2012 Dodge Avenger Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2012 Dodge Avenger most often describe a heater and defroster that blows cold on the passenger side while the driver side works, plus air bag and headrest concerns and occasional stalling or transmission limp-mode events. Most complaints in the sample fall in the 60,000-130,000 mile range, and the heating problem is repeatedly described as gradual and worse in cold weather.

1. 1
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Passenger-side heater/defroster blows cold

   • 292 complaints (53%)
   • median 73,508 mi at 6.3 yrs old (203 state mileage)
   • 11 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,200 (median of 25 quotes)
   • filed 2013–2025

   Owners describe warm air from the driver-side vents while the passenger-side vents, defroster and rear foot vent blow cold, in some cases with a loud ticking from behind the glove box. Many report replacing thermostats, blend door actuators, flushing the cooling system or a heater core flush without a lasting fix, and several say a dealer acknowledged the pattern but declined to repair it. Fogging or frosting on the passenger side of the windshield is a common follow-on complaint. Appears across the sample from roughly 50,000 to 170,000 miles, most often reported in cold or winter weather.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: With the engine fully warm, set heat to full and check each vent, the passenger windshield defroster and the rear foot vent separately. Ask whether the heater core, blend door actuators or thermostat have been replaced and whether the work actually restored passenger-side heat.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The passengers side of my heater including defrosters's blows cold air. The car only has 50,500 miles. This causes the passengers side to not properly defrost and for any passenger in the car to be cold as cold air is blowing at their feet or face depending on where the control is set. This is a continued issue until I find out what the problem is.”

   NHTSA complaint #11306690, filed 2020-02, 50,500 miles

   “No heat coming in on the passenger side vents. Lustine Dodge did a radiator and heater core flush then told me the heating core needed to be replaced and still want to charge for the flush. I have seen the heating core issue several times reported and needs to be recalled. I am also calling Dodge to register complaint and fraud since they know this is an issue.”

   NHTSA complaint #10935119, filed 2016-12, 25 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Air bag warning light and deployment concerns

   • 114 complaints (21%)
   • median 60,000 mi at 4.0 yrs old (69 state mileage)
   • 29 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,250 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 2013–2025

   Complaints describe air bag warning lights coming on intermittently, air bags that did not deploy in a crash, and in some cases side or passenger air bags deploying with no impact. Several owners mention an open circuit or squib fault found during diagnosis, and some say the vehicle had already been repaired under a restraint-system recall before the problem returned. Spread from about 35,000 to over 220,000 miles, with many reports above 100,000 miles.

   Recall 16V668000Recall 13V282000Recall 17V640000

   What to check: Confirm whether recalls 16V668000 and 13V282000 were performed on this vehicle, and check that the air bag warning light comes on at startup and then goes out. Ask for any scan-tool report of restraint-system codes.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We hit a deer and the front of the car was demolished. Upon inspection the next morning, I noticed that an airbag sensor was shattered and just hanging by the wire harness. Airbags did not deploy, I was concerned about this and never got a straight answer from anyone. Now I get a recall notice saying faulty restraint system, I'm not too happy...”

   NHTSA complaint #10586878, filed 2014-05, 35,284 miles

   “The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated while 35 MPH, the passenger’s side air bag deployed without incident or warning. The contact was not injured. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 284,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11423580, filed 2021-07, 284,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Engine stalls or shuts off while driving

   • 69 complaints (12%)
   • median 82,500 mi at 6.0 yrs old (60 state mileage)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2012–2026

   Complaints describe the engine cutting out at low speed, on turns or on inclines, sometimes with the instrument panel lights flashing, leaving the driver without power steering or power assist for brakes until the car is restarted. Several owners link the pattern to cold, damp mornings, and some mention throttle body, catalytic converter or electrical diagnoses. Reports cluster from about 50,000 to 130,000 miles, often described as happening on cold mornings.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the throttle body or PCM software has been serviced, and have a scan tool read stored codes. Note that a service bulletin covers a no-start/no-crank condition with no related codes, which is different from a stall while driving.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The dash board lights started flashing. My engine light came on and the car turned off the steering was not working and the brakes were pressed to the floorboard . I almost hit a mailbox . Thank goodness there was no child near the school zone this has happened several times now . The mechanic says it could be the ABS”

   NHTSA complaint #11341991, filed 2020-07, 127,000 miles

   “I was driving 35 MPH on a street when the engine light popped on and the car stopped accelerating the wheel became very stiff and the brakes weren't working. I managed to turn the wheel enough to make a turn on a non busy street and managed to put it in park once it stopped rolling. I turned the car off for 10 minutes before starting it up to head to the mechanic up the road to the mechanic. Diagnostic says catalytic converter.”

   NHTSA complaint #11315952, filed 2020-03, 167,070 miles
4. 4
   Other or unknown

   Headrest deploys or breaks unexpectedly

   • 27 complaints (5%)
   • median 55,000 mi at 5.9 yrs old (17 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2014–2025

   Owners report the active headrest snapping or deploying on its own, sometimes while parked overnight and sometimes while driving, with the internal plastic retainer breaking. Some complaints note the vehicle had been serviced under the head restraint recall and the problem recurred; others describe the headrest separating or sitting unevenly. Mostly reported between roughly 50,000 and 130,000 miles.

   Recall 17V640000

   What to check: Ask whether recall 17V640000 was completed, and push gently on both front headrests to check they are even and do not move loosely on their rods.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The headrest on the driver seat snapped and hit my head while I was driving. I currently have back neck pain, feels like a pressure. It was unexpected. Is there anything I can do ? I am going to my doctor this week, but anyway of fixing?”

   NHTSA complaint #11300129, filed 2020-01, 1 miles

   “The active head rest broke and deployed without warning. The inside plastic that holds the retainer rod broke, causing the headrest to deploy. The car was parked overnight in a parking spot outside my home when this occurred.”

   NHTSA complaint #11317652, filed 2020-03, 112,000 miles
5. 5
   Electrical system

   Horn sounds on its own (steering column short)

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe the horn sounding continuously while parked or driving, traced by shops to a short or broken parts inside the steering wheel or column. Some report the horn switch, harness or speed switch replaced without a permanent fix, and one complaint describes an expensive module estimate. Reported around 75,000 to 80,000 miles in the sample.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Press the horn pad at several points and check it returns cleanly; ask whether the horn switch or clockspring has been replaced and whether any repairs are still ongoing.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The horn has a electrical shortage, which continues to honk, while driving, or standing still. Your Dodge jeep chrysler dealer in glendale, now tells me, that there is a short, and he knows that the switch is bad, as it continues to honk when the horn is connected. Now this dealer is charging me another $900., but not sure it will fix problems. This is the worst vehicle I have ever owned, it is a death trap, waiting to happen.”

   NHTSA complaint #11325150, filed 2020-05, 77,111 miles

   “While driving down the street, all of sudden my horn, starts going off, I took car to meineke shop, they told me the balance inside the steering wheel was broken, two of the 3 springs were broken. Ordered the part from chrysler, they put the new part in, and two days later horn starts blowing again while driving. They are still trying to repair the problem. The horn blowing while driving down streets in los angeles, calif, not good idea for health reasons.”

   NHTSA complaint #11323410, filed 2020-05, 76,900 miles

Buying note. Check the heater and defroster output on the passenger side, confirm all open recalls (especially the air bag and head restraint campaigns) were completed, and scan for stored codes before buying. A pre-purchase inspection that includes a cold-start drive and a highway test drive is worthwhile given the stalling and transmission reports.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.