2012 Dodge Avenger: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 553 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 3 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
553
Complaints
3
Recalls
34
Crash reports
7
Fire reports
35
Injuries
82.8
Severity index
Severity index 82.8 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 129 2012 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2012 Dodge Avenger ranks 44 of 129 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 66% of its model-year peers. See the full 2012 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 163 | 29.5% |
| AIR BAGS | 109 | 19.7% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 108 | 19.5% |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 95 | 17.2% |
| ENGINE | 86 | 15.6% |
| SEAT BELTS | 43 | 7.8% |
| POWER TRAIN | 31 | 5.6% |
| VISIBILITY | 25 | 4.5% |
The single most-reported system is UNKNOWN OR OTHER, cited in 163 of 553 complaints (29.5%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 10 |
| 2013 | 22 |
| 2014 | 31 |
| 2015 | 53 |
| 2016 | 44 |
| 2017 | 77 |
| 2018 | 119 |
| 2019 | 91 |
| 2020 | 55 |
| 2021 | 20 |
| 2022 | 11 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 6 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 1 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17V640000 | 10/10/2017 | SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2012 Jeep Liberty and 2012-2013 Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger vehicles. A component within the occupant restraint controller (ORC) may fail and prevent the active headrests from deploying in the event of a rear-end crash. |
| 16V668000 | 15/09/2016 | 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 |
| 13V282000 | 02/07/2013 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Sebring and 200 vehicles manufactured June 28, 2011, through December 13, 2012; model year 2011-2013 Dodge Avenger vehicles manufactured June 25, 2011, through January 14, 2013; model year 2011-2012 Dodge Nitro vehicles manufactu |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.