YearToAvoid

2012 Chrysler Town and Country Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 36 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2012 Chrysler Town and Country, 6% of the 634 total complaints filed for this model year. Median mileage at failure is 92,420 miles. No related recalls are listed for this issue.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
36
6% of 634
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
92,420 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Vehicles vibrate or shudder while stopped at a light shortly after purchase, with dealers denying any known problem before replacing engine heads.
  • Transmission produces a hard bang or feels like being hit from behind when shifting from reverse to drive, happening intermittently and not resolved by repeated computer reprogramming.
  • Vehicle suddenly loses speed and stalls while driving, with the check engine light coming on and the transmission unable to engage drive or reverse afterward.
  • Vehicle unexpectedly accelerates on its own from around 45 mph up toward 80 mph without warning, becoming difficult to slow down until the engine is shut off.
  • Transmission hesitates then jolts forward at a stop or during lane changes, with engine RPM climbing before the transmission finally shifts.
  • Transmission intermittently locks into 2nd gear and will not shift up or down, sometimes causing a thunk or lurch when first put into drive, requiring a restart to clear.

When 2012 Chrysler Town and Country transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Jun 1, 2014, latest Jul 29, 2026.

2012 Chrysler Town and Country transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month3Jun 2014Mar 2016Oct 2017Sep 2018Jan 2020Oct 2020Nov 2023Aug 2025
36 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jun 2014 to Jul 2026; peak Sep 2020 (3).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2012 Chrysler Town and Country

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Town and Country model year

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

  1. 201067 (4%)
  2. 201139 (5%)
  3. 201236 (6%)
  4. 201341 (6%)
  5. 201451 (8%)
  6. 2015113 (30%)
  7. 2016187 (36%)
  8. 20170 (0%)
  9. 20180 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

How many transmission complaints does NHTSA have for the 2012 Chrysler Town and Country?
NHTSA lists 36 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2012 Town and Country, which is 6% of the 634 total complaints filed for that model year.
At what mileage do transmission problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this problem area is 92,420 miles.
Is there a recall for the 2012 Town and Country transmission?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this problem area on the 2012 Town and Country.
Did any transmission complaints involve crashes or fires?
NHTSA data for this problem area on the 2012 Town and Country shows 0 crashes and 2 fires among the reported complaints.
How does 2012 compare to other Town and Country years for this issue?
The 2012 model's 36 complaints and 6% share are lower than 2015 (113 complaints, 30% share) and 2016 (187 complaints, 36% share), based on NHTSA data by model year.

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.