2012 Dodge Caliber Problems, Recalls & Reliability
80 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Dodge Caliber, alongside 1 recall campaign and 1 defect investigation. It scores 8/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Airbags leads the reports.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2012 Dodge Caliber has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2012 sits among all Caliber years
What owners report
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 41 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 68,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 30,147 and 88,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
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…
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
100 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2012 Dodge Caliber. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2012 Caliber TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2012 Dodge Caliber reliable?
The 2012 Dodge Caliber drew 80 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 8/100, scored against the model's worst year (2007).
What are the most common 2012 Dodge Caliber problems?
The top reported problems for the 2012 Dodge Caliber are airbags (17 complaints), seat belts (13), and other (8).
At what mileage do 2012 Dodge Caliber problems show up?
Owners most often report 2012 Dodge Caliber problems around 68,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 30,147 and 88,000 miles.
Does the 2012 Dodge Caliber have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 2012 Dodge Caliber. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
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.