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Dodge DartModel year report

2012 Dodge Dart Problems

Compared with other Dodge Dart years

More complaints than typical for this model

100/100 3.3× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2013

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
1,081filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
42,000miles, 865 complaints with mileage
Recalls
6campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2012 Dodge Dart (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often report problems with the automatic and dual-clutch transmissions, especially vehicles shifting into neutral on their own, harsh or delayed shifting, and, on manual cars, a clutch pedal that stays on the floor. Brake complaints center on a hard pedal and loss of power assist, and many of the sampled complaints were filed at low mileage, some within the first few thousand miles. Electrical and engine complaints appear alongside these, typically as warning lights, stalling or loss of power.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    Transmission slips into neutral or loses drive

    • 376 complaints (35%)
    • median 50,000 mi at 5.2 yrs old (332 state mileage)
    • 16 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $900 (median of 12 quotes)
    • filed 2013–2024

    Owners describe the car dropping into neutral by itself while driving or when pulling away, sometimes with a 'Service Transmission' or 'Auto Stick disabled' message and the check engine light on. Some say restarting the car restores normal operation temporarily. Complaints mention dealers replacing the transmission control module or the whole transmission, and in some cases the problem returned afterward. Reported from very low mileage up to well past 100,000 miles, with many in the 40,000-100,000 range.

    Recall 15V5420004 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the transmission control module has been reprogrammed or replaced and whether the TCM recall was performed. On a test drive, watch for delayed engagement, warning messages or unexpected neutral.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was driving and the car started jerking and shifted to neutral. When turning on my car to leave work the car would not catch a gear it would just go from park to neutral, it has done this several times and has left me stranded. This has occurred 03/28/19, 08/08/19,08/10/19,08/11/19”

    NHTSA complaint #11243110, filed 2019-08, 94,430 miles

    “While driving on the highway in the fast lane, my gas pedal went all the way to the floor and my car lost all acceleration and steering became hard to turn. When this happened most of my car engine lights were blinking and when I placed the car in park the vehicle didn't notice it was in park. Thankfully I was able to get off to the emergency shoulder. I took the car into the dealership where they told me there was a recall notice in august 26th which was just sent out to Dodge DART owners. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10783828, filed 2015-10, 23,000 miles
  2. Brakes

    Brake pedal hard or going to the floor (power assist loss)

    • 265 complaints (25%)
    • median 38,000 mi at 4.2 yrs old (179 state mileage)
    • 22 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,200 (median of 5 quotes)
    • filed 2013–2023

    Complaints describe a brake pedal that becomes stiff and needs heavy force, or that travels to the floor without stopping the car. Some owners heard a pop before the pedal lost assist, and a few noted a hissing sound when braking. Dealers reportedly replaced the brake booster or vacuum pump; several complaints reference the brake booster recall and say parts were unavailable or that the booster was not covered. Mostly under about 60,000 miles, with some reports very early in ownership.

    Recall 15V800000

    What to check: Check that recall 15V800000 was completed, and ask for records of any brake booster or vacuum pump work. Press the pedal with the engine running to confirm normal assist.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Wife driving on twisting back road. She heard a pop and foot was pushed off brake pedal. Brake now hard to push and hard to stop car. She was able to get car safely to the side of the road. Now a hiss is heard when applying brakes and there is no power assist. Warning message is now on to check electronic brake system.....updated 06/15/16 according to the invoice, the brake booster and vacuum booster hose were replaced. Updated 06/28/16.”

    NHTSA complaint #10783492, filed 2015-10, 45,078 miles

    “Went to back out of the driveway and the brake pedal would not depress to engage the brakes. Had to shift to neutral and use the emergency brake to stop the car. Had to have the car towed to the dealer.”

    NHTSA complaint #10569142, filed 2014-03, 1,683 miles
  3. Engine

    Stalling, loss of power and warning lights

    • 98 complaints (9%)
    • median 36,000 mi at 4.3 yrs old (91 state mileage)
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2013–2023

    Owners describe the car losing acceleration, stalling, or going into limp mode with the check engine light on, sometimes with rough idle or a turbo underboost message. Some complaints mention stalling in cold weather, and others say reflashing or replacing modules did not resolve it. Complaints also describe dealers being unable to reproduce the problem. Spread from under 1,000 miles to over 100,000 miles, with several reports in cold weather.

    Recall 13V2380005 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the powertrain control module has been updated per the software flash bulletins, and check for a stored check engine light during a test drive, including a cold start.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Dodge darts of this model year including mine have a problem with the turbocharger. Problems within the setup create a turbo underboost condition, which prompts a check engine light, and throws the car into limp mode. This is often accompanied by a lack of power from the engine and a rough idle, or stalling at idle. In my case it happened while I leaving a city, and I did not have the power to accelerate to highway speed. After pulling over and re-starting the car, this issue is temporarily resolved. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11222871, filed 2019-06, 77,600 miles

    “Vehicle stalled out in cold weather while I was driving. Car begin to roll back because I was on traveling on a hill. I had to menuver vehicle down hill. After about a minute car started,. Vehicle emergency brake will not hold vehicle on any kind of graded surface. I once parted in friends drive pulled up emergency all the way up turn car off. Went to visit friend a few minute and when came out the house vehicle was rolling backwards. I open the jumped in car meanwhile car was already in street with parted cars and moving traffic. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10870526, filed 2016-05, 59,000 miles
  4. Transmission and drivetrain

    Clutch pedal sticks to the floor (manual cars)

    • 94 complaints (9%)
    • median 40,000 mi at 3.8 yrs old (82 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2013–2023

    Manual-transmission owners report the clutch pedal staying down after being pressed, needing to be pulled up by foot or hand, and difficulty engaging gears because the clutch does not fully release. Complaints mention leaking fluid at the master cylinder and repeat repairs. Dealers sometimes said the behavior was normal or could not reproduce it, and some owners point to a clutch master cylinder extended warranty described in service bulletins. Reported from a few thousand miles to around 100,000 miles, often noticed on the first start of the day.

    4 related service bulletins

    What to check: On a manual car, press and release the clutch several times on a cold start to see whether it returns fully, and ask whether the hydraulic clutch master cylinder work described in the service bulletins was done.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “In the mornings when I first start the car my clutch pedal sticks down and I hqve to pull it up using my foot/hand. I have done some research and this is a well known issue for manual transmission darts. Hundreds of people have called chrysler abiut the issue and they refuse to do anything about it. For the people who have paid out of pocket say that it is a slave/ master cylinder issue and if nothing is done during early stages like starting your car in the morning. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11233961, filed 2019-07, 57,200 miles

    “Went to start my car in the morning pushed the clutch to the floor and it did not return, just stayed depressed against the floorboard. Took it to the dealership and they said everything is functioning as designed. Well its not! I called chrysler customer service and they told me the clutch is only under warranty for 12000 miles. My previous 3 cars have been manual transmissions and all went well over 100000k without any clutch issues. My car now does this regularly at least once every other day. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10587942, filed 2014-05, 27,000 miles
  5. Electrical system

    Electrical glitches and dashboard warnings

    • 181 complaints (17%)
    • median 41,000 mi at 4.8 yrs old (166 state mileage)
    • 15 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,550 (median of 14 quotes)
    • filed 2013–2024

    Complaints describe intermittent electrical behavior: instrument panel and screen lights dimming or turning off, radio and steering-wheel controls acting on their own, the car failing to start with a clicking sound, and multiple warning lights appearing at once. Some owners report the steering becoming hard to turn when electrical functions dropped out. Dealers reportedly replaced batteries, radios or diagnosed wiring without always resolving the issue. Reported across a wide range, often between about 20,000 and 100,000 miles.

    4 related service bulletins

    What to check: Exercise the radio, screen, steering-wheel buttons and interior lights during a test drive, and ask for any battery or module replacement records.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Turned on car in the morning, noticed the back lighting on the instrument panel was really dim, I checked the dimming switch to see if I moved it by unknowingly. I tried adjusting the switches but nothing worked. I turned off the car and restarted it and no change they were still very dim. I went ahead and drove to my destination. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10651351, filed 2014-10, 23,000 miles

    “It had rained and I was maneuvering my automatic transmission 2013 Dodge DART out of a tight spot, when placing in reverse and breaking to change to forward, the engine shook and felt like it was going to stall out. I revved the engine to keep it from stalling. There is vibration that you can feel when sitting at a light, possibly a rough idle. U-connect is not working. When more than one thing is on, such as radio or AC, and you go to open window, you can feel a power drain. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10759154, filed 2015-08, 18,500 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection that focuses on transmission behavior, brake pedal feel and, on manual cars, clutch pedal return is worthwhile. Ask for recall completion records for the transmission control module and brake booster campaigns, and treat missing service software updates as a point to negotiate.

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.

NHTSA recorded 1,081 consumer complaints for the 2012 Dodge Dart. 865 of the complaints include a mileage, and 58% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 42,000 miles. Of all complaints, 63 involved a crash, 14 a fire, 36 an injury, 2 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns and 152 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 4 Dodge Dart model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 100 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

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.

Also reported: Wheels (25), Tires (23), Fuel system (22), Seat belts (21), Body and structure (14), Exterior lighting (12), Suspension (9), Engine cooling (5), Equipment (3), Seats (1).

Example complaints

Transmission and drivetrain: “The shifter cable keeps coming off and no one can fix it yet. It is a safety deal for me and my family. There is a recall on it but when I call Dodge car lots they say it can't be fixed cause there is no solution for it. I have almost hit another car because it has came off not once but several times. There needs to be a solution for this cause it's not safe”

NHTSA complaint #11232952, filed 2019-07, 85,000 miles

Brakes: “Lost brakes, I was involved in a accident. I called Dodge several times to fix recall, car still hasn't been fixed. I am unable to get a nys inspection. I was pulled over by police and I received ticket for no inspection. Dodge refuses to fix recall as of april 2016. I need my car fixed. I am a college student and cant afford to fix it.”

NHTSA complaint #10853659, filed 2016-04, 32,000 miles

Electrical system: “Was driving the car down the freeway when all the warning lights on the dash lit up. The car lost power steering and started to shut down. I had to fight to get it off the road since the power steering was gone. All the lights remained lit up. I believe it's the PCM do to other recall but my car is a manual and the recall is for automatics only.”

NHTSA complaint #11163132, filed 2018-12, 44,000 miles

Engine: “Over three times while driving my autostick not available and service transmission light has come on. Car sputters and comes to a stop. Once it happened on a 23 mile bridge where I was almost in an accident because of it. Dealership has had car over 5 times and the second transmission failed same day I got my car back. I still do not have my car back”

NHTSA complaint #11089954, filed 2018-04, 94,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

58% of the 865 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 20,000 and 66,100 miles.

14%0–1016%10–2528%25–5021%50–7513%75–1007%100–1501%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (865 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 42,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

201320152732017201920222024
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.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2012 Dodge Dart → · Check a 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. 152 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 152 bulletins →

Other model years of the Dodge Dart

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
201626249,000552941 · TypicalStable
201553052,100652771 · MoreFalling
201437340,000452750 · TypicalFalling
201328683,50015290 · FewerFalling
20121,08142,0006——100 · MoreStable

All Dodge Dart model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Dodge Dart?

Owners of this model year most often report problems with the automatic and dual-clutch transmissions, especially vehicles shifting into neutral on their own, harsh or delayed shifting, and, on manual cars, a clutch pedal that stays on the floor. The issues reported most often: Transmission slips into neutral or loses drive; Brake pedal hard or going to the floor (power assist loss); Stalling, loss of power and warning lights.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2012 Dodge Dart have?

NHTSA recorded 1,081 consumer complaints for the 2012 Dodge Dart as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2012 Dodge Dart is reported most often?

Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 454 complaints (42% of the total), followed by brakes with 281.

Has the 2012 Dodge Dart been recalled?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2012 Dodge Dart reported?

Among the 865 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 42,000 miles and the middle half falls between 20,000 and 66,100 miles; 58% 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.

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.