2012 Dodge Avenger: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
553 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 553 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 39.5
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
My car dies while im driving down the street, making it difficult to steer and qhen you try to restart it, sometimes it starts and some times it don't. But this is not the first time its happened it was just the latest
Window Defrost and Passenger Heat /Air. While either in motion or while driving, no heated air exits the passenger side of the windshield defroster, nor the passenger window defrost, lower and center console vents. Heated air only exits the driver's side windshield and driver's side dash vents. Problem persists through all cabin air modes, and circulations. This safety issue effects visibility and passenger safety by…
I was driving and I stopped at a stop sign. When I got ready to go, the car stalled and stopped and wouldn't start. After 30 minutes, it started but I ended up having it towed. My mechanic was able to replicate it after putting the car in the sun, running it for 10 minutes and then driving it. When the mechanic tried to look at it, he couldn't find anything to cause it to stop. I look it to the dealership. They were …
Recalls: 3 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 13V282000 | 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… |
| 17V640000 | 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. |
| 16V668000 | 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… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size SUV 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 24 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,600
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.
- Unknown Or Other163 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Air Bags109 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Electrical System108 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Visibility/Wiper95 complaints · typical job: Wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$490–$1,200
- Engine86 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Seat Belts43 complaints · typical job: Pretensioner or retractor replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$800
Other Dodge Avenger years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Dodge Avenger?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Unknown Or Other (163 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2012 Dodge Avenger a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 66/100, computed from 553 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2012 Dodge Avenger's most common problem?
163 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2012 Dodge Avenger sit in the Unknown Or Other group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is diagnosis and mixed repair: about 2.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $360–$940 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 Dodge Avenger cost to run per year?
About $5,770 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $28,852 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 Dodge Avenger have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2012 Dodge Avenger, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 02/07/2013. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2012 Dodge Avenger 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 — 553 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 553 NHTSA complaints on record (39.5/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (28.3/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems