2012 Dodge Caravan: problems, recalls and reliability
0 recalls and 87 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is electrical system (51% of complaints); the 2013 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly
0
recalls
87
owner complaints
3
fire reports
52,500
typical failure mileage, mi
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Among the quietest Caravan years (#20 of 24 by complaints, age-adjusted)No recall campaignsWeak spot: electrical system (51%)3 fire reports
Common problems
Computed from 87 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
Electrical System (battery, wiring, electronics)51% · 42 complaints
Engine (engine mechanics)16% · 13 complaints
Service Brakes (brakes)10% · 8 complaints
Air Bags (airbags and crash sensors)5% · 4 complaints
Power Train (transmission, axles, driveline)4% · 3 complaints
Structure (body, frame, doors, rust)2% · 2 complaints
“Van stops abruptly. Will die while driving, wheel will lock up and and van powers down. Will start back up as soon as its stops.”Owner report · Electrical System · Dec 2020
“Tl* the contact owns a 2012 dodge caravan. While driving 15 mph, the vehicle stalled and was towed to kendall dodge chrysler jeep ram (13355 sw 137th ave, miami, fl 33186, (786) 231-2120). The dealer diagnosed that there was an electrical failure and they repaired the ignition switch and replaced the key, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was still with the dealer. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was unavailable.”Owner report · Engine · May 2019
“2012 dodge grand caravan stops running suddenly while driving. On several occasions over the past week the vehicle will just cut off while driving. So far this has only happened on city streets and not on the highway. On a least one occasion I noticed that I bumped the key. Maybe an ignition problem? This is very dangerous as it happens without warning.”Owner report · Engine · Apr 2019
Show 7 more owner reports
“Fuel pump continues to stay on when vehicle is off with no key in ignition. This is causing battery drain and hard starts after jumping battery. Car also is stalling at times while in motion. I have seen a recall for other males and models of same year from mopar vehicles, such as durango. It seems to be fuel pump relay in tipm.”Owner report · Electrical System · Jan 2019
“2012 dodge caravan suddenly shuts off while driving losing the ability to brake or steer, with no warning signs from the vehicle. After research, this is a common problem for dodge caravans resulting in serious safety concerns.”Owner report · Electrical System · Nov 2018
“Van had engine stall while going down highway. Lost all power due to this..was only going about 45 so was able to maintain control and get to side of the road. Was in the rural area so traffic was light...daughter and granddaughter was in van with me ...this could have been tragic if I had been on interstate or on busy highway...was told by machanic that fuel relay tipm gone out”Owner report · Electrical System · Nov 2018
“My wife while driving slammed on the brakes and the van shut off it however restart right away.this was very scary and could put her life in danger if someone had run into her van back.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Sep 2018
“Tl* the contact owns a 2012 dodge caravan. While driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle stalled without warning and was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, but the cause of the failure was undetermined. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 122,000.”Owner report · Engine · Sep 2018
“Takata recall',I am complaining about the engine,the right side rockers are making noise when running pretty bad. I thought there was a recall on that”Owner report · Engine · Aug 2018
“My caravan loses all power while driving in low speeds, high speeds, over railroad tracks, on the interstate!! I have to stop immediately and restart. This is a safety issue! It happens randomly at any time, I never know when or if it will die on me. I have complained to my dealership and 2 others. They say, nothing is showing on the computer, there's nothing we can do.”Owner report · Engine · Jul 2018
When filing, owners marked a crash in 3 of these complaints and injuries in 4 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
How other years compare
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Is the 2012 Dodge Caravan reliable?
NHTSA has 87 owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns on record for the 2012 Dodge Caravan. The most complained-about area is electrical system (51% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2012 Dodge Caravan problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 52,500 miles or less.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.