2012 Dodge Challenger

Typical pattern

4.4% of complaints about the 2012 Dodge Challenger came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2012 vehicle — around the middle of the 201 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 4.7 yr in service. The most-reported system is electrical system (140 complaints), typically at 4.8 yr or about 55,000 miles.

Complaints: 338
Median age at failure: 4.7 yr
Median mileage: 53,980 n=261
Crash / fire / tow: 9.8% of reports
Safety recalls: 6 3 do not drive

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

19V018000 2019-01-15 Do not drive

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 300, and 2010-2016 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

18V021000 2018-01-09 Do not drive

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, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Chrysler is recalling certain 2009-2010 RAM 4500 Cab Chassis, RAM 5500 Cab Chassis, RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Dakota, Dodge Challenger, a

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

16V352000 2016-05-24 Do not drive

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 RAM 2500 trucks produced at the St. Louis North Assembly Plant. With this change, Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM 3500, 2007-2010 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2010 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, 2004-2009 Dodge Durango, 2007-2009 Chrysler Aspen, 2007-2012 Jeep Wrangler, 2008-2012 Dodge Challenger, 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum, 2005-2012 Chrysler 300, 2006-2012 Dodge Charger, 2005-2011 Dodge Dakota, and 2006-2009 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles originally sold, o

These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. These inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants

17V435000 2017-07-10

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. The affected vehicles have electro-hydraulic power steering (EHPS) and are equipped with a 5.7L or a 3.6L engine and a 160, 180 or 220 amp alternator. In the affected vehicles, the alternator may suddenly fail.

If the alternator fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash. There is also the possibility that the alternator may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

14V634000 2014-10-08

Electrical system:alternator/generator/regulator

Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Challenger, and Durango; and 2012-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured April 22, 2010, to January 2, 2014, and equipped with a 3.6L engine and a 160 amp alternator. In the affected vehicles, the alternator may suddenly fail.

If the alternator fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.

13V118000 2013-04-03

Air bags

Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger, and Dodge Charger vehicles manufactured April 11, 2011, through December 14, 2011. The affected vehicles may have improperly sized terminal crimps on the seat side-airbag wiring harness which may cause the seat side-airbags to malfunction and illuminate the airbag warning light.

In the event of a crash necessitating airbag deployment the airbags may not operate as designed, increasing the risk of injury.

In owners’ own words

Electrical system 4,000 mi 1.0 yr in service

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE CHALLENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED, THE HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WOULD FLICKER FROM DIM TO MAXIMUM ILLUMINATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY WERE REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,028. ....UPDATED 12/20/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THIS ALSO HAPPENED WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. UPDATED 12/27/2012 *JS

Electrical system 3,270 mi 4 mo in service

CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT WORK, AIRBAG LIGHTS COMING ON MULTIPLE TIMES . TAKEN TO DEALER / SHOP FOR REPAIR . CRUISE CONTROL WORKS NOW. STILL PROBLEMS WITH AIRBAG LIGHTS COMING ON AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND DIFFERENT RATES OF SPEED. HAS BEEN TO DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES (AT LEAST 4 TIMES) FOR AIRBAG IS SUES. DEALER HAS HAD SEATS OUT OF CAR ETC. TO REPAIR / REPLACE "AIRBAG SENSOR" / "WIRING HARNESS", . AIRBAG LIGHT STILL COMING ON WHEN IT SHOULDN'T. JUST REALLY CONCERN WITH THIS ISSUE THAT COULD TURN OUT TO CAUSE A FATALITY.VEHICLE MILEAGE IS AT 13,150. *TR

Electrical system 11,000 mi 1.9 yr in service

POWER WINDOWS ON THIS CAR ARE DESIGNED TO COME DOWN ABOUT AN 1/8 TO A 1/4 INCH WHEN YOU OPEN THE DOORS, AND GO BACK UP WHEN YOU CLOSE THEM. WHILE CAR WAS PARKED THE DRIVERS WINDOW DID NOT ROLL DOWN ALL THE WAY, THEN AS I ROLLED THE WINDOW UP AND EXITED THE CAR THE WINDOW DID NOT DO WHAT IT IS DESIGNED TO DO, AND IS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE SEAL. THE PASSENGER WINDOW WILL KEEP GOING UP AND DOWN AS IT WAS MEANT TO EXCEPT IT WILL DO IT WITH THE DOOR CLOSED AND NOBODY OPENING THE DOOR. THIS IS VERY DISTRACTING AND COULD RUN THE BATTERY DOWN AND BE A FIRE HAZARD. *TR

Power train 6,000 mi 1.0 yr in service

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE CHALLENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR A DISTANCE AND STOP FOR A PERIOD OF TIME THE VEHICLE WOULD EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000.

Other Challenger model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2012 Dodge Challenger

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

Other Challenger model years

How to read this