2012 Dodge Caliber: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
49 NHTSA owner complaints · 1 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 49 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 3.5
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated that there was a rattling noise coming from the front sub frame of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the sub frame was rusted. The vehicle was not repaired. A local dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.
Due to the subframe rusting on the undercarriage of the car, the lower ball joint completely detached from the car, cause the driver side tire to fall off during operation.
Front and back subframes of car are/were rusted. The front was replaced last year and the rear needs to be done. I'm waiting for an estimate for that. Pic shows the rust taken by my mechanic 2 weeks ago..
Recalls: 1 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
- Air Bags17 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Seat Belts13 complaints · typical job: Pretensioner or retractor replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$800
- Vehicle Speed Control7 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
- Structure6 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Suspension5 complaints · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle (4.0 h labour + parts)$780–$1,580
- Unknown Or Other5 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Dodge Caliber?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Air Bags (17 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2012 Dodge Caliber a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 93/100, computed from 49 NHTSA complaints and 1 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2012 Dodge Caliber's most common problem?
17 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2012 Dodge Caliber sit in the Air Bags group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement: about 2.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $600–$1,700 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 Caliber cost to run per year?
About $5,086 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $25,432 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 Caliber have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for the 2012 Dodge Caliber, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 15/09/2016. 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 Caliber 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.
Thin evidence — 49 complaints, 1 recalls on record
- 49 NHTSA complaints on record (3.5/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (7.2/yr)
- 1 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality