2012 Dodge Grand Caravan Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
80/100
#3 most-complained of 11 Grand Caravan years
The 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan has 583 NHTSA complaints, a Complaint Index of 80, and ranks 3rd worst out of 11 model years, earning an Avoid verdict. Electrical System problems dominate at 58% of complaints, including fire reports tied to a wiring recall.
- Complaints
- 583
- Recalls
- 6
- Crashes / fires
- 7 / 14
- Injuries / deaths
- 14 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 20
- 17 city / 25 hwy
Top 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System339 (58%)
- Engine140 (24%)
- Fuel System74 (13%)
- Other61 (10%)
- Brakes55 (9%)
- Transmission & Powertrain48 (8%)
- Structure & Body28 (5%)
- Airbags18 (3%)
- Steering14 (2%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires12 (2%)
What owners report
- Owners report smoke or fire coming from the dashboard cigarette lighter port, sometimes melting the center console.
- Some vehicles reportedly started on their own with horn blowing, headlights on, and wipers running, followed by smoke from under the car.
- Owners describe burning odors from the rear of the vehicle tied to a wiring recall where replacement parts were unavailable, leaving repairs undone.
- Door panels have reportedly melted and filled the cabin with smoke while driving, requiring the vehicle to be pulled over and the fuse disconnected.
- Owners report engine block or connecting rod fractures at highway speed accompanied by smoke from the tailpipe and engine bay.
- Rear wheel bearing failures have been reported with burning rubber odor and smoke coming from the tire while driving around 40 mph.
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan recalls
6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 25V876000Dec 17, 2025Other86 vehicles
Equipment adaptive/mobility:wheelchair restraints/securement:latch/anchor:
Rollx Vans (Rollx) is recalling certain GMC Yukon, Sierra, Chevrolet Express 2500, Ford Transit, E-250, Toyota Sienna, Sienna Hybrid, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Town and Country, Voyager, Pacifica, Dodge Grand Caravan, and Ram Promaster vehicles equipped with QRT-Deluxe and QRT-Max wheelchair restraints. Please refer to Rollx's recall report for specific model year information. The retractors may not lock, preventing the wheelchair from being properly secured.
Risk: An unsecured wheelchair can move during transit, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Rollx will work with Q'Straint to inspect and replace the retractors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 5, 2026. Owners may contact Rollx's customer service at 1-800-956-6668.
- NHTSA 17V376000Jun 13, 2017Airbags209,135 vehicles
Air bags:frontal
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2012 Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the driver's frontal air bag may unexpectedly deploy if the air bag wiring harness gets chafed within the steering wheel and short circuits.
Risk: Unexpected deployment of the driver's frontal air bag increases the risk of a crash or driver injury.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bag wiring within the steering wheel, replacing it if necessary. A protective cover will also be installed. These repairs will be made free of charge. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T33.
- NHTSA 14V234000May 7, 2014Electrical System644,757 vehicles
Electrical system
Chrysler Group, LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles manufactured August 25, 2010, through October 31, 2013. The affected vehicles may experience overheating of the vent window switch in the driver's door armrest.
Risk: An overheated switch may result in a vehicle fire.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the vent window switch with a newer version, free of charge. The owner notification letter was issued and the remedy campaign launched on on December 31, 2014. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P25.
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 17 MPG
- Highway
- 25 MPG
- Combined
- 20 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,250
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Gasoline or E85
- 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 Grand Caravan years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan reliable?
- Compared to other Grand Caravan model years, the 2012 ranks 3rd worst out of 11 years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 80 and 583 NHTSA complaints, so it is rated Avoid relative to the rest of the lineup.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan?
- Electrical System issues are the top problem area, accounting for 339 complaints, or 58% of all reports, including 11 fires.
- Does the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan have a recall?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 6 recalls for this year, including an electrical system recall for a vent window switch (14V234000) and an airbag wiring chafing recall (17V376000).
- At what mileage do problems usually show up?
- Median mileage at failure across all reported problems is 92,250 miles, with Electrical System issues reported around a median of 100,000 miles.
- How does the 2012 model compare to other Grand Caravan years?
- The 2012 model's Complaint Index of 80 is worse than most other years; only 2010 (90) and 2016 (100) score higher, while 2015, 2018, and 2020 are rated Best with much lower indexes.