2012 Dodge Durango Reliability
The 2012 Dodge Durango has 640 owner complaints and 10 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine. Compared with other Durango model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Durango's typical year.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
640
NHTSA owner complaints
10
Recall campaigns
17
Complaints citing a crash
32
Complaints citing a fire
2012 Dodge Durango complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 model year, filed between 2011 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 347 | 54% |
| Engine | 141 | 22% |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 89 | 14% |
| Service brakes | 75 | 12% |
| Steering | 42 | 7% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 37 | 6% |
| Unknown or other | 36 | 6% |
| Air bags | 28 | 4% |
2012 Dodge Durango recalls
10 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,… |
| 14V104000 | Mar 4, 2014 | Service brakes — antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip | Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured October 11, 2011, through October 1, 2012. Under certain braking events, the Ready Alert Braking System (RAB) may result in the… |
| 14V154000 | Apr 1, 2014 | Service brakes | Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles manufactured from January 5, 2010, through September 8, 2013. The subject vehicles have a brake booster with a center shell that may corrode… |
| 14V391000 | Jul 2, 2014 | Electrical system — wiring | Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured January 5, 2010, through December 11, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the wiring for the vanity lamp in the sun visor may short… |
| 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… |
| 15V115000 | Feb 27, 2015 | Electrical system | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured September 17, 2010, to August 19, 2013, and equipped with a 3.6, 5.7 or 6.4 liter engine, and 2012-2013 Dodge Durango vehicles manufactured January 18,… |
| 15V879000 | Dec 28, 2015 | Electrical system — wiring | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured December 3, 2009, to September 1, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the wiring for the vanity lamp in the sun visor may short circuit,… |
| 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… |
| 17V572000 | Sep 18, 2017 | Service brakes | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles. The affected vehicles had brake booster shields installed under a previous campaign to prevent water from entering the brake booster and limiting braking… |
| 19V813000 | Nov 14, 2019 | Electrical system | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with a 3.6, 5.7, or 6.4 liter engine and previously recalled under NHTSA Recall 14V530 or 15V115. The fuel pump relay inside the Totally Integrated… |
How the 2012 compares with nearby Durango years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Durango analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 800 | 8 | Electrical system | Avoid |
| 2012 (this page) | 640 | 10 | Electrical system | Avoid |
| 2013 | 640 | 11 | Electrical system | Avoid |
| 2014 | 785 | 11 | Exterior lighting | 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 Durango
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Fuel system: smell for fuel around the car, watch for hesitation or stalling, and check for a lit check-engine light.
- Brakes: check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, and look at rotor and pad wear; ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 10 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 Durango 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 Durango reliability FAQ
Is the 2012 Dodge Durango reliable?
The 2012 Dodge Durango has 640 owner complaints and 10 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine. Compared with other Durango model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Durango's typical year.
What are the most common 2012 Dodge Durango problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2012 Dodge Durango are electrical system (347), engine (141), fuel / propulsion system (89), service brakes (75). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2012 Dodge Durango have recalls?
NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for the 2012 Dodge Durango, including 11V487000 (engine & cooling) and 14V104000 (service brakes — antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2012 Dodge Durango compare with the 2011 and 2013 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2011 has 800 complaints and 8 recalls (avoid); the 2013 has 640 complaints and 11 recalls (avoid). The 2012 has 640 complaints and 10 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2012 Dodge Durango?
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 Durango research
Other Dodge Durango model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2012 Durango, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.