Is the 2012 Dodge Dart a bad year?
1,079 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 454, 3.4× a quiet Dart year.
Consider selling
Half of all transmission complaints about the 2012 Dodge Dart were filed between 27k and 76k miles. You're at 49,000 miles.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2012 Dart 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 49,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 454 (42%) | 27k–76k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| BrakesSTANDS OUT | 275 (25%) | 22k–55k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Electrical system | 173 (16%) | 23k–60k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Engine | 167 (15%) | 18k–58k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Air bags | 68 (6%) | 30k–80k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Speed control | 41 (4%) | 18k–58k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Steering | 37 (3%) | 7k–69k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Visibility and wipers | 36 (3%) | 35k–80k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Stability control | 29 (3%) | 27k–76k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 22 (2%) | 33k–80k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Seat belts | 21 (2%) | 47k–87k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Wheels | 25 (2%) | 10k–38k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Tires | 23 (2%) | 6k–23k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Body structure | 14 (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 49,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 1,079 complaints: 63 mention a crash · 14 mention a fire · 29 report an injury · 65 say the car was towed.
No complaints in the last 12 months; the newest was filed in Apr 2024.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Reverse lockout cable assembly can break causing accidental shifting into reverse when trying to engage first gear causing damage to the engine/transmission or possible drive wheel lock-up resulting in an accident.
Went to start my car in the morning pushed the clutch to the floor and it did not return, just stayed depressed against the floorboard.
I took my car in for a recall and as of may 13th I'm still without my vehicle and still having to make the payment plus insurance.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 49,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2012 Dodge Dart: 6
The shifter cable bushing may fail allowing the shift cable to detach from the transmission. If the shifter cable detaches from the transmission, the vehicle may not perform the shifts performed by the driver. Additionally, despite selecting PARK with the shifter, the vehicle may roll away.
In affected vehicles, engine oil from the vacuum pump may seep into the brake booster, damaging a component within the brake booster. Internal damage to brake booster could result in a loss of brake assist, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
The affected vehicles may experience failure of the transmission control module (TCM), causing the transmission to unexpectedly shift into neutral. If the transmission shifts into neutral, it can cause loss of motive power, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
In the affected vehicles, the front seat mounted side airbags (SAB) may not have been properly installed into the seat. In the event of a crash necessitating SAB deployment, the SABs may fail to deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
These vehicles may experience an engine stall when the temperature is 20 degrees Fahrenheit or colder. If the engine stalls while driving it may increase the risk of a crash.
Some vehicles may have been built with incorrect rear brake calipers, which could result in an inoperable parking brake. If the parking brake is inoperable, the vehicle could roll when parked increasing 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: 92
Repair instructions Dodge sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2012 Dodge Dart. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Powertrain Diagnostic and System Improvements
Oil Pump Assembly If error code P06DD present on any Pentastar V6 application, please inspect oil pump for relief valve failure
2.4L Powertrain Diagnostic and System Improvements
MIL Illumination P1D73, P1CEA And/Or P0456 Includes Various Driveability Enhancements
Neighbouring years
2013 Dart: 287 complaints, consider selling.
Every Dodge Dart year
2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · All Dart years side by side
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Questions
Is the 2012 Dodge Dart a bad year?
1,079 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 454, 3.4× a quiet Dart year. At 49,000 miles the tool says: Consider selling. Half of all transmission complaints about the 2012 Dodge Dart were filed between 27k and 76k miles. You're at 49,000 miles.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Dodge Dart?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (454), brakes (275), electrical system (173), engine (167), air bags (68). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 27k–76k miles.
How many recalls does the 2012 Dodge Dart have?
6 recall campaigns list this model year: Transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA 19V-293), Brakes (NHTSA 15V-800), Transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA 15V-542), Air bags (NHTSA 13V-555) 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.