2012 Chrysler 200 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

1,011 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Chrysler 200, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 29/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 60,788 miles.

1,011Complaints
29/100Trouble index
4Recalls
60,000Typical trouble mileage

Typical

Where 2012 sits among all 200 years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Electrical 176 complaints (17%) · typically ~60,788 miles
“There is no heat on passenger side so the defrost does not work and it affects visibility when driving.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 200
Engine 162 complaints (16%) · typically ~69,250 miles
“While driving i started to coast to take sharp turn and engine died, no power steering and no brakes. Couldn't turn and ran off the side of the road. This is a major issue.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 200
Airbags 136 complaints (13%) · typically ~67,000 miles
“The light of the air bigs is always light on when driving. I never had accident.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 200
Other 134 complaints (13%) · typically ~68,448 miles
“Only when heater is on, whether on defrost or front vents, blows cold air thru just the passenger side vents. It happens when the car is on.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 200
Visibility & wipers 85 complaints (8%) · typically ~68,000 miles
“Passenger windshield visibility do to heater core not giving heat at passenger side clogged at about 70k miles dangerous to me and oncoming traffic an accident waiting to happen.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 200
Seat belts 71 complaints (7%) · typically ~55,000 miles
“Received a recall notice but no parts are available for a fix. Been waiting about 6 months with no action. How do i get the company moving on providing corrective action?”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 200

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 715 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 60,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 35,000 and 93,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (4)

SEATS 17V640000 2017

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…

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…

SEAT BELTS 16V668000 2016

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,…

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…

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 13V282000 2013

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…

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…

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 11V487000 2011

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,…

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.

Federal defect investigations

Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment PE19014 opened 2019, closed 2026

Technical service bulletins

171 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2012 Chrysler 200. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2012 200 TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2012peak 222 in 20172026

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2012 Chrysler 200 reliable?

The 2012 Chrysler 200 drew 1,011 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 29/100, scored against the model's worst year (2015).

What are the most common 2012 Chrysler 200 problems?

The top reported problems for the 2012 Chrysler 200 are electrical (176 complaints), engine (162), and airbags (136).

At what mileage do 2012 Chrysler 200 problems show up?

Owners most often report 2012 Chrysler 200 problems around 60,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 35,000 and 93,000 miles.

Does the 2012 Chrysler 200 have recalls?

4 recall campaigns apply to the 2012 Chrysler 200. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

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Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.