2012 Dodge Caliber Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Caliber years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 6th of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 3 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 49 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Dodge Caliber. That ranks 6th out of 7 Caliber model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (17 complaints, 35%), typically at around 63,500 miles. Complaints mention 9 crashes, 3 fires, 6 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 49owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 9complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 Dodge Caliber 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 17 | 35% | 63,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 13 | 27% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 | 14% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 6 | 12% | 100,258 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 10% | 61,074 | — | — |
| Engine | 5 | 10% | 86,012 | — | — |
| Power Train | 5 | 10% | 8,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 10% | 92,516 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 10% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 6% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 4% | 30,147 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 4% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 2% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 2% | 88,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 2% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 2% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 Dodge Caliber recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
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.
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.
Rear subframe rotted out, detached at tire arm...see many complaints online
The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated that there was a rattling noise coming from the front sub frame of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the sub frame was rusted. The vehicle was not repaired. A local dealer was…
Due to the subframe rusting on the undercarriage of the car, the lower ball joint completely detached from the car, cause the driver side tire to fall off during operation.
Front and back subframes of car are/were rusted. The front was replaced last year and the rear needs to be done. I'm waiting for an estimate for that. Pic shows the rust taken by my mechanic 2 weeks ago..
Frame rotted out
Other Dodge Caliber years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 49 | 1 |
| 2011 Caliber | 165 | 2 |
| 2010 Caliber | 157 | 2 |
| 2009 Caliber | 232 | 1 |
| 2008 Caliber | 360 | 0 |
| 2007 Caliber | 884 | 4 |
| 2006 Caliber | 1 | 0 |
See all Dodge Caliber problems by year, every Dodge model, or the Dodge VIN decoder.
Similar Dodge models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Dodge Caliber?
Owners most often report air bags, seat belts, vehicle speed control problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 17 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Dodge Caliber?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 Dodge Caliber a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Caliber model years, the 2012 has far fewer complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 3 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.