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2012 Chrysler Town & Country problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
29%
173 of 634 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2012 Chrysler Town & Country. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 29% of relevant complaints.

Better than 73% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2012 Chrysler Town & Country have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 173 of 634 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Chrysler Town & Country concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (29%). For comparison, the 2011 scores 30% and the 2013 scores 27%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
173
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
634
this model year
Fires reported
16
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
5
7 crashes · 24 injuries

Complaints by component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM395 · 62%
ENGINE100 · 16%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER58 · 9%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM56 · 9%
POWER TRAIN36 · 6%
STRUCTURE33 · 5%

The years either side

2010
no data
2011
30%
219 of 773
2012
29%
173 of 634
2013
27%
169 of 681
2014
36%
198 of 636
2015
48%
162 of 383
2016
48%
242 of 526
2017
no data
2018
no data
2019
no data
2020
no data
2021
no data
2022
no data
2023
no data

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2012 Chrysler Town & Country

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM07/29/2026
The ignition switch AKA WIN MODULE has to be broken, making it extremely dangerous to drive my vehicle. Any time I go over a bump or the key wiggles slightly the car will turn right off and I lose full control over the car. I have to find a safe place to pull over and restart the car by taking the key out and putting t…

One of 173 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2012 Chrysler Town & Country?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2012 Chrysler Town & Country involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 5 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

engine and engine cooling11V487000 · Sep 2011

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, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 13, 2011, THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH 3.6L ENGINES. THESE ENGINES MAY EXPERIENCE CONNECTING ROD BEARING FAILURE DUE TO DEBRIS INSIDE THE ENGINE BLOCK.

Risk: CONNECTING ROD FAILURE MAY LEAD TO ENGINE SEIZURE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Fix: CHRYSLER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE ENGINE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT NOVEMBER 18, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

4 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
equipment adaptive/mobility: wheelchair restraints/securement: latch/anchor: 25V876000 · Dec 2025
Rollx Vans (Rollx) is recalling certain GMC Yukon, Sierra, Chevrolet Express 2500, Ford Transit, E-250, Toyota Sienna, Sienna Hybrid, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Town and Country, Voyager, Pacifica,…
electrical system14V234000 · May 2014
Chrysler Group, LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles manufactured August 25, 2010, through October 31, 2013. The…
equipment12V191000 · May 2012
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 TOWN AND COUNTRY AND DODGE GRAND CARAVAN VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 9, 2012 THROUGH MARCH 12, 2012. SOME VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH A RIGHT…
suspension: rear12V141000 · Apr 2012
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 TOWN AND COUNTRY AND DODGE GRAND CARAVAN VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 15, 2011, THROUGH NOVEMBER 21, 2011. SOME VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2012 Chrysler Town & Country? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2012 Chrysler Town & Country

Does the 2012 Chrysler Town & Country have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 173 of 634 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Chrysler Town & Country concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (29%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2012 Chrysler Town & Country?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2012 Chrysler Town & Country involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 5 in total: 11V487000 (engine and engine cooling). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Chrysler Town & Country years are better?

Among the Chrysler Town & Country years we track, the 2013 (27%) has a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2012 (29%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2012 Chrysler Town & Country?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2012 Chrysler Town & Country shows no elevated engine or transmission pattern in owner complaints, which is a good starting point. It is still one car with its own history, so get an independent pre-purchase inspection and a vehicle history report before you commit.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.