2012 Dodge Grand Caravan: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan
On the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan, the failure owners report most often is other electrical problem, and the reports cluster around 97,500 miles. The earliest to appear is other brake problem, reported by a median of 35,000 miles. Overall it scores 68 out of 100, high risk for a 2012.
High risk for a 2012 — 204th riskiest of the 271 2012 vehicles we can rate. 816 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
The failures owners actually file about
Owners have reported 57 named failure modes on the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan, and the three most-reported carry 44% of everything filed.
Other electrical problem leads with 219 reports, about 2.1 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 60k to 120,000 miles.
Other engine problem follows with 72 reports, usually reported between 72k to 127,500 miles. 2 of those reports mention a fire.
Fuel pump failure follows with 69 reports, usually reported between 72k to 137,500 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into electrical (278), engine (186) and fuel (92).
At what mileage it happens
545 of the reports on the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 97,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 20% by 50,000 miles, 52% by 100,000 miles and 91% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 8 filed above the top of the chart.
The busiest stretch is between 100,000 and 110,000 miles, which alone holds 11% of the dated reports.
12% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.
In the order they tend to show up: other brake problem around 35k, other speed control problem around 60k, other powertrain problem around 60k and alternator or charging system failure around 80k.
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 57. 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 further 8 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. 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
Severity, and what it costs
Across the named modes, 6 mention a crash, 17 a fire and 6 an injury. 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 3.55, 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, other engine problem at $300–$4,000, fuel pump failure at $600–$2,600 and no-start or intermittent start failure at $200–$1,800. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
30% 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 | 219 | 94 | 60k | 97k | 120k | 2.1 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other engine problem | engine | 72 | 59 | 72k | 100k | 128k | 0.7 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 69 | 45 | 72k | 110k | 137k | 0.7 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 60 | 50 | 97k | 112k | 135k | 0.6 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 37 | 26 | 74k | 106k | 128k | 0.4 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 36 | 30 | 13k | 60k | 92k | 0.3 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Alternator or charging system failure | electrical | 27 | 21 | 65k | 80k | 90k | 0.3 | $450–$1,600 | High |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 26 | 21 | 122k | 140k | 156k | 0.2 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 22 | 21 | 19k | 82k | 129k | 0.2 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 21 | 13 | 106k | 125k | 141k | 0.2 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 19 | 17 | 17k | 35k | 40k | 0.2 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 16 | 15 | 35k | 60k | 86k | 0.2 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 12 | 11 | 94k | 106k | 115k | 0.1 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Misfire or rough idle | engine | 11 | 8 | 72k | 94k | 123k | 0.1 | $250–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 11 | 7 | — | 60k | — | 0.1 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 10 | 6 | — | 86k | — | 0.1 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Other steering problem | steering | 8 | 6 | — | 81k | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Premature brake pad or rotor wear | brakes | 7 | 7 | — | 49k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Thermostat failure | cooling | 6 | 3 | — | 91k | — | 0.1 | $250–$900 | Moderate |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 6 | 3 | — | 100k | — | 0.1 | $200–$900 | High |
| Wheel bearing or hub failure | drivetrain | 5 | 2 | — | 43k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 5 | 4 | — | 83k | — | 0.0 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 5 | 3 | — | 55k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Door latch or handle failure | body | 5 | 4 | — | 101k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,200 | High |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 5 | 3 | — | 40k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 4 | 3 | — | 100k | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 4 | 4 | — | 115k | — | 0.0 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Overheating | cooling | 3 | 2 | — | 45k | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Transmission slipping | transmission | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $1,200–$5,500 | High |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 3 | 3 | — | 37k | — | 0.0 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Complete engine failure or seizure | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 133k | — | 0.0 | $4,500–$12,000 | Critical |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 2 | 2 | — | 81k | — | 0.0 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Fuel leak or fuel odor | fuel | 2 | 2 | — | 33k | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 2 | 2 | — | 51k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Steering column or shaft failure | steering | 2 | 2 | — | 47k | — | 0.0 | $600–$2,500 | Critical |
| Liftgate, tailgate or trunk failure | body | 2 | 2 | — | 37k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,500 | Moderate |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 2 | 2 | — | 73k | — | 0.0 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $1,200–$4,500 | Critical |
| Head gasket failure | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 111k | — | 0.0 | $1,400–$4,000 | Critical |
| Oil leak | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 146k | — | 0.0 | $250–$2,200 | Moderate |
| Engine knock or bearing noise | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 130k | — | 0.0 | $2,500–$9,000 | High |
| Water pump failure | cooling | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $500–$2,200 | High |
| Radiator or coolant leak | cooling | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,900 | High |
| Harsh or jerky shifting | transmission | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $600–$4,000 | Moderate |
| Parasitic battery drain | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 15 | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Backup camera failure | infotainment | 1 | 1 | — | 105k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Brake line, hose or caliper failure | brakes | 1 | 1 | — | 23k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,600 | Critical |
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 1 | 1 | — | 108k | — | 0.0 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Loss of power steering | steering | 1 | 1 | — | 103k | — | 0.0 | $600–$2,800 | Critical |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 1 | 1 | — | 64k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Wheel, stud or lug nut failure | wheels | 1 | 1 | — | 53k | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,500 | Critical |
| Rust or structural corrosion | body | 1 | 1 | — | 46k | — | 0.0 | $500–$6,000 | High |
| Window regulator or power window failure | body | 1 | 1 | — | 38k | — | 0.0 | $250–$900 | Moderate |
| Air conditioning failure | hvac | 1 | 1 | — | 108k | — | 0.0 | $400–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Blower motor or climate control failure | hvac | 1 | 1 | — | 79k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Wiper or washer failure | glass | 1 | 1 | — | 61k | — | 0.0 | $120–$800 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 43 | 25 | 70k | 109k | 120k | 0.4 | — | Moderate |
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 Grand Caravan draws about 7.8 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 89th 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 104,567 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
I was driving from one destination to the other and when I got to my other destination I smelled smoke. I looked down and notice the cigarette port which was empty was smoking, I pulled my gerber out and pulled the port out and there was a fire. I alerted a co worker and they got a fire extinguisher. We managed to put the fire out. But console is completely gone. This all happened within 15 minutes. *tr
No acceleration when gas pedal pushed, rpms raced but not able to proceed. Warning light indicating electronic throttle problem. Pulled off the highway, turned off the ignition, sat for 5 minutes. Restarted the vehicle and drove immediately to the dealership. Told them to call me when it was corrected. Fortunately, I had purchased the extended warranty on this minivan due to having huge transmission problems with a 2002 honda odyssey. The service manager said the technician who tore the electronic throttle apart found fiber in it. The radio was also not working but they said that there was a wire that came loose. Radio now working as well as the electronic throttle. No charge because I purchased the extended warranty. Upon reading other electronic throttle problems at this site I felt compelled to jot down my experience. *tr
Other engine problem
Driving in a small town, my check engine light came on. I was on the lookout for this. I am a medical courier and we have 4, maybe 5, grand caravans operating out of our facility. Two have had to have the heads replaced, both with the pentastar v-6. I have this engine in mine as well . I was told by the drivers of those to watch for the check engine light to come on, and last night it did. So now, it seems I may be number three. I would consider my driving habits in the dodge "easy", probably 90% of the time I am driving rural two lane highways and interstate. The workday is about 380 miles driven. I drive very little stop and go. I can get 90k miles out of original brakes and tires. I do use a variety of brands of gas, but I would consider them all "brand name". We service our vehicles at proper intervals, all caravans are ordered to the same spec, but this can differ slightly with model year. While searching the net, I've read where chrysler is quietly replacing heads with problems. One of my fellow couriers recently had the head work done at 80k+ on his dodge. You can see I am now at a similar mileage. Our fleet man told me…
Engine runs very rough, idles low almost dies at intersections. Does not have power when gas pedal is pushed down, looses power while driving as well. These vans have something majorly wrong with the engines and transmissions. Dodge needs to investigate and recall/repair these vans. They are hazardous. I cannot wait to be rid of mine before something happens to me and my four children. Doesn't sound like I'm the only one with the problems either. Maybe dodge/chrysler is going to be like gm and let people die before repair a minor part. Very disappointed in this vehicle. It will be my last dodge purchase. *js
Fuel pump failure
I was entering on a busy interstate when my 2012 dodge grand caravan r/t got to about 50+ MPH the gas pedal kept accelerating and would not stop the RPM gage hit 6 the only way I got it to stop was to put the vehicle in neutral and pull of the road the rmp's kept going as did the engine I turned the van off in neutral and put it in park. When I started the van back up it instantly started doing the same thing in park. I turned the van back off and waited about 5 minutes and when I restarted the van it seemed normal. Took it to the dealership that day on a saturday they called me monday and said it happened with their technicians driving and he removed the floor mat that had been in there for 2 and a half years and it was fine they told me the floor mat got stuck under the pedal! Common sense says it would stop the pedal from being pushed down not pull the pedal to the floor. But what do I know right!?!?!?! I am just a female and mother to 2 small children who were with me when it happened. It did this again with my husband driving on a 6 lane road when he pulled out from a stop. This time the floor mat had not been there. Chrysler…
I was entering on a busy interstate when my 2012 dodge grand caravan r/t got to about 50+ MPH the gas pedal kept accelerating and would not stop the RPM gage hit 6 the only way I got it to stop was to put the vehicle in neutral and pull of the road the rmp's kept going as did the engine I turned the van off in neutral and put it in park. When I started the van back up it instantly started doing the same thing in park. I turned the van back off and waited about 5 minutes and when I restarted the van it seemed normal. Took it to the dealership that day on a saturday they called me monday and said it happened with their technicians driving and he removed the floor mat that had been in there for 2 and a half years and it was fine they told me the floor mat got stuck under the pedal! Common sense says it would stop the pedal from being pushed down not pull the pedal to the floor. But what do I know right!?!?!?! I am just a female and mother to 2 small children who were with me when it happened. It did this again with my husband driving on a 6 lane road when he pulled out from a stop. This time the floor mat had not been there. Chrysler…
Recalls on the 2012 model year
NHTSA has issued 6 recall campaigns covering the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan, affecting an estimated 169,517 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 equipment adaptive/mobility:wheelchair restraints/securement, air bags:frontal, electrical system and equipment. 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.
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY:WHEELCHAIR RESTRAINTS/SECUREMENT:LATCH/ANCHOR:
86 vehicles 2025-12-17- Defect
- Rollx Vans (Rollx) is recalling certain GMC Yukon, Sierra, Chevrolet Express 2500, Ford Transit, E-250, Toyota Sienna, Sienna Hybrid, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Town and Country, Voyager, Pacifica, Dodge Grand Caravan, and Ram Promaster vehicles equipped with QRT-Deluxe and QRT-Max wheelchair restraints. Please refer to Rollx's recall report for specific model year information. The retractors may not lock, preventing the wheelchair from being properly secured.
- Consequence
- An unsecured wheelchair can move during transit, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Rollx will work with Q'Straint to inspect and replace the retractors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 5, 2026. Owners may contact Rollx's customer service at 1-800-956-6668.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
209,135 vehicles 2017-06-13- Defect
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2012 Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the driver's frontal air bag may unexpectedly deploy if the air bag wiring harness gets chafed within the steering wheel and short circuits.
- Consequence
- Unexpected deployment of the driver's frontal air bag increases the risk of a crash or driver injury.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bag wiring within the steering wheel, replacing it if necessary. A protective cover will also be installed. These repairs will be made free of charge. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T33.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
644,757 vehicles 2014-05-07- Defect
- Chrysler Group, LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles manufactured August 25, 2010, through October 31, 2013. The affected vehicles may experience overheating of the vent window switch in the driver's door armrest.
- Consequence
- An overheated switch may result in a vehicle fire.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the vent window switch with a newer version, free of charge. The owner notification letter was issued and the remedy campaign launched on on December 31, 2014. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P25.
EQUIPMENT
471 vehicles 2012-05-02- Defect
- Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2012 town and country and dodge grand caravan vehicles, manufactured from march 9, 2012 through march 12, 2012. Some vehicles may be equipped with a right side liftgate pinch sensor that does not function properly. As a result, increased force may be required in order to stop the power liftgate during final closing stages.
- Consequence
- The power liftgate door may close on an appendage, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the right side liftgate pinch sensors, free of charge. The safety recall began on may 18, 2012. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
SUSPENSION:REAR
289 vehicles 2012-04-03- Defect
- Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2012 town and country and dodge grand caravan vehicles manufactured from november 15, 2011, through november 21, 2011. Some vehicles may be equipped with right rear hub and bearing assemblies that were not fully machined.
- Consequence
- This could result in a decrease in durability, which may lead to wheel separation, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the right rear hub and bearing assembly, free of charge. The safety recall began on april 27, 2012. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
667 vehicles 2011-09-29- Defect
- Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2012 chrysler vehicles, including 200 and town and country models, dodge vehicles, including charger, durango, grand caravan and journey models and jeep grand cherokee vehicles manufactured from august 31, 2011, through september 13, 2011, that are equipped with 3.6l engines. These engines may experience connecting rod bearing failure due to debris inside the engine block.
- Consequence
- Connecting rod failure may lead to engine seizure which may increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners and replace the engine free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about november 18, 2011. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
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 — 204th 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.
Across the 25 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2004 comes out best at 58 and 2020 worst at 80, with 2012 itself at 68.
If the model year is negotiable, 2004 and 2001 score lower than 2012 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2008–2014 generation specifically, 2013 is the strongest year at 67 and 2010 the weakest at 70.
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.
Within the 2008-2014 generation, 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan scores best at 67 and 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan worst at 70.
What the numbers say to check
The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: other powertrain problem from about 13k, other brake problem from about 17k, other body or interior problem from about 19k and other speed control problem from about 35k.
On a 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other powertrain problem has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.
Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.
Where these figures stop being useful
816 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 816 reports, 545 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 67% 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 Grand Caravan?
The most-reported failures are other electrical problem (219 reports, median 97,500 miles), other engine problem (72 reports, median 100,000 miles) and fuel pump failure (69 reports, median 110,000 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.
At what mileage do 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan problems start?
Other brake problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 35,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 15,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 97,000 miles.
Is the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan reliable?
It scores 68 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 204th 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.
Which year of the Dodge Grand Caravan is best?
Within the 2008–2014 generation, 2013 scores best at 67 out of 100 and 2010 worst at 70. Same body, same engines, different luck.
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