Is the 2012 Dodge Charger a bad year?
648 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Charger years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2012 Dodge Charger are in line with other Charger years. Electrical system, air bags and exterior lighting 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 Charger 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 64,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemSTANDS OUT | 359 (55%) | 47k–85k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 111 (17%) | 40k–90k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Exterior lightingSTANDS OUT | 52 (8%) | 40k–73k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Engine | 96 (15%) | 50k–107k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 65 (10%) | 37k–88k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Steering | 53 (8%) | 50k–97k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Brakes | 45 (7%) | 50k–83k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Stability control | 35 (5%) | 48k–92k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Speed control | 20 (3%) | 43k–102k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 15 (2%) | 35k–75k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 13 (2%) | 52k–100k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Body structure | 11 (2%) | 45k–104k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Suspension | 10 (2%) | 43k–80k miles · around this mileage | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Seat belts | 7 (1%) | 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 64,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 648 complaints: 20 mention a crash · 49 mention a fire · 14 report an injury · 39 say the car was towed.
3 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in May 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
I was driving on the highway in milwaukee wi and the car stopped. I had it towed to palmen on 75 in kenosha . I only had the car for 3 months the engineer from chyrsler tolded me it was a faulty radiator.
I'm staff sergeant jason martinez. I bought my 2012 Dodge charger brand new in november 2013 and have had nothing but issues with this car since.
While in motion on a city street, vehicle displayed warning lights and stalled. Was able to pull off into a parking lot where the gear shift was locked in park position.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 64,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2012 Dodge Charger: 14
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.
The affected vehicles, equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a monostable gear selector, may not adequately warn the driver when driver's door is opened and the vehicle is not in PARK, allowing them to exit the vehicle while the vehicle is still in gear. Drivers thinking that their vehicle's transmission is in the PARK position may be struck by the vehicle and injured if they attempt to get out of the vehicle while the engine is running and the parking brake is not engaged.
When an affected vehicle is lifted using the supplied tire jack without chocking the wheels, the vehicle's body-side sill may give causing the tire jack to fail and the car to fall. A car that falls unexpectedly increases the risk of injury.
In the affected vehicles, the side impact sensor calibrations may be overly sensitive, and as a result, the side air bag inflatable curtains and seat air bags may unexpectedly deploy and the seat belt pre-tensioners may activate. Air bags that unexpectedly deploy increase the risk of a crash or injury.
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.
In the affected vehicles, a sub-harness for the headlights may overheat and cause the low beam headlights to go out. Loss of headlights reduces the driver's visibility, 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.
These vehicles may lose abs/esc system function due to an overheated power distribution center. This could lead to loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
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 distribution center. This could lead to loss of visibility and/or braking ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
As built, the TPMS does not warn the driver when a tire is 25 percent below the recommended pressure. Underinflated tires can result in tire overloading and overheating, which could lead to a blowout and possible crash.
These engines may experience connecting rod bearing failure due to debris inside the engine block. Connecting rod failure may lead to engine seizure which may increase the risk of a crash.
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: 105
Repair instructions Dodge sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2012 Dodge Charger. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
The vehicle will exhibit a service transmission/check engine warning indicator for the following transmission
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
NHTSA defect investigations: 3
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Vehicle rollaway, engine on
Alternator failure
Neighbouring years
2011 Charger: 694 complaints, keep it · 2013 Charger: 360 complaints, keep it.
Every Dodge Charger year
2001 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2026 · All Charger years side by side
Other Dodge models: Dodge Avenger · Dodge Caliber · Dodge Caravan · Dodge Challenger · 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 Charger a bad year?
648 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Charger years. At 64,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Dodge Charger?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: electrical system (359), air bags (111), exterior lighting (52), engine (96), transmission and drivetrain (65).
How many recalls does the 2012 Dodge Charger have?
14 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.