Home · 2012 Dodge Challenger Srt (driver) · Complaints

What 253 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Dodge Challenger Srt (driver)

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (253)Crash / fire / injury (19)Electrical system (138)Airbags (47)Engine (25)Steering (19)Transmission & drivetrain (17)Brakes (9)Seat belts (8)Suspension (8)Visibility & wipers (8)Body & structure (7)

3 of 253 complaints match · Engine · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Oct 9, 2020EngineFire

LEFT CYLINDER HEAD WAS REPLACED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY AT 144,XXX OCT 18 2018. CYLINDER HEAD WAS REPLACED AGAIN UNDER THE SAME WARRANTY AT 160XXX SEPTEMBER 2020. AFTER REPAIR DEALER STATED THAT THE RIGHT HEAD HAD A LEAK AND NEEDED TO BE DIAGNOSED. CHRYSLER AUTHORIZES 9 HOURS OF SERVICE LABOR FOR DIAGNOSIS UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY X56 . THE WARRANTY ALSO AUTHORIZES REPLACEMENT OF THE RIGHT HEAD COVER AND GASKET IF REQUIRED. WHEN I BROUGHT UP THIS FINE PRINT TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT CHRYSLER WOULD NOT COVER ANYTHING ELSE. IT TOOK CALLING FOR OVER A MONTH STRAIGHT FOR THEM TO FINALLY AUTHORIZE THE WARRANTY WORK BASED ON THE UPDATED 2014 BULLETIN THAT ADDED THE RIGHT SIDE TO THE WARRANTY.I WAS TOLD I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET 2000$ TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. EVEN THOUGH IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY THEY TOLD ME IT WASNT. I AGREED TO PAY AND THEY REFUSED TO TAKE THE CAR IN. I ASKED THEM TO PUT IT IN WRITING THAT THEY WOULDN'T COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY AND I WAS TOLD I WAS NOT WELCOME THERE. I AM A DISABLED ARMY VETERAN AND I USE DRIVING AS MY THERAPY. MY CAR HAS BEEN NON OP FOR OVER A MONTH NOW. NOW THAT CHRYSLER HAS VERIFIED EVERYTHING I HAVE SAID THE WHOLE TIME IT'S TOO LATE BECAUSE NOW THE DEALERSHIPS AROUND TOWN WONT TOUCH THE CAR BASED ON THE BELIEF CHRYSLER WONT COVER IT. CHRYSLER SAID TO ME TONS OF TIMES THAT I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. IT TOOK THEM FINDING THE UPDATED BULLETIN. I DONT BLAME THE DEALERSHIPS I BLAME CHRYSLER. HOW CAN YOU REPLACE ONE HEAD AT 144K AND EXPECT THE OLD HEAD TO WORK WELL WITH IT. THE LEFT HEAD IS A WAY TO GET PEOPLE IN THE SHOP FOR A FREE LEFT SIDE HEAD THAT CAUSES MORE DAMAGE. IT'S LIKE PUTTING AN OLD TIRE WITH A NEW ONE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ASKING FOR REPLACEMENT OF BOTH HEADS. CHRYSLER CLAIMED IT DOESN'T CAUSE THE VEHICLES TO FAIL AND IT DOES LIKE MINE DID ON THE FREEWAY WHILE DRIVING

NHTSA ODI 11363648

Aug 21, 2019EngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 DODGE CHALLENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SMOKE WAS DETECTED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND FLAMES WERE DETECTED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED BUT A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST OR REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A RECOVERY TOW LOT WAITING TO BE DIAGNOSED BY THE VEHICLES INSURANCE COMPANY. THE VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 141,000.

NHTSA ODI 11245469

Jan 26, 2015EngineFire1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE CHALLENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, SMOKE FUMES STARTED TO EMIT INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DUE DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE LOST HER VOICE DUE TO SMOKE INHALATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.

NHTSA ODI 10679041

Working with the data? Download all 253 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 14, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Dodge Challenger Srt (driver) verdict →