2012 Dodge Charger Reliability
The 2012 Dodge Charger has 661 owner complaints and 15 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and air bags. Compared with other Charger model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Charger's typical year.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
661
NHTSA owner complaints
15
Recall campaigns
20
Complaints citing a crash
50
Complaints citing a fire
2012 Dodge Charger complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 model year, filed between 2012 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 365 | 55% |
| Air bags | 111 | 17% |
| Engine | 98 | 15% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 66 | 10% |
| Steering | 56 | 8% |
| Exterior lighting | 52 | 8% |
| Service brakes | 47 | 7% |
| Stability control | 36 | 5% |
2012 Dodge Charger recalls
15 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2012 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11V487000 | Sep 29, 2011 | Engine & cooling | Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2012 chrysler vehicles, including 200 and town and country models, Dodge vehicles, including Charger, durango, grand caravan and journey models and jeep grand cherokee vehicles manufactured from August 31, 2011,… |
| 12V004000 | Jan 6, 2012 | Tires — pressure monitoring and regulating systems | Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2012 Dodge Charger srt8 and the chrysler 300 srt8 vehicles manufactured from May 2, 2011, through November 17, 2011, for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard number 138,… |
| 12V042000 | Feb 7, 2012 | Service brakes — antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip / control unit/module | Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2011 and 2012 Dodge Charger police vehicles. The low beam headlamps of some vehicles could fail due to an overheated bulb harness connector. Other vehicles may lose abs/esc system function due to an overheated power… |
| 12V197000 | May 2, 2012 | Service brakes — antilock / control unit/module | Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2011 and 2012 300 and Dodge Charger vehicles. These vehicles may lose abs/esc system function due to an overheated power distribution center. |
| 13V118000 | Apr 3, 2013 | Air bags | Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger, and Dodge Charger vehicles manufactured April 11, 2011, through December 14, 2011. The affected vehicles may have improperly sized terminal crimps on the… |
| 14V101000 | Mar 4, 2014 | Exterior lighting — headlights | Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Dodge Charger vehicles manufactured May 20, 2010, through November 8, 2011, and equipped with halogen headlamps. In the affected vehicles, a sub-harness for the headlights may overheat… |
| 14V634000 | Oct 8, 2014 | Electrical system — alternator/generator/regulator | Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Challenger, and Durango; and 2012-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured April 22, 2010, to January 2, 2014, and equipped with a 3.6L engine and a 160… |
| 15V467000 | Jul 27, 2015 | Air bags — side/window | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Dodge Charger vehicles manufactured May 6, 2010, to June 5, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the side impact sensor calibrations may be overly sensitive, and as a result, the side air bag… |
| 16V043000 | Jan 28, 2016 | Body structure | FCA US LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Dodge Charger vehicles manufactured August 23, 2010, to January 7, 2016. When an affected vehicle is lifted using the supplied tire jack without chocking the wheels, the vehicle's body-side sill… |
| 16V240000 | Apr 25, 2016 | Powertrain / transmission — automatic transmission / control module (tcm/pcm/tecm) | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 vehicles manufactured February 15, 2011, to November 27, 2014, and 2014-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured July 16, 2012, to December 22, 2015. The… |
| 16V352000 | May 24, 2016 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 RAM 2500 trucks produced at the St. Louis North Assembly Plant. With this change, Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM…NHTSA park-it advisory: do not drive until repaired. |
| 16V739000 | Oct 13, 2016 | Electrical system — alternator/generator/regulator | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Dodge Charger Police vehicles, 2007-2013 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2013 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, and 2013 RAM 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The affected vehicles have a 220 amp alternator that… |
| 17V435000 | Jul 10, 2017 | 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… |
| 18V021000 | Jan 9, 2018 | 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,…NHTSA park-it advisory: do not drive until repaired. |
| 19V018000 | Jan 15, 2019 | 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,…NHTSA park-it advisory: do not drive until repaired. |
How the 2012 compares with nearby Charger years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Charger analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 238 | 6 | Electrical system | Avoid |
| 2011 | 699 | 12 | Electrical system | Avoid |
| 2012 (this page) | 661 | 15 | Electrical system | Avoid |
| 2013 | 367 | 9 | Electrical system | Avoid |
| 2014 | 346 | 11 | Electrical system | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2012 Dodge Charger
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 15 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2012 Dodge Charger can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2012 Dodge Charger reliability FAQ
Is the 2012 Dodge Charger reliable?
The 2012 Dodge Charger has 661 owner complaints and 15 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and air bags. Compared with other Charger model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Charger's typical year.
What are the most common 2012 Dodge Charger problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2012 Dodge Charger are electrical system (365), air bags (111), engine (98), powertrain / transmission (66). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2012 Dodge Charger have recalls?
NHTSA lists 15 recall campaigns for the 2012 Dodge Charger, including 11V487000 (engine & cooling) and 12V004000 (tires — pressure monitoring and regulating systems). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2012 Dodge Charger compare with the 2011 and 2013 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2011 has 699 complaints and 12 recalls (avoid); the 2013 has 367 complaints and 9 recalls (avoid). The 2012 has 661 complaints and 15 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2012 Dodge Charger?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Dodge Charger research
Other Dodge Charger model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2012 Charger, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.