2012 Dodge Charger Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/12/2026

94Engine complaints

14.5%Of all 648 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM325 · 50.2%

AIR BAGS109 · 16.8%

ENGINE94 · 14.5%

POWER TRAIN64 · 9.9%

STEERING53 · 8.2%

Share of the 648 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2012 Dodge Charger overview page.

What owners report

“HELLO. YESTERDAY, I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET 35 MPH AND I RECEIVED AN ERROR MESSAGE BATTERY SAVER MODE. I HAD NEVER SEEN THIS…”NHTSA complaint 10649284 — filed 10/22/2014

“I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY GOING ABOUT 55 MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I NOTICED A MESSAGE APPEAR ON MY CAR STATING "BATTERY…”NHTSA complaint 10648820 — filed 10/20/2014

“I WAS TRAVELING AROUND 30 MPH AND AS I WAS BRAKING TO STOP FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE CAR TURNED OFF BY ITSELF. I WAS…”NHTSA complaint 10639171 — filed 09/25/2014

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Dodge Charger have engine problems?

Engine is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2012 Dodge Charger: 94 of 648 complaints on file (14.5%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2012 Dodge Charger have in total?

648 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 20 involved a crash, 49 involved a fire, 16 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.