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What 253 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Dodge Challenger

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)

8 of 253 complaints match · Suspension · clear filters

Jun 27, 2022SuspensionElectrical systemBrakes

2012 Challenger SRT8 TIPM is this issue and there is no recall for this, while it should due to being a major part of the electrical system that controls all aspects of the safety system. Also now I am being told Dodge does NOT make this part any longer....how is that possible. This IS a recall for other Dodge models, why not mine

NHTSA ODI 11471169

Mar 6, 2019SuspensionBody & structureEngine

MY DOOR LATCH AND ALTERNATOR THAT ABOUT IT AND MY STRUTS

NHTSA ODI 11184702

Nov 18, 2015SuspensionAirbagsBody & structureCrash2 injuries

INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION,THE OTHERS DRIVE WAS ON OUR SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HIT US HEAD ON , THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AND SENT ME INTO THE DASH BOARD ALONG WITH THE DRIVER , I SUSTAINED SEVERE WHIPLASH AND SO DID THE DRIVER WE WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE AND I AM NOW J SERGIO G PHYSICAL THERAPY DUE TO THE AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING, THE CAR WAS INVOLVE IN ANOTHER ACCIDENT WEEKS LATER WHERE THE CAR WAS HIT TWICE INTENTIONALLY AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY THEN EITHER .

NHTSA ODI 10794550

Mar 29, 2015SteeringSuspension

HEAVY RUST ON STEERING AND CONTROL ARMS AND OTHER STRUCTURAL JOINTS AND WELDS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10702449

Mar 22, 2015SteeringSuspension

I WAS DRIVING IN THE RAIN IN THE MIDDLE OF DOWNTOWN HOUSTON TEXAS, WHEN I HEARD SOMETHING POP/SNAP THEN MY CAR STARTED PULLING VERY HEAVY TO THE RIGHT (EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER). WHEN I PULLED OVER, I GOT OUT OF MY CAR AND SAW THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT END WAS ALMOST TOUCHING THE GROUND. WHEN I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO TAKE A GOOD LOOK BEHIND MY TIRE, I SAW THAT THE STRUT PLATE AND STRUT ROD HAD SNAPPED INTO, MAKING MY CAR INOPERABLE. THIS MALFUNCTION COULD BE DUE TO A WEAK WELD OR SOMETHING OF THE SORT. BUT I DO KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT NORMAL, ESPECIALLY SINCE I DID NOT HIT A POT HOLE OR EVEN A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD TO EVEN CAUSE THE SNAP. I AM GRATEFUL TO BE ALIVE BECAUSE IT COULD'VE BEEN A WHOLE LOT WORSE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10700931

Jun 14, 2013SuspensionCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE CHALLENGER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH AND CRASHED INTO A MEDIAN. THE DRIVER'S SIDE FENDER AND DOOR WERE DAMAGED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NECK AND RIB INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS ADVISED THAT THE CASTING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10519825

Oct 22, 2012SteeringSuspension

SQUEAKING OR ELECTRIC MOTOR WHIRRING NOISE AT LOW SPEED MANEUVERS SUCH AS A PARKING LOT OR BACKING OUT OF A GARAGE.. I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR IT'S 1ST OIL CHANGE AND TIRE ROTATION MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE LOW PRICE & I WANTED TO CHECK ON THE STEERING NOISE TOO. I ALSO HAD A CLICKING NOISE IN THE PASSENGER WHEEL WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO THE CARPORT ALSO WHICH THEY CLAIMED THEY NEVER HEARD ANYTHING, EVEN THOUGH I WAS LOOKING AROUND THE LOT WHILE THEY WERE AND HEARD MY CAR RUNNING AND ONE OF THE TECHS OUTSIDE THE CAR TOLD THE ONE BACKING OUT OF THE BAY "I HEAR IT!" NOW WHAT SOUND HE HEARD I DON'T KNOW, PROBABLY THE CLICKING WHICH WAS MUCH LOUDER. THE SQUEAK, IN MY OPINION, IS REALLY EMBARRASSING WHEN IN A QUIET AREA IT SOUNDS LIKE A BUSHING OR SUSPENSION THAT NEEDS LUBRICATING. THE SQUEAK WAS STILL THERE BUT IT WAS NEARLY INAUDIBLE WHEN AT MY DEALERSHIP DUE TO BUSY HIGHWAY AND SHOP NOISE. THE WORSE THING ABOUT THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE WAS THE SERVICE WRITER WHO WAS OBVIOUSLY YOUNG AND INEXPERIENCED, I ASKED ABOUT THE NOISE THE SQUEAKING NOISE AND HIS REPLY WAS "THEY ALL DO THAT." I WAS LIKE OK, I BETTER WALK OUT BEFORE I BLOW MY COOL BUT NOW I WONDER IF IT IS THE ELECTRIC MOTOR AND IF THAT IS A KNOWN ANNOYANCE, PROBLEM OR IS IT REPAIRABLE? I'VE SEEN OTHER POSTS ABOUT THE ELECTRIC STEERING MOTOR BEING LOUD ON SIMILAR CARS AND OTHER NON MOPAR VEHICLES. I HAD ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS THE RUBBER BUSHING THAT MANY OLDER LX CARS HAD IN NEED OF SOME SILICONE LUBE BUT AFTER LOOKING AGAIN MYSELF AND MUCH CLOSER WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY DAD TURNING THE WHEEL IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE NEAR THE ENGINE BLACK AS BEST I CAN TELL, AND THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED IT'S AN ELECTRIC MOTOR WHIRRING SOUND, NOT A RUBBER BUSHING OR TIE ROD END. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10481488

Apr 26, 2012SteeringSuspension

THE COMPONENTS CAUSING ISSUE ARE SUSPENSION AND STEERING COMPONENTS, SUCH AS THE STRUTS, STRUT PLATES, CONTROL ARM, BUSHINGS AND TIE ROD ENDS, THE AXLES, REAR SUSPENSION ARMS, AND THE U-JOINT CONNECTORS FOR THE DRIVE SHAFT, PHOTOGRAPHS HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY CRISWELL DODGE IN GAITHERSBURG, MD. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10456526

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 verdict →