2012 Dodge Dart Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,533 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Dodge Dart, alongside 6 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 100/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 50,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2012 Dodge Dart sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings.
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Where 2012 sits among all Dart years
What owners report
“Came up to a stop sign, drove off and went to shift into 2nd (standard transmission) and my shifter was loose. Gear is stuck in first.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Dart
“Whoosing sound started to pull out of a parking spot brakes failed all i here is a whoosing sound”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Dart
“Bluetooth don't work. $600 to fix at 45,000 miles. Now my prdn lights up all red. Will clear only when i turn car off and back on. Took car to auto zone and its not giving any codes”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Dart
“My shift gear is not moving at all and it causes me not to turn my car off or on. My key is stuck in the ignition also.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Dart
“Recall may be the problem. Car ran just fine until we shut it off waited 30 minutes trying to turn it back on and message displayed service transmission no cure found autostick not recognized. Vehicle ran for 400 miles drove perfectly fine we stopped for a bite to eat for about 20 minutes and car…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Dart
“After buying the car my girlfriend sat in passenger seat and seat belt light came on and been on since”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Dart
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 1,206 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 44,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 23,000 and 69,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (6)
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Dodge Dart vehicles equipped with 6-speed automatic transmissions. The shifter cable bushing may fail allowing the shift cable to detach from the transmission.
Fix: This recall will be replaced by NHTSA recall number 25V674. Vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedy completed. Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will…
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Dodge Dart vehicles manufactured February 27, 2012 to January 23, 2014 and equipped with either a 2.0L or 2.4L engine. In affected vehicles, engine oil from the vacuum pump may seep into…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake booster grommet for the presence of oil. If no oil is found, the vacuum tube assembly will be replaced. If oil is found, the vacuum…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Dodge Dart vehicles manufactured February 24, 2012, to June 16, 2015. The affected vehicles may experience failure of the transmission control module (TCM), causing the transmission to…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the TCM and bracket, free of charge. Chrysler issued an interim notification to owners on October 14, 2015. The recall began on January 15, 2016.…
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2013 Dodge Dart vehicles manufactured May 10, 2013, through August 24, 2013 and equipped with the Mopar 13 trim package. In the affected vehicles, the front seat mounted side airbags (SAB) may not…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the SAB installation and re-install them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 19, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at…
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2013 Dodge Dart vehicles manufactured March 1, 2012, through February 28, 2013 and equipped with a 1.4L MultiAir turbo engine and dual dry clutch transmission. These vehicles may experience an…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began on July 22, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's…
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2013 Dodge Dart vehicles manufactured on November 27, 2012. Some vehicles may have been built with incorrect rear brake calipers, which could result in an inoperable parking brake.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected brake calipers, free of charge. The recall began on April 29, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's…
Technical service bulletins
152 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 2012 Dodge Dart. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
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 Dart reliable?
The 2012 Dodge Dart drew 1,533 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 100/100, scored against the model's worst year (2012).
What are the most common 2012 Dodge Dart problems?
The top reported problems for the 2012 Dodge Dart are transmission & drivetrain (455 complaints), brakes & stability (287), and electrical (188).
At what mileage do 2012 Dodge Dart problems show up?
Owners most often report 2012 Dodge Dart problems around 44,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 23,000 and 69,000 miles.
Does the 2012 Dodge Dart have recalls?
6 recall campaigns apply to the 2012 Dodge Dart. 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.