YearToAvoid

2012 Dodge Caravan Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 21 Engine complaints for the 2012 Dodge Caravan, 24% of its 87 total complaints that year, with a median failure mileage of 102,000. No related recall is listed for this component.

Engine complaints
21
24% of 87
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
102,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners report the engine stalling or losing power suddenly while driving at various speeds, sometimes requiring the vehicle to be shifted to neutral or park to restart.
  • Some owners describe the accelerator sticking at full throttle or the engine surging in RPM during low-speed maneuvers like parking.
  • One owner reported a cylinder misfire that caused stalling along with a loss of brakes and steering.
  • Owners describe unexpected engine shutdowns on the highway, in one case at speeds between 25 and 55 mph, creating a collision risk.
  • One owner reported rod bearing failure discovered during an oil change, and another reported a failed rocker arm causing abnormal engine noise.

When 2012 Dodge Caravan engine complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 20, 2013, latest Jan 3, 2021.

2012 Dodge Caravan engine complaints: complaints filed per month2Feb 2013Jun 2014Nov 2015Jan 2018Jul 2018Mar 2019Jan 2021
21 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2013 to Jan 2021; peak May 2018 (2).

Engine recalls for the 2012 Dodge Caravan

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Caravan model year

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

  1. 201039 (23%)
  2. 201116 (21%)
  3. 201221 (24%)
  4. 20134 (13%)
  5. 20145 (25%)
  6. 20153 (13%)
  7. 20160 (0%)
  8. 20171 (100%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does the 2012 Dodge Caravan have?
NHTSA lists 21 Engine complaints for the 2012 Dodge Caravan, which is 24% of the 87 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2012 Dodge Caravan engine?
No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for the Engine component on the 2012 Dodge Caravan.
At what mileage do 2012 Dodge Caravan engine problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure for Engine complaints on the 2012 Dodge Caravan is 102,000 miles, according to NHTSA data.
Do 2012 Dodge Caravan engine problems involve crashes or fires?
NHTSA data shows 1 crash and 0 fires linked to the 21 Engine complaints for the 2012 Dodge Caravan, and 0 injuries were reported.

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.