Your vehicle report
2012 Dodge Avenger
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 554
- Received Feb 2012 to Sep 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Heater blows cold air, defroster fails178 complaints · 32% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Ford Escape engine overheats from coolant intrusion26 complaints · 4.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Airbag warning light stays on24 complaints · 4.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #17V640000Chrysler (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 crash.
- Recall #16V668000Chrysler (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, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 34 crashes, 7 fires, 35 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
- Jeep Cherokee stalls while driving
- Horn fails with airbag warning light
- Vehicle catches fire from wiring
1 more problem
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
- Heater blows cold air, defroster fails
- Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail
- Glass shatters or cracks without impact
1 more problem
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 10 |
| 2013 | 22 |
| 2014 | 31 |
| 2015 | 53 |
| 2016 | 44 |
| 2017 | 77 |
| 2018 | 119 |
| 2019 | 91 |
| 2020 | 55 |
| 2021 | 20 |
| 2022 | 11 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 6 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 2 |
| Total | 554 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heater blows cold air, defroster fails | 178 | 32% | – | |
| Ford Escape engine overheats from coolant intrusion | 26 | 4.7% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 24 | 4.3% | – | NHTSA recall #16V668000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 18 | 3.3% | – | NHTSA recall #13V282000, #16V668000, #17V640000 |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 17 | 3.1% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 14 | 2.5% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 12 | 2.2% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 11 | 2.0% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 11 | 2.0% | – | |
| Jeep Cherokee stalls while driving | 9 | 1.6% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 8 | 1.4% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 8 | 1.4% | – | |
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 7 | 1.3% | – | |
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 7 | 1.3% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 7 | 1.3% | – | |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 5 | 0.9% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 5 | 0.9% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 5 | 0.9% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 4 | 0.7% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 4 | 0.7% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #17V640000October 10, 2017363,930 vehicles affected
air bags: frontal: sensor/control module-inactive; seats: front assembly: head restraint
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 crash.
If the active headrests do not deploy in certain rear-end crashes, the front seat occupants have an increased risk of injury.
Remedy
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 number for this recall is T56.
NHTSA recall #16V668000September 15, 20161,435,625 vehicles affected
air bags; air bags: frontal: sensor/control module-inactive; seat belts: pretensioner
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, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.
If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.
Remedy
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 August 15, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S61.
NHTSA recall #13V282000July 2, 2013442,320 vehicles affected
air bags; electrical system
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 Nitro vehicles manufactured June 17, 2011, through December 15, 2011; and model year 2011-2012 Jeep Liberty vehicles manufactured June 17, 2011, through August 15, 2012. Electrical over-stress of a resistor in the occupant restraint control module may lead to the non-deployment of the active head restraints during a rear impact collision.
In the event of a crash necessitating the deployment of the active head restraints , their non-deployment could increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
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 November 19, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N38.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2012 Dodge Avenger.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN