2012 Dodge Caliber Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
No verdictComplaint Index
0/100
#3 most-complained of 3 Caliber years
The 2012 Dodge Caliber has 49 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 0, and ranks 3rd worst out of 3 model years tracked, making it the least complained-about year. Airbags are the top problem area at 35% of complaints, with 1 recall issued.
- Complaints
- 49
- Recalls
- 1
- Crashes / fires
- 9 / 3
- Injuries / deaths
- 6 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 3 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 24
- 23 city / 27 hwy
Top 2012 Dodge Caliber problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags17 (35%)
- Seat Belts13 (27%)
- Engine11 (22%)
- Structure & Body7 (14%)
- Electrical System5 (10%)
- Other5 (10%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires5 (10%)
- Transmission & Powertrain5 (10%)
- Brakes4 (8%)
- Fuel System2 (4%)
What owners report
- Side curtain airbags reportedly failed to deploy during crashes, including a rollover and a rear-end collision.
- Owners describe the ignition key being removable while the transmission was in drive, neutral, or reverse, allowing the car to roll away unattended.
- A failed shift interlock assembly reportedly let the vehicle roll down a hill after being parked, in more than one reported case.
- One owner reported a burning smell followed by engine smoke and fire while driving at 30 mph.
- Active head restraints reportedly deployed after a rear-end collision and could not be reset by a body shop.
- One owner reported the subframe rusting through, causing the lower ball joint to detach and the driver-side tire to fall off.
2012 Dodge Caliber recalls
1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.
- NHTSA 16V668000Sep 15, 2016Airbags1,435,625 vehicles
Air bags
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 200, 2010 Chrysler Sebring, 2010-2012 Dodge Caliber and 2010-2014 Jeep Patriot, Compass and Dodge Avenger vehicles. The Occupant Restraint Control (OCR) module may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.
Risk: If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCR, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners that parts are not available yet were mailed on October 26, 2016. The recall began on August 15, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S61.
2012 Dodge Caliber fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 23 MPG
- Highway
- 27 MPG
- Combined
- 24 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,700
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2012 compared with other Caliber years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 Dodge Caliber reliable?
- NHTSA lists 49 complaints for the 2012 Caliber with a complaint index of 0, and it ranks 3rd worst out of 3 model years tracked, meaning it has fewer reported problems relative to other Caliber years.
- What is the top problem area for the 2012 Dodge Caliber?
- Airbags are the top problem area, accounting for 35% of complaints (17 of 49), with a median failure mileage of 63,500 miles.
- Does the 2012 Dodge Caliber have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2012 Caliber, campaign 16V668000, covering an Occupant Restraint Control airbag defect. It is not a do-not-drive recall.
- What year Dodge Caliber should I avoid?
- Among the 3 tracked years, 2010 and 2011 have higher complaint counts (157 and 165) and higher complaint indexes (100 and 50) than 2012, which has a complaint index of 0.