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2012 Dodge Charger: engine and transmission complaints

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
33%
167 of 509 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2012 Dodge Charger. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 33% of relevant complaints.

Better than 65% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 152 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 25%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
167
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
661
this model year
Fires reported
50
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
15
20 crashes · 16 injuries

Complaints by component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM365 · 55%
AIR BAGS111 · 17%
ENGINE98 · 15%
POWER TRAIN66 · 10%
STEERING56 · 8%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING52 · 8%

The years either side

2010
49%
87 of 238
2011
36%
178 of 698
2012
33%
167 of 661
2013
33%
104 of 367
2014
39%
124 of 346
2015
52%
59 of 136
2016
42%
69 of 182
2017
32%
37 of 128
2018
20%
23 of 122
2019
28%
16 of 120
2020
30%
6 of 57
2021
47%
8 of 34
2022
too few complaints
2023
48%
12 of 26

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

What owners reported

POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS,STRUCTURE,VEHICL04/23/2018CRASH1 INJURED
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE CHARGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AND THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED WITH FORCE, BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED …
POWER TRAIN02/08/2016CRASH1 INJURED
VEHICLE ROLLAWAY, ENGINE ON. RE: ODI PE15-30 AND EA 16-002. I EXITED MY VEHICLE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT IN PARK. THE VEHICLE HILL START ASSIST GAVE ME ENOUGH TIME TO EXIT THE VEHICLE AND THEN IT BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARD. THE OPEN DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR KNOCKED ME DOWN AND DRAGGED ME 50 FEET. MY R…
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM08/04/20151 INJURED
FUEL SMELL ENTERS THE CABIN CAUSING LIGHT HEADED NESS WHERE OPERATOR OR OCCUPANTS ALMOST PASS OUT. MASSIVE HEADACHE, BURNING EYES AND SUDDEN ONSET VOMITING DUE TO EXPOSURE TO RAW FUEL ODORS. HAS BEEN TO DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR THE ISSUE AND THEY DENY IT. CURRENTLY THERE A 4TH TIME FOR SAME ISSUE. I FEEL THIS IS A…

Three of 167 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (15)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2010 Dodge Ram 3500, Ram 4500/5500, 2010-2011 Dodge Dakota, 2010-2014 Dodge Challenger, 2010-2015 Dodge Challenger, Chrysler 30…
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. …
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger vehicles, and 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota vehicles sold, o…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2012 Dodge Charger

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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. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.