2012 Chrysler Town and Country: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
634 NHTSA owner complaints · 5 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
No Town and Country year is an AVOID: all six years from 2011 to 2016 are BUY verdicts, and the 2015, at 86 on 382 complaints with no safety-critical recall, is the one to buy. The other years score 72 to 79 on heavy counts, 773 complaints on the 2011 car and never fewer than 522 in any year but 2015. Read the full note on the model page. 2012 specifically: a year the record favours — 634 complaints, score 79/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used minivans compared: Odyssey, Sienna, Pacifica, Grand Caravan and Town and Country, including 2012 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 634 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 45.29
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The ignition switch AKA WIN MODULE has to be broken, making it extremely dangerous to drive my vehicle. Any time I go over a bump or the key wiggles slightly the car will turn right off and I lose full control over the car. I have to find a safe place to pull over and restart the car by taking the key out and putting the key back in. The part where the key goes in is very very loose. This puts myself and my kids at r…
The vehicle caught on fire with my [XXX] and me inside. Its currently located at a tow yard and Chrysler has not inspected the vehicle yet. I have a report from the fire department stating the fire was hotter on the left drive side which directly lines up with the current recall of the drivers side door switch. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The TIPMs system has been recalled in multiple vehicles and has causes a fuel pump relay failure and numerous other electrical issues . Chryslers recall has yet to include this year make and model despite the fact the identical part is used in the recalled vehicles. Chrysler is picking and choosing which vehicles this recall applies to and it’s putting families at risk of the TIPM failing and leaving them stranded a…
Recalls: 5 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 12V191000 | Equipment | CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 TOWN AND COUNTRY AND DODGE GRAND CARAVAN VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 9, 2012 THROUGH MARCH 12, 2012. SOME VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH A RIGHT SIDE LIFTGATE PINCH SENSOR THAT DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. |
| 12V141000 | Suspension:Rear | CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 TOWN AND COUNTRY AND DODGE GRAND CARAVAN VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 15, 2011, THROUGH NOVEMBER 21, 2011. SOME VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH RIGHT REAR HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLIES THAT WERE NOT FULLY MACHINED. |
| 14V234000 | Electrical System | Chrysler Group, LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles manufactured August 25, 2010, through October 31, 2013. The affected vehicles may experience overheating of the vent window switch in the driver's door armrest. |
| 25V876000 | Equipment Adaptive/Mobility:Wheelchair Restraints/Securement:Latch/Anchor: | Rollx Vans (Rollx) is recalling certain GMC Yukon, Sierra, Chevrolet Express 2500, Ford Transit, E-250, Toyota Sienna, Sienna Hybrid, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Town and Country, Voyager, Pacifica, Dodge Grand Caravan, and Ram Promaster vehicles equipped with QRT-Deluxe and QRT-Max wheelchair restraints. Please refer to Rollx's recall report for specific model… |
| 11V487000 | Engine And Engine Cooling | CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 CHRYSLER VEHICLES, INCLUDING 200 AND TOWN AND COUNTRY MODELS, DODGE VEHICLES, INCLUDING CHARGER, DURANGO, GRAND CARAVAN AND JOURNEY MODELS AND JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 31, 2011, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 13, 2011, THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH 3.6L ENGINES. THESE ENGINES MAY EXPERIENCE CONNECTING… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a minivan of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 20 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,100 · EPA range 280 mi
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Electrical System395 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Engine100 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Unknown Or Other58 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Fuel/Propulsion System56 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Power Train36 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Structure33 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
Other Chrysler Town and Country years
Chrysler Town and Country years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Chrysler Town and Country?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (395 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2012 Chrysler Town and Country a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 79/100, computed from 634 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2012 Chrysler Town and Country's most common problem?
395 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2012 Chrysler Town and Country sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2012 Chrysler Town and Country cost to run per year?
About $6,380 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $31,900 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2012 Chrysler Town and Country have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for the 2012 Chrysler Town and Country, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 02/05/2012. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other minivans of about the same age.
What will a 2012 Chrysler Town and Country really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 634 complaints, 5 recalls on record
- 634 NHTSA complaints on record (45.3/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (51.9/yr)
- 5 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems