Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2012 Dodge Challenger
NHTSA data on file today
The 2012 Dodge Challenger has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns and 253 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #19V018000 Do Not Drive - Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V021000 Do Not Drive - Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V435000 Alternator may Fail Resulting in Engine Stall NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V352000 Do Not Drive - Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V634000 Alternator may Fail Resulting in Engine Stall NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V118000 Seat Airbag Wiring Harness NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Electrical System 138 complaints
- Air Bags 47 complaints
- Engine 25 complaints
- Unknown or Other 20 complaints
- Steering 19 complaints
- Power Train 17 complaints
Of the 253 complaints on file, 11 report a crash and 8 a fire; across all 253 complaints, owners report 8 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $8,000–$12,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2012 Dodge Challenger suffers from significant issues, primarily concerning airbag recalls and alternator failures. These problems highlight potential safety risks and can lead to costly repairs, which contributes to a below-average reliability rating.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags | N/A | No reliable estimate | very common |
| Alternator | 60,000–80,000 miles | $400–$600 | common |
| Electrical system | 70,000–90,000 miles | $300–$500 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake fluid replacement
- Tire rotations and alignment
- Coolant system flush
- Transmission fluid change
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Flickering dashboard lights
- Airbag warning lights
- Sudden alternator failure
- Battery not charging
- Unresponsive power steering
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2012 Dodge Challenger at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.