2012 Dodge Avenger Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Avenger years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 15 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 554 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Dodge Avenger. That ranks 2nd out of 15 Avenger model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is unknown or other (163 complaints, 29%), typically at around 75,575 miles. Complaints mention 34 crashes, 7 fires, 35 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 554owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 34complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 Dodge Avenger problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown or Other | 163 | 29% | 75,575 | — | — |
| Air Bags problems | 109 | 20% | 60,000 | “air bag” (32%) | — |
| Electrical System problems | 109 | 20% | 70,522 | “cold air” (12%) | — |
| Visibility/wiper problems | 95 | 17% | 73,500 | “passenger side” (75%) | — |
| Engine problems | 87 | 16% | 79,000 | “heater core” (30%) | $2,550 |
| Seat Belts | 43 | 8% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 31 | 6% | 41,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 25 | 5% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 25 | 5% | 60,412 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 21 | 4% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 20 | 4% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 20 | 4% | 41,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 16 | 3% | 99,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 16 | 3% | 87,500 | — | — |
| Seats | 14 | 3% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 13 | 2% | 84,546 | — | — |
| Suspension | 10 | 2% | 25,987 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 1% | 47,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 5 | 1% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 1% | 200 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 0% | 18,300 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 0% | 13,287 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 130,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 Dodge Avenger recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seats:front assembly:head restraint; air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2012 Jeep Liberty and 2012-2013 Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger vehicles. A component within the occupant restraint controller (ORC) may fail and prevent the active headrests from deploying in the event of a rear-end crash.
Risk: If the active headrests do not deploy in certain rear-end crashes, the front seat occupants have an increased risk of injury.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ORC as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 4, 2017. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is T56.
Air bags; seat belts:pretensioner; air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 200, 2010 Chrysler Sebring, 2010-2012 Dodge Caliber and 2010-2014 Jeep Patriot, Compass and Dodge Avenger vehicles. The Occupant Restraint Control (OCR) module may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.
Risk: If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCR, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners that parts are not available yet were mailed on October 26, 2016. The recall began on August 15, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S61.
Air bags; electrical system
Problem: Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Sebring and 200 vehicles manufactured June 28, 2011, through December 13, 2012; model year 2011-2013 Dodge Avenger vehicles manufactured June 25, 2011, through January 14, 2013; model year 2011-2012 Dodge Nitro vehicles manufactured June 17, 2011, through December 15, 2011; and model year 2011-2012 Jeep Liberty vehicles manufactured June 17, 2011, through August 15, 2012. Electrical over-stress of a resistor in the occupant restraint control module may lead to the non-deployment of the active head restraints during a rear impact collision.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating the deployment of the active head restraints , their non-deployment could increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will flash the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) or replace the occupant restraint control module, as needed, free of charge. The recall began on November 19, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N38.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment (PE19014) — opened Sep 9, 2019, closed Feb 25, 2026.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My 2012 dodge avenger will shut off whenever it feels like and you lose control of power steering. It feels like itâs not getting gas. It will crank back up when it feels like.The horn honks randomly.
My car dies while im driving down the street, making it difficult to steer and qhen you try to restart it, sometimes it starts and some times it don't. But this is not the first time its happened it was just the latest
Window Defrost and Passenger Heat /Air. While either in motion or while driving, no heated air exits the passenger side of the windshield defroster, nor the passenger window defrost, lower and center console vents. Heated air only exits the driver's side windshield and driver's side dash vents…
I was driving and I stopped at a stop sign. When I got ready to go, the car stalled and stopped and wouldn't start. After 30 minutes, it started but I ended up having it towed. My mechanic was able to replicate it after putting the car in the sun, running it for 10 minutes and then driving it. When…
The contact called on behalf of her son who owns a 2012 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that while her son was exiting a parking lot, upon driving over a speed bump, the passengerâs side head restraint unintendedly deployed. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was…
Other Dodge Avenger years
← 2011 Avenger · 2013 Avenger →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 Avenger | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 Avenger | 205 | 1 |
| 2013 Avenger | 548 | 5 |
| 2012 | 554 | 3 |
| 2011 Avenger | 209 | 3 |
| 2010 Avenger | 163 | 3 |
| 2009 Avenger | 67 | 2 |
| 2008 Avenger | 831 | 6 |
| 2007 Avenger | 2 | 4 |
| 2000 Avenger | 22 | 1 |
| 1999 Avenger | 62 | 1 |
| 1998 Avenger | 58 | 2 |
| 1997 Avenger | 83 | 2 |
| 1996 Avenger | 157 | 2 |
| 1995 Avenger | 196 | 2 |
See all Dodge Avenger problems by year, every Dodge model, or the Dodge VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Dodge Avenger?
Owners most often report unknown or other, air bags, electrical system problems. The top one, unknown or other, accounts for 163 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Dodge Avenger?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 Dodge Avenger a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Avenger model years, the 2012 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.