Is the 2012 Dodge Challenger a bad year?
253 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Challenger years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2012 Dodge Challenger are in line with other Challenger years. Electrical system and air bags stand out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2012 Challenger owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 55,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemSTANDS OUT | 138 (55%) | 40k–75k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 47 (19%) | 17k–65k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Engine | 25 (10%) | 42k–115k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Steering | 19 (8%) | 27k–82k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 17 (7%) | 23k–68k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Visibility and wipers | 8 (3%) | 51k–87k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Brakes | 9 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seat belts | 8 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 8 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 7 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 7 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Stability control | 7 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Speed control | 6 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 55,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 253 complaints: 11 mention a crash · 8 mention a fire · 7 report an injury · 8 say the car was towed.
2 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Feb 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
This is in regard to the Dodge T36 alternator recall. After the recall was announced, my car was affected. I want to add another report.
Alternator failure (Documented recall) caused the vehicle to stall and lose all power. Lucky this was at low speed on a surface street vs.
My car keeps going from 60 or however fast I'm driving to smoking tires and my car is halted causing me to almost wreck way too many times.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 55,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2012 Dodge Challenger: 6
Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode. 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.
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. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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. 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.
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. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment.
In the affected vehicles, the alternator may suddenly fail. If the alternator fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
The affected vehicles may have improperly sized terminal crimps on the seat side-airbag wiring harness which may cause the seat side-airbags to malfunction and illuminate the airbag warning light. In the event of a crash necessitating airbag deployment the airbags may not operate as designed, increasing the risk of injury.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Dodge: 77
Repair instructions Dodge sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2012 Dodge Challenger. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
WiTECH Small Leak Verification Test (SLVT) - P0456-EVAP SYSTEM SMALL LEAK
ADAPTER, Engine Oil Filter (Pentastar V6) For all 2014MY replace the Oil Filter Adapter (OFA)
Ts may include abnormal engine noise, rough idle, lack of power, misfire
No Start Intermittently, Vehicle Requires Multiple Keyless Push To Start Attempts To Start Vehicle, Intermittent Key Not Detected Message
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Neighbouring years
2011 Challenger: 193 complaints, keep it · 2013 Challenger: 178 complaints, keep it.
Every Dodge Challenger year
2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · All Challenger years side by side
Other Dodge models: Dodge Avenger · Dodge Caliber · Dodge Caravan · Dodge Charger · Dodge Dakota · Dodge Dart · Dodge Durango · Dodge Grand Caravan · Dodge Intrepid · Dodge Journey · Dodge Magnum · Dodge Neon · Dodge Nitro · Dodge Ram · Dodge Ram Quad Cab · Dodge Sprinter 2500 · Dodge Stratus. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2012 Dodge Challenger a bad year?
253 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Challenger years. At 55,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Dodge Challenger?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: electrical system (138), air bags (47), engine (25), steering (19), transmission and drivetrain (17).
How many recalls does the 2012 Dodge Challenger have?
6 recall campaigns list this model year: Air bags (NHTSA 19V-018), Air bags (NHTSA 18V-021), Electrical system (NHTSA 17V-435), Air bags (NHTSA 16V-352) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.