V215000).
Why it’s dangerous
Cell pouches in the battery packs can wear from contact with holders over time. This allows humidity to enter the pouch, causing an electrical short that increases the risk of fire.
Who’s affected
Owners of 2012 Zero S, Zero DS, and Zero DSP (Police) motorcycles are affected. Riders and owners who continue using these models without the fix face a fire risk from battery shorts.
How to tell if you have this one
Check if your motorcycle has a 2012 model year and is a Zero S, Zero DS, or Zero DSP (Police) type. The recall began on April 30, 2018, and applies to all these models.
- Brand
Zero- Category
Vehicle
What to do — step by step
Stop Using the Motorcycle
Zero Motorcycles advises owners to no longer ride or charge the affected motorcycles until a remedy is applied.
Contact Zero Customer Service
Call 1-888-841-8085 to discuss repurchase or financial trade-assist options for a newer model.
Get a Free Collection
Zero dealers will arrange for free collection of the affected motorcycle if you choose to stop using it.
What NHTSA says to do
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 the affected motorcycles, Zero Motorcycles dealers will arrange for the collection of the affected motorcycle at no charge to the owners.
How this recall unfolded
Recall timeline
2 dated steps over 26 days.
- NHTSA received the defect report
- Recall began
Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.
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Where this comes from
The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official NHTSA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.
- Official source: NHTSA Recall #18V215000 (April 4, 2018)
- Plain-language summary written by qwen3:4b on October 7, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the NHTSA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
- GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official NHTSA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.