2012 Chevrolet Express Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Aug 6, 2026 · 13 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Express years
About as many complaints as other years 19th of 31 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 13 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Express. That ranks 19th out of 31 Express model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes (4 complaints, 31%), typically at around 14,500 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 2 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year.

Chevrolet Express
Chevrolet Express photographed in Washington, D.C. , USA.. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

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Most common 2012 Chevrolet Express problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Service Brakes4 · ~14,500 mi
Electrical System3 · ~129,500 mi
Fuel/propulsion System2
Steering2 · ~47,000 mi
Unknown or Other2 · ~85,000 mi
Air Bags1
Engine1 · ~100,000 mi
Forward Collision Avoidance1
Power Train1 · ~100,000 mi
Seat Belts1 · ~4,750 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Service Brakes431%14,500——
Electrical System323%129,500——
Fuel/propulsion System215%———
Steering215%47,000——
Unknown or Other215%85,000——
Air Bags18%———
Engine18%100,000——
Forward Collision Avoidance18%———
Power Train18%100,000——
Seat Belts18%4,750——
Structure18%14,500——
Suspension18%14,500——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2015, with 3 complaints
2013: 2201322014: 1201412015: 3201532017: 1201712019: 1201912023: 1202312025: 3202532026: 120261

n = 13 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2012 Chevrolet Express recalls (6)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

EquipmentApr 26, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V267000 · 6,154 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD, 2009 GMC Topkick 5000, 6000, 7000 and 8000 Series and Isuzu F Series, and 2009-2018 Chevrolet Express, and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with certain Plastic-Handle Fire Extinguishers or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf

Risk: In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.

Fix: GM will notify owners, instructing them to contact Kidde to get a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began June 11, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Isuzu customer service at 1-866-441-9638. GM's number for this recall is 18146.

Fuel system, otherAug 13, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V500000 · 3,345 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chevrolet Express compressed natural gas (CNG)vehicles manufactured September 10, 2010, to April 28, 2014, and GMC Savana CNG vehicles manufactured May 23, 2011, to April 21, 2014. The affected vehicles may leak natural gas from the CNG high pressure regulator.

Risk: A natural gas leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire or explosion.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure regulator, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2013. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 14321.

Air bags:frontalMar 17, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V117000 · 303,013 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans manufactured January 27, 2009, through March 7, 2014 with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds and less and equipped with front passenger air bags. In the affected vehicles, during a frontal impact below the air bag deployment threshold, if an unbelted front passenger's head hits the instrument panel above where the passenger air bag is located, the panel may not sufficiently absorb the impact. As such, these vehicles fail to meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 201, "Occupant Protection in Interior Impact."

Risk: In the event of a crash below the air bag deployment threshold, an unbelted front passenger seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will modify the passenger instrument panel free of charge. Notices to the owners of the heavy duty vans were mailed on April 28, 2014. The recall began on May 19, 2014. Chevrolet owners may call 1-800-630-2438. GMC owners may call 1-866-996-9463. GM's number for this recall is 14082.

Fuel system, otherMay 15, 2013 · NHTSA campaign 13V225000 · 1,791 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) and IMPCO Automotive Division of IMPCO Technologies, Inc. (IMPCO) are recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana Cargo vans that have a compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel system installed as original equipment by IMPCO. The fuel systems, manufactured February 14, 2011, through February 20, 2013, have a fuel shut-off solenoid connector to the CNG tank that may corrode and form a short.

Risk: A short at the connector may cause overheating, resulting in an increased risk of fire.

Fix: GM will notify owners and GM dealers/fleets will perform the remedy which will include replacing the solenoid assemblies and fuel pump fuses and adjusting the wiring routing. The recall began on August 5, 2013. GM's number for this recall is 13139. Impco's number for this recall is FA13GM001. Owner's may contact GM Fleet Action Center at 1-800-353-3867.

Steering:gear box:shaft pitmanMar 22, 2012 · NHTSA campaign 12V112000 · 6,159 vehicles

Problem: General motors (gm) is recalling certain model year 2012 chevrolet express and suburban vehicles, and gmc savana and yukon xl heavy duty vehicles. The steering gear pitman shaft may not have been adequately hardened and could fracture.

Risk: If this condition occurs, a loss of steering could result, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Gm will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the steering gear and, if necessary, replace the steering gear pitman shaft. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on april 4, 2012.

Air bagsNov 8, 2011 · NHTSA campaign 11V543000 · 1,798 vehicles

Problem: Gm is recalling certain model year 2012 chevrolet express and gmc savana vehicles manufactured from june 2, 2011, through october 17, 2011. The second stage of the dual-stage air bag will not inflate in a severe frontal impact. Accordingly, the air bags fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety no. 208, "occupant crash protection."

Risk: An improperly deployed air bag will increase the risk of injury to the occupant.

Fix: Gm will notify owners, and dealers will install a new front passenger air bag free of charge. The safety recall began on november 29, 2011. Owners may contact gmc at 1-800-462-8782 or chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

ABS Valve Body / Pump Harness chafed through brake hydraulic line near transmission crossmember. This resulted in a hydraulic leak and loss of brake pedal feel / partial loss of brakes. Fortunately failure occurred in the driveway--I had 4500 Lbs of sailboat trailer hitched to the van and was about…

Service Brakes · received Aug 6, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11755204

About 6:45 in the morning on November 10th, the vehicle was in a high-speed. Front end collision with adult cow elk at 70 miles an hour on the freeway, and the airbags failed to deploy in the Van on both front seats and the vehicle was severely damaged. Injuries were sustained.

Air Bags · received Dec 14, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11704917

Vehicle is upfitted as a school bus. Forward fuel tank strap failed in operation. Our company operates more than 100 of these vehicles and we experience a failure of fuel tank straps at a rate of about one vehicle per month. If the 2nd strap would also fail the gasoline tank would become dislodged…

Fuel/propulsion System · received Apr 23, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11656226

Vehicle is upfitted as a school bus. Forward fuel tank strap failed in operation. Our company operates more than 100 of these vehicles and we experience a failure of fuel tank straps at a rate of about one vehicle per month. If the 2nd strap would also fail the gasoline tank would become dislodged…

Fuel/propulsion System · received Mar 21, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11649646

UNKNOWN...THE VEHICLE VEARED OFF ROAD AN INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC. Did not seam like steering was working properly. The final out come there were 2 deceased operators. In 2 different vehicles. I'm not sure if the recalls were ever repaired.

Forward Collision Avoidance · received Aug 13, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11538233

Other Chevrolet Express years

← 2011 Express · 2013 Express →

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Chevrolet Express?

Owners most often report service brakes, electrical system, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, service brakes, accounts for 4 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2012 Chevrolet Express?

Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2012 Chevrolet Express a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Express model years, the 2012 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.