2012 Dodge Charger Engine Problems
Owners have filed 94 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2012 Dodge Charger, 15% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 80,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “chrysler jeep ram” (9% of reports).
- 94engine complaints
- 80,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 31%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Chrysler jeep ram: mentioned in 8 of 94 complaints (9%)
- Timing chain: mentioned in 7 of 94 complaints (7%)
- Saver mode: mentioned in 6 of 94 complaints (6%)
- Engine indicator: mentioned in 6 of 94 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 74 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 94 complaints, 12 a fire.
Dodge Charger engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Charger | 5 | 19% | — |
| 2022 Charger | 3 | 19% | — |
| 2021 Charger | 3 | 9% | 33,128 |
| 2020 Charger | 6 | 11% | 26,725 |
| 2019 Charger | 10 | 8% | 8,600 |
| 2018 Charger | 11 | 9% | 8,000 |
| 2017 Charger | 18 | 14% | 66,000 |
| 2016 Charger | 25 | 14% | 32,175 |
| 2015 Charger | 24 | 18% | 57,000 |
| 2014 Charger | 61 | 18% | 60,000 |
| 2013 Charger | 50 | 14% | 66,000 |
| 2012 Charger | 94 | 15% | 80,000 |
| 2011 Charger | 77 | 11% | 60,965 |
| 2010 Charger | 48 | 21% | 96,919 |
| 2009 Charger | 32 | 18% | 109,000 |
| 2008 Charger | 89 | 15% | 101,282 |
| 2007 Charger | 82 | 15% | 102,040 |
| 2006 Charger | 388 | 30% | 91,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling
Problem: 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Says that my car is simply just dead smells like gas when trying to start up and shakes but doesnât start up
I have called the dealerships in Fresno Ca and Clovis Ca asked them to check out my car because of all the recalls that were done by them I'm having problems with it or had to replace it again. I also told them since it was a recall and they supposedly repaired it I wanted them to check into it to…
The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Charger. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with timing chain failure. The contact was informed…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 Dodge Chargers have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 94 owner complaints about engine for the 2012 Dodge Charger (15% of the 648 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Dodge Charger engine?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 80,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2012 Dodge Charger?
The most frequent phrase is “chrysler jeep ram”, in 8 of 94 complaints, followed by “timing chain” (7).
Other 2012 Dodge Charger problems
- Electrical System problems (359)
- Air Bags problems (111)
- Power Train problems (65)
- Steering problems (53)
- Exterior Lighting problems (52)
See all 2012 Dodge Charger problems or engine problems across all Charger years.