YearToAvoid

2012 Chrysler Town and Country Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 112 engine complaints for the 2012 Chrysler Town and Country, 18% of all 634 complaints for the year. A related recall (11V487000) covers engine replacement, and median mileage at failure is 97,000.

Engine complaints
112
18% of 634
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
4
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
97,000 mi
Related recalls
1

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners report sudden stalling at speed, with loss of power steering and brakes and all dashboard lights illuminating before the vehicle can be restarted.
  • Some describe engine compartment smoke and fire while driving at highway speed, requiring the vehicle to be pulled over.
  • Several report stalling or dying while idling or shifting into reverse, with the gas pedal becoming unresponsive.
  • Owners describe unexpected forward surging while stopped with a foot on the brake pedal.
  • Some report the check engine light coming on repeatedly with a cylinder misfire code and a noticeable loss of power.
  • One owner reports a leaking left-side cylinder head that had to be replaced.

When 2012 Chrysler Town and Country engine complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 21, 2012, latest Nov 15, 2025.

2012 Chrysler Town and Country engine complaints: complaints filed per quarter92012 Q12015 Q12016 Q42018 Q22020 Q22021 Q42023 Q2
112 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2012 Q1 to 2025 Q4; peak 2020 Q3 (9).

Engine recalls for the 2012 Chrysler Town and Country

  1. NHTSA 11V487000Sep 29, 2011Engine667 vehicles

    Engine and engine cooling

    Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2012 chrysler vehicles, including 200 and town and country models, dodge vehicles, including charger, durango, grand caravan and journey models and jeep grand cherokee vehicles manufactured from august 31, 2011, through september 13, 2011, that are equipped with 3.6l engines. These engines may experience connecting rod bearing failure due to debris inside the engine block.

    Risk: Connecting rod failure may lead to engine seizure which may increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners and replace the engine free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about november 18, 2011. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

Engine complaints by Town and Country model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2010351 (23%)
  2. 2011126 (16%)
  3. 2012112 (18%)
  4. 2013125 (18%)
  5. 2014165 (26%)
  6. 201578 (20%)
  7. 201681 (15%)
  8. 20170 (0%)
  9. 20180 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does the 2012 Chrysler Town and Country have?
NHTSA lists 112 engine complaints for the 2012 Town and Country, which is 18% of the 634 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there an engine recall for the 2012 Chrysler Town and Country?
Yes. Recall campaign 11V487000 covers the engine and calls for Chrysler to replace the engine free of charge for affected vehicles.
At what mileage do engine problems typically show up?
NHTSA data shows a median mileage of 97,000 miles at the time of failure for engine-related complaints.
Did the engine problems cause any crashes or injuries?
NHTSA records show 0 crashes and 0 injuries tied to these engine complaints, though 4 complaints mention fires.
How does the 2012 engine complaint rate compare to other Town and Country years?
The 2012 model's 112 engine complaints and 18% share are lower than 2010 (351 complaints, 23%) and 2014 (165 complaints, 26%), but similar to 2013 (125 complaints, 18%).

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.