2012 Dodge Durango: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
639 NHTSA owner complaints · 10 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The third-generation Durango launched for 2011 on the Grand Cherokee's platform and inherited its early electrical problems — the Totally Integrated Power Module, the alternator recall, and the Pentastar V6 cylinder-head failure. The 2011–2014 years score in the 20s and 30s. Read the full note on the model page. 2012 specifically: this is one of the years the note above says to approach with care — 639 complaints on record, verdict AVOID.
Read the guide
Dodge Durango, Charger and the Chrysler minivans: the TIPM years and the nine-speed years, including 2012 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 639 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 45.64
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
We were driving on the interstate in northern Kentucky when the battery alert LED appeared on the dash. We exited the highway while looking up info on possible car repair shops to go to when the vehicle stalled on the exit ramp. We immediately engaged the emergency flashers but they failed eventually due to a completely dead battery. It was determined that the alternator was fried, unable to charge the battery.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Dodge Durango. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 96,000. A Carfax Report was provided at the time of purchase. It was later discovered that the mileage on the Title was 162,000 when the vehicle was taken to the dealer for an engine issue, and upon receiving the Carfax Rep…
Alternator went out and fried the pcm. I know certain vehicles were on the recall for this and mine was not one of them but odd that it happened anyways.
Recalls: 10 campaigns (9 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 14V154000 | Service Brakes | Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles manufactured from January 5, 2010, through September 8, 2013. The subject vehicles have a brake booster with a center shell that may corrode and allow water to get inside. |
| 14V391000 | Electrical System:Wiring | Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured January 5, 2010, through December 11, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the wiring for the vanity lamp in the sun visor may short circuit, after a service repair is performed. |
| 14V104000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured October 11, 2011, through October 1, 2012. Under certain braking events, the Ready Alert Braking System (RAB) may result in the driver experiencing a hard brake pedal feel. |
| 14V634000 | Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator | Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Challenger, and Durango; and 2012-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured April 22, 2010, to January 2, 2014, and equipped with a 3.6L engine and a 160 amp alternator. In the affected vehicles, the alternator may suddenly fail. |
| 17V435000 | Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300, Dodge Durango, and 2012-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles. The affected vehicles have electro-hydraulic power steering (EHPS) and are equipped with a 5.7L or a 3.6L engine and a 160, 180 or 220 amp alternator. |
| 19V813000 | Electrical System | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with a 3.6, 5.7, or 6.4 liter engine and previously recalled under NHTSA Recall 14V530 or 15V115. The fuel pump relay inside the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM-7) may fail, causing the vehicle to stall without warning. |
| 17V572000 | Service Brakes | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles. The affected vehicles had brake booster shields installed under a previous campaign to prevent water from entering the brake booster and limiting braking ability. |
| 15V115000 | Electrical System | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured September 17, 2010, to August 19, 2013, and equipped with a 3.6, 5.7 or 6.4 liter engine, and 2012-2013 Dodge Durango vehicles manufactured January 18, 2011, to August 19, 2013, and equipped with a 3.6 or 5.7 liter engine. In the affected vehicles, the… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a full-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 19 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,250 · EPA range 346 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 System346 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Engine141 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Fuel/Propulsion System89 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Service Brakes76 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Steering41 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Power Train37 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
Other Dodge Durango years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Dodge Durango?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (346 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2012 Dodge Durango a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 35/100, computed from 639 NHTSA complaints and 10 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2012 Dodge Durango's most common problem?
346 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2012 Dodge Durango 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 Dodge Durango cost to run per year?
About $6,536 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $32,682 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 Durango have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 10 recall campaign(s) for the 2012 Dodge Durango, 9 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/04/2014. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other fullsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2012 Dodge Durango 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 — 639 complaints, 10 recalls on record
- 639 NHTSA complaints on record (45.6/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (21.6/yr)
- 10 recall campaigns, 9 touching safety-critical systems