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Chevrolet Express 3500Model year report

2012 Chevrolet Express 3500 Problems

Complaints
5filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
150,000miles, 5 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
12 mpgcombined, 6.0L 8-cyl · flex-fuel RWD · 10 city / 14 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2012 Chevrolet Express 3500 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 5 consumer complaints for the 2012 Chevrolet Express 3500. The part named most often is fuel system, with 3 complaints (60% of the total), followed by exterior lighting (1) and seat belts (1). 5 of the complaints include a mileage, and 20% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 150,000 miles. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 374 technical service bulletins for this model year. Fuel system complaints overlap with 26 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Exterior lighting complaints overlap with 2 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Fuel system: “Have a 2012 Chevrolet cut away van for a school bus use. Started leaking gasoline out of the pressure side line on the furl module. Had to have towed to chevy dealer for repairs. They had to remove fuel tank to make repairs . They replaced fuel module in the tank. The cost of repairs was 1166.41$.”

NHTSA complaint #11072667, filed 2018-02, 149,000 miles

Exterior lighting: “Vehicle had no running lights. Checked bulbs and fuses ok .van went to chevy dealer was charged 100.00 checkout fee. The dealer found no ground from bcm . They told me it would be 752 55 to this point for them to run an auxiliary circuit to fix or it would cost 1200.00 -1500.00 to find the problem and repair. I went with the cheaper option. I do believe no running lights on a vehicle would qualify as a safety concern.”

NHTSA complaint #10957258, filed 2017-02, 168,269 miles

Seat belts: “Driver's setabelt locks up, preventing the belt from being drawn off the reel. This prevents the driver from using the seat belt. The issue occurs while the van is parked and stationary, repeated attempts to give slack on the reel and extend it are unsuccessful. This is the third Chevrolet express van my company owns that has experienced this problem.”

NHTSA complaint #10733933, filed 2015-07, 13,081 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

20% of the 5 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 149,000 and 150,000 miles.

0%0–1020%10–250%25–500%50–750%75–10020%100–15060%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (5 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 150,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

2015201720183
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2012 Chevrolet Express 3500 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Express 3500 2WD Cargo6.0L 8-cyl · flex-fuel6-speed automatic101412$5,600
Express 3500 2WD Passenger4.8L 8-cyl · flex-fuel6-speed automatic111713$5,150
Express 3500 2WD Passenger6.0L 8-cyl · flex-fuel6-speed automatic101512$5,600

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2012 Chevrolet Express 3500 in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 374 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 374 bulletins →

Other model years of the Chevrolet Express 3500

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20125150,0000—12—Not enough data
2009959,7472———Not enough data
20081181,0001———Not enough data
20071188,4111———Not enough data
2006158,0001———Stable
20051776,0000———Stable
20041663,2220———Stable
20031272,5150———Not enough data
20011145,3860———Not enough data

All Chevrolet Express 3500 model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2012 Chevrolet Express 3500 have?

NHTSA recorded 5 consumer complaints for the 2012 Chevrolet Express 3500 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2012 Chevrolet Express 3500 is reported most often?

Fuel system is named most often, in 3 complaints (60% of the total), followed by exterior lighting with 1.

Has the 2012 Chevrolet Express 3500 been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2012 Chevrolet Express 3500 get?

The EPA rates the 2012 Chevrolet Express 3500 (Express 3500 2WD Cargo, 6.0L 8-cyl · flex-fuel) at 12 mpg combined, 10 city and 14 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $5,600 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2012 Chevrolet Express 3500 reported?

Among the 5 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 150,000 miles and the middle half falls between 149,000 and 150,000 miles; 20% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.