There are 39 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2012 Dodge Chargerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Charger. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with timing chain failure. The contact was informed that the timing chain needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact referenced Customer Satisfaction Program: P01; however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
The contact's husband owns a 2012 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle shuddered, lost motive power, and failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where a handheld diagnostic machine retrieved DTC: P0016 (Cam and Crank shafts signals error). The vehicle was taken to the residence where the cam shaft and oil sensors were replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 170,000.
Was just driving and the engine just cut off now it want start. I carried it to a certified mechanic he said the motor locked up. He also said it's common for this 3.6 to do this. Something about stuff getting in the engine and causes the bearings to mess up and the pistons.
At idile, the car shuts off
Having lifter failure on 2012 Dodge Charger srt8 6.4 mds hemi Loud ticking noise coming from passenger side head, can be heard in the engine bay but even more so from passenger side wheel well. Complete loss of power or bucking with any real kind of acceleration. No misfires also still idles smooth. Threw back pressure sensor code P0471. Was told by dodge it was warped exhaust manifold. Had full exhaust system replaced including all sensors just to be safe (3g$). Got car back still ticking but even louder now. Took car to non dealership and the mechanic said immediately that’s lifter noise. VVT was pulled and checked for metal (it was present). Was told it’s suggested to replace entire motor and with absolutely no help from dodge. The shop that found the lifter issue said he’s had multiple 5.7 and 6.4 hemis all in the shop all with the same problem and dodge will do nothing to fix it and I was also told don’t just throw parts at it cause it will just keep failing and costing money it needs to be replaced completely with better parts to avoid continued problems. It will cost nothing short of 10g$ to do this repair and losing my only means of transportation for however long not to mention it putting my life and others at risk when the car decides to just cut power or turn off completely. I’ve already limited my driving due to this problem and worries of complete engine Failure and now I won’t even let my family ride In the vehicle for fear of it shutting down especially at highway speeds. Dodge needs to address this problem ASAP!!
The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Charger. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, she saw steam exiting the hood. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving to her residence. The contact stated she continued to see steam exiting from the engine. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the engine was misfiring and the ignition wire for cylinder #2 to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 147,957.
WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 DODGE CHARGER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC IMMEDIATELY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A TUNE UP WAS NEEDED. SO I PAID MONEY FOR THAT. AFTER GETTING THE CAR BACK HOME, I DROVE IT AROUND THE CORNER TO THE GAS STATION AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I TOOK IT THEN FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSING, WENT BACK TO MY MECHANIC, ONLY TO FIND OUT THE LIFTER ON THE CAM SHAFT IS BAD. ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC, AND 3 OTHER CERTIFIED MECHANICS, AND FROM DOING ALL MY RESEARCH, THIS PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY COMMON WITH THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE. I AM USUALLY ALONE WITH A SMALL CHILD TO TRANSPORT AROUND TOWN. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY! I WANT TO REMAIN A FAITHFUL CUSTOMER TO DODGE, BUT I'M SURE THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS VERY COMMON PROBLEM. IF THEY DON'T RECALL THIS, I WILL NOT EVER PURCHASE ANOTHER DODGE VEHICLE AGAIN. TO DATE, I HAVE OWNED 4 OF THEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE CHARGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING ILLUMINATED. THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON WHICH FAILED TO RESUME BACK TO NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT A CYLINDER MISFIRED AND THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. ROSEVILLE CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM (2805 LONG LAKE RD, ROSEVILLE, MN 55113, (651) 964-6390) WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 170,000.
I WAS DRIIVNG ON THE INTERSTATE AND MY CAR SHUT OFF BY ITSELF. I TRIED TO RESTART BUT NO LUCK. I FOUND OUT THAT THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE OFF. I KNOW THERES BEEN RECALL ON THE TIMING CHAIN BEFORE.
I WAS DRIVING MY 2012 DODGE CHARGER WHEN MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, A FEW MINUTES AFTER THE ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND RUNNING ROUGH. I TOOK THE CAR TO AUTO ZONE FOR DIAGNOSTIC WHICH STATED THAT PO303 MISFIRED 3 TIMES. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHICH CHANGED OUT MY SPARK PLUG AND COIL WHICH WENT AWAY FOR A FEW MINUTES BUT ENGINE LIGHT RETURNED AND FLASHED WITH SAME REACTION. I RETURNED BACK TO THE MECHANIC WHICH HAD TO DIG DEEPER OF WHAT WAS CAUSING THE SPARK PLUG AND COIL TO MISFIRE AND FOUND IT WAS THE LIFTER. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE MANY DODGE CHARGERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM AND DO NOT FEEL THAT WE SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR CHRYSLER/DODGE ERROR/PROBLEM AND I AM PLEADING THAT THIS BECOMES A RECALL FOR CHRYSLER TO OWN UP TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AS THEY KNOW THAT IT IS AN ISSUE AS THEY ARE MAKING SURE THEIR NEWER CHARGERS DON'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM.
WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT NEAR A BUSY INTERSECTION, THERE WAS A LOUD POP FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY THE VEHICLE SHAKING AND STALLING. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS AND ATTEMPTED TO MOVE OUT OF THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. UPON INSPECTION, ENGINE COOLANT WAS LEAKING AND PARTS OF THE FAN BLADE WERE FOUND UNDERNEATH THE CAR. IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE CONDENSER FAN HAD BROKEN OFF AND DAMAGED THE RADIATOR. ALL OF THE FAN'S BLADES WERE GONE AND SCATTERED UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AND HIGHWAY. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED LATE THURSDAY EVENING AND UNFORTUNATELY, I CANNOT GET IT IN TO BE REPAIRED UNTIL MID NEXT WEEK AS THE PARTS HAVE TO BE INSPECTED AND ORDERED. I HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER THAT IS A MECHANIC AND HE HELPED TO GET ME AND MY KIDS HOME SAFELY. UPON REVIEW OF THE DODGE SITE, THERE HAVE BEEN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION NOTIFICATIONS FOR THE ENGINE COOLING FANS FOR OTHER MAKES AND MODELS WITH REPAIR ASSISTANCE, BUT THE 2012 CHARGER IS NOT LISTED AS ONE OF THEM. HOWEVER, THE EXACT SAME ISSUE DESCRIBED IS WHAT HAS OCCURRED WITH MY VEHICLE THIS WEEK. DODGE STATED THAT THIS IS NOT A CURRENT RECALL ISSUE HOWEVER, WITH MY EXPERIENCE I FEEL THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WARRANTS ATTENTION BECAUSE HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN IN MOTION, THIS COULD'VE BEEN A HAZARDOUS SITUATION FOR MY FAMILY, PEDESTRIANS, AND OTHER DRIVERS.
TAKATA RECALL COOLING FANS FELL APART
Had catastrophic engine failure at 100k miles doing 70mph. I believe it was timing chain failure. Replaced the engine with a refurbished engine and now have the exact same problem. It seems like the MDS system is the main cause for this to keep happening so why isn’t this a recall issue. These engines are not cheap to replace
AT UNDER 30,000 MILES MY VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE ODD RUSTLING NOISE AND THE RPM NEEDLE WAS BOUNCING UP & DOWN IN LOW RPMS AND NEAR IDLE. I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE TO BAYSIDE CHRYSLER DODGE AND THEY FAILED TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE, INFORMING ME THERE WAS NO ISSUE APPARENT. AT JUST OVER 49,000 MILES (2 YEARS LATER) THE ENGINE SUFFERED CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND HAD TO BE DISMANTLED. THE SAME DEALERSHIP IDENTIFIED THAT THE LIFTERS WERE SEIZED AND THE CAM WAS SCORCHED. NEW LIFTERS, A GASKET KIT, AND A CAM WERE INSTALLED, INCLUDING RESURFACING OF THE VALVES AND NEW TAPPETS. IN 2018 @ AROUND 71,000 MILES THE VEHICLE BEGAN SUFFERING THE SAME NOISE - MOST PROMINENTLY BETWEEN 900-1500 RPMS. THE CURRENT DEALERSHIP HAS CONDUCTED 8 DIAGNOSTICS AND CHANGED OUT THE TRANSMISSION, TRANSFER CASE, THE FRONT & REAR DRIVE SHAFTS, THE MDS, THE WATER PUMP, THE FRONT ARM AND OTHER COMPONENTS WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS IN REPAIRING THE VEHICLE. THE RUSTLING / PUTTERING / CLIPPING SOUND IS VERY PRONOUNCED AND EASILY DUPLICATED WHEN DECELERATING TO 20MPH. THE NEEDLE ALSO BOUNCES IN IDLE DESPITE A NEW TRANSMISSION BEING INSTALLED IN DECEMBER 2018 AND A NEW TRANSFER CASE IN AUGUST 2019. THE CURRENT DEALERSHIP (SOUTH SHORE CHRYSLER DODGE) HAS CONDUCTED OVER 8 SEPARATE DIAGNOSTICS BY A HANDFUL OF THEIR MECHANICS, BUT TO DATE HAS NEVER INSPECTED THE INTERNAL ENGINE COMPONENTS. I HAVE OPENED UP NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS WITH FCA AND AWAIT CORPORATE RESPONSE TO THE SHOP SINCE APRIL 2019 BUT THEY CITE COVID RESTRICTIONS HAVE CREATED THE INABILITY TO FURTHER ASSIST. MY CASE MANAGER STATES FCA ISSUES RECALLS BASED ON CUSTOMER REPORTS, AND LIFTER FAILURE IS UNCOMMON WITH 5.7L HEMI ENGINES - CONTRARY TO MY RESEARCH ON CHARGER, CHALLENGER, AND RAM FORUMS (SPECIFICALLY EQUIPPED WITH 5.7L HEMIS) TELLING OTHERWISE. FCA SAYS THEY CAN NOT HONOR ACCOUNTS OTHER THAN NHTSA'S. PLEASE CALL ME: 646-246-0454 VIDEO AVAILABLE
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON - AFTER SCAN, CODE P0128 APPEARS INDICATING THAT THE COOLANT THERMOSTAT HAD A FAULT. ACCORDING TO SERVICE TECH, MOST COMMON SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR (ECT). THIS APPARENTLY IS VERY A COMMON ERROR ON ALL MOPAR ENGINES MODEL YEARS 2006-2012 OR SO AND THIS HAPPENS ON A LOT OF THEM. SINCE THIS IS APPARENTLY A MISTAKE ON MOPAR'S PART AND IS VERY COMMON FOR THIS YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL, IT SHOULD BE PAID FOR AT THE DEALERS EXPENSE. I WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR THIS WAS A SOMEWHAT KNOWN ISSUE BUT THAT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ENACTED FOR IT.
DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED IN ECO MODE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND WOULD NOT START. DEALER SAID THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED. SPEED WAS ABOUT 70-75 MPH
P06DD ERROR CODE - AFFECTING V6 PENTASTAR ENGINE PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATION AFTER ENGINE REACHES 3,000 RPM WHEN THERE IS A P06DD ERROR CODE. CAN'T ACCELERATE INTO TRAFFIC AND CAR BOGS DOWN AND YOU NEED TO WAIT UNTIL RPMS DROP BELOW 3,000 TO ENGAGE ENGINE AGAIN. SEE MY POST AT CHRYSLERFORUMS.COM HTTPS://WWW.CHRYSLERFORUM.COM/FORUM/NEW-MEMBER-AREA-5/P06DD-ERROR-CODE-PROBLEM-OIL-PUMP-30740/#POST110546 ALSO, IF YOU DO A GOOGLE SEARCH OF "P06DD AND CARCOMPLAINTS.COM" YOU'LL FIND THAT THERE ARE OVER 10 PAGES OF INFO RELATED TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE WITH THE OIL PUMP IN THE V6 PENTASTAR ENGINE.
AT 99000 MILES I STARTED HEARING A SLIGHT TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE WHILE IDLING. IT IS THE 3.6 LITER VVT PENTASTAR. THE TICKING IS GETTING WORSE. ALL MECHANICS I'VE SPOKEN TO SAY "DON'T RUN THAT CAR." I NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET THIS ISSUE ADDRESSED. WOULD THIS REPAIR BE COVERED? IF NOT, HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? I PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW IN 2012. MY NAME IS [XXX] . PLEASE GET BACK TO ME ASAP BECAUSE IT'S SEEMS THIS IS CRITICAL. [XXX] IN MY PHONE NUMBER. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE CHARGER. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE MISFIRED AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED BEFORE AND AFTER THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SNETHKAMP CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (23951 PLYMOUTH RD, REDFORD CHARTER TWP, MI 48239) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ROCKER ARM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.
MY TIMING CHAIN AND PULLEY BROKE WHILE ON TTHE FREEWAY CAUSING LOSS OF POWER AND STALL.
Showing 1–20 of 39 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026