2012 Dodge Charger Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
93/100
#2 most-complained of 15 Charger years
The 2012 Dodge Charger has 648 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 93, the second-worst year of the 15 model years tracked. Electrical system issues, especially headlight wiring, dominate at 60% of complaints, and 3 recalls are marked do-not-drive.
- Complaints
- 648
- Recalls
- 14
- incl. Do Not Drive
- Crashes / fires
- 20 / 49
- Injuries / deaths
- 16 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 20
- 17 city / 26 hwy
Top 2012 Dodge Charger problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System391 (60%)
- Engine113 (17%)
- Airbags111 (17%)
- Brakes72 (11%)
- Transmission & Powertrain65 (10%)
- Steering53 (8%)
- Other37 (6%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires17 (3%)
- Structure & Body15 (2%)
- Visibility & Wipers14 (2%)
What owners report
- Headlight connectors melt on the driver's or passenger's side, sometimes causing both low beams to fail repeatedly even after bulb replacement.
- Airbags fail to deploy during moderate-to-high-speed crashes, including rear-end and frontal impacts, leading to injuries.
- Electrical shorts trigger dashboard warning lights (including power-saver mode) along with reported loss of steering and brake assist while driving.
- The vehicle can roll away after being shifted into park because the engine does not shut off, allowing torque to build up unexpectedly.
- A fire was reported in a parked vehicle several hours after it was last driven, with no clear ignition source identified.
2012 Dodge Charger recalls
14 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 19V018000Jan 15, 2019Airbags1,413,222 vehiclesDo Not Drive
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2010 Dodge Ram 3500, Ram 4500/5500, 2010-2011 Dodge Dakota, 2010-2014 Dodge Challenger, 2010-2015 Dodge Challenger, Chrysler 300, and 2010-2016 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 4, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V01.
- NHTSA 18V021000Jan 9, 2018Airbags328,177 vehiclesDo Not Drive
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger vehicles, and 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Chrysler is recalling certain 2009-2010 RAM 4500 Cab Chassis, RAM 5500 Cab Chassis, RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Dakota, Dodge Challenger, and Dodge Charger vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Chrysler is also recalling certain 2009 RAM 3500, RAM 2500, RAM 4500 Cab Chassis, RAM 5500 Cab Chassis, Dodge Durango, Chrysler Aspen, RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Dakota, Dodge Challenger, and Dodge Charger vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 28, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U03.
- NHTSA 17V435000Jul 10, 2017Electrical System442,214 vehicles
Electrical system:alternator/generator/regulator
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300, Dodge Durango, and 2012-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles. The affected vehicles have electro-hydraulic power steering (EHPS) and are equipped with a 5.7L or a 3.6L engine and a 160, 180 or 220 amp alternator. In the affected vehicles, the alternator may suddenly fail.
Risk: If the alternator fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash. There is also the possibility that the alternator may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the alternator and depending on the part number, will replace the alternator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T36.
2012 Dodge Charger fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 17 MPG
- Highway
- 26 MPG
- Combined
- 20 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,500
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Midgrade
- 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 Charger years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 Dodge Charger reliable?
- NHTSA lists 648 complaints for the 2012 Charger with a complaint index of 93, ranking it the second-worst of 15 model years tracked. It carries an 'Avoid' verdict relative to other Charger years.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2012 Dodge Charger?
- Electrical system issues make up 60% of complaints (391 of 648), mostly involving headlight wiring connectors that melt or burn, sometimes linked to fires.
- Does the 2012 Dodge Charger have a recall?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 14 recalls for the 2012 Charger, including 3 marked do-not-drive that involve airbag deployment failures.
- How does the 2012 Charger compare to other Charger years?
- With a complaint index of 93, 2012 is the second-worst year behind 2011 (100), while later years like 2021 and 2022 score much lower (14 and 7) and are rated 'Best'.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2012 Dodge Charger?
- The 2012 Charger is EPA-rated at 20 mpg combined (17 city / 26 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,500.