2012 Dodge Charger Police: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2012 Dodge Charger Police
On the 2012 Dodge Charger Police, the failure owners report most often is other electrical problem, with 4 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 95,000 miles. Overall it scores 63 out of 100, high risk for a 2012.
High risk for a 2012 — 257th riskiest of the 271 2012 vehicles we can rate. 22 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What breaks on the 2012 Dodge Charger Police
Owners have reported 13 named failure modes on the 2012 Dodge Charger Police, and the three most-reported carry 41% of everything filed.
Other electrical problem leads with 4 reports and about 1.3 per 1,000 vehicles.
Alternator or charging system failure follows with 3 reports, median 95,000 miles.
No-start or intermittent start failure follows with 2 reports, median 95,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into electrical (7), engine (5) and fuel (2).
The mileage the reports cluster at
20 of the reports on the 2012 Dodge Charger Police came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 95,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 35% by 50,000 miles, 65% by 100,000 miles and 85% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 40,000 and 50,000 miles, which alone holds 30% of the dated reports.
0% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, so this is mostly a story about older, higher-mileage cars.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 13. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
How bad it is when it goes
Across the named modes, 1 a fire. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 3.59, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other electrical problem at $250–$2,000, alternator or charging system failure at $450–$1,600, no-start or intermittent start failure at $200–$1,800 and fuel pump failure at $600–$2,600. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
32% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 4 | 4 | — | 84k | — | 1.3 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Alternator or charging system failure | electrical | 3 | 3 | — | 96k | — | 1.0 | $450–$1,600 | High |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 95k | — | 0.6 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.6 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| Other engine problem | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 106k | — | 0.6 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 2 | 2 | — | 45k | — | 0.6 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Misfire or rough idle | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 119k | — | 0.3 | $250–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Radiator or coolant leak | cooling | 1 | 1 | — | 138k | — | 0.3 | $350–$1,900 | High |
| CV axle or driveshaft failure | drivetrain | 1 | 1 | — | 120k | — | 0.3 | $450–$2,200 | High |
| Power steering pump or fluid leak | steering | 1 | 1 | — | 78k | — | 0.3 | $350–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Other steering problem | steering | 1 | 1 | — | 39k | — | 0.3 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 1 | 1 | — | 48k | — | 0.3 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 1 | 1 | — | 170k | — | 0.3 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2012 Dodge Charger Police draws about 7.1 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 88th percentile of complaint rates among 2012 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 3,117 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2012 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other electrical problem
Dodge service bulletin #08-040-14 rev. A . Subject "police vechicle A/C inoperative" and #08-001-12 subject lose of ABS/esp functionality" with fuse boxes involves the front and rear fuse box that requires re-wiring. Service bulletin #02-006-12 group=front suspension, subject "front leaf spring out of spec" don davis dodge will not address these and other service bulletins and manufacture communications. I should not have to pay for fixing defective and safety prone parts.
Why is it that the manufacturer communication for safety in regards to suspension replacement, fuse box(s) rewiring and the braking system are not recalls for the ld police pursuit models. I'm told by don davis in arlington texas that these are not "recall items" and I would have to pay for these? Even though the police fleet was taken care of. This, if I were to be injured in a crash/accident will open chrysler up to a class action lawsuit suit from every model on the street which you know that is a lot. To me and others this is all about money to fix a known problem placing profit/loss above safety which is a the least gross negligence. These problems happen all the time I'm driving this car.
Alternator or charging system failure
Takata recall 2012 dodge charger. Driving about 50 MPH then car started jumping. Battery light, brake light, ABS light, traction light came on. Car started to kill. Had to pull off road and could barely turn steering wheel. Keep in mind I have my 2 kids in the car. Tried to jump battery and it stated smoking and jumper cables became really hot. Took out battery and brung it in to get checked. Had to buy a new battery for $220. Brung car to get alternator checked and machine says faulty alternator. Just dropped it off at dodge certified. Not sure what the outcome will be.
Takata recall 2012 dodge charger. Driving about 50 MPH then car started jumping. Battery light, brake light, ABS light, traction light came on. Car started to kill. Had to pull off road and could barely turn steering wheel. Keep in mind I have my 2 kids in the car. Tried to jump battery and it stated smoking and jumper cables became really hot. Took out battery and brung it in to get checked. Had to buy a new battery for $220. Brung car to get alternator checked and machine says faulty alternator. Just dropped it off at dodge certified. Not sure what the outcome will be.
No-start or intermittent start failure
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 dodge charger police. While driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle stalled and the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was able to coast to the side of the road where the officer attempted to restart the vehicle, but it failed to start. The vehicle was towed to a county garage. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer informed the officer that the VIN was not included in a recall and referred the officer to NHTSA. The approximate failure mileage was 95,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 dodge charger police. While driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle stalled and the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was able to coast to the side of the road where the officer attempted to restart the vehicle, but it failed to start. The vehicle was towed to a county garage. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer informed the officer that the VIN was not included in a recall and referred the officer to NHTSA. The approximate failure mileage was 95,000.
Recalls on the 2012 model year
NHTSA has issued 1 recall campaign covering the 2012 Dodge Charger Police, affecting an estimated 3,117 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover electrical system:alternator/generator/regulator. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
74,811 vehicles 2016-10-13- Defect
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Dodge Charger Police vehicles, 2007-2013 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2013 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, and 2013 RAM 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The affected vehicles have a 220 amp alternator that may suddenly fail.
- Consequence
- If the alternator fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash. There is also the possibility that the alternator may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the alternator with a revised alternator, free of charge. The recall began on December 23, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S68.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2012 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Better and worse years of the same car
High risk for a 2012 — 257th riskiest of the 271 2012 vehicles we can rate. The comparison is always within the same model year, so an older car is never penalised for having had longer to break.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
The limits of complaint data
22 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 22 reports, 20 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 91% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Dodge Charger Police?
The most-reported failures are other electrical problem (4 reports, median 85,000 miles), alternator or charging system failure (3 reports, median 95,000 miles) and no-start or intermittent start failure (2 reports, median 95,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 2012 Dodge Charger Police reliable?
It scores 63 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 257th riskiest of the 271 2012 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2012 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed