2012 Dodge Durango Problems: Electrical (637 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2012 Dodge Durango is Electrical (38% of 637 owner reports). There are 10 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Electrical — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 637 complaints · 10 recalls
What problems show up on the 2012 Dodge Durango?
245 of 637 filings named Electrical (38% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Engine (94 reports).
There are 10 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Brakes and Electrical. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The 2011 has 797 reports on file; this year has 637. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.
What owners reported
System named most often: Electrical 245 complaints · 38.5% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
- Crashes 16
- Fires 32
- Injuries 16
- Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Which systems owners named
Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.
“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.
View component data as a table
| System / Component | Complaints | Share of Reports | Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 245 | 38.5% | 1 crashes · 28 fires |
| Engine (ENGINE) | 94 | 14.8% | 2 crashes · 4 fires |
| Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) | 74 | 11.6% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) | 55 | 8.6% | 3 crashes · 0 fires |
| Steering (STEERING) | 31 | 4.9% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 30 | 4.7% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Airbags (AIR BAGS) | 20 | 3.1% | 7 crashes · 0 fires |
| Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) | 14 | 2.2% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) | 8 | 1.3% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 70 | 11.0% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
When reports and recalls showed up
When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.
- Campaign 14V104000 was reported 488 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 14V391000 was reported 261 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 14V634000 was reported 359 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 15V879000 was reported 805 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 17V435000 was reported 1,365 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2012-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2012-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2012-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2012-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2013-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2013-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2013-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2013-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2014-Q1 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2014-Q2 | Owner reports | 15 | |
| 2014-Q3 | Owner reports | 38 | |
| 2014-Q4 | Owner reports | 45 | |
| 2015-Q1 | Owner reports | 35 | |
| 2015-Q2 | Owner reports | 27 | |
| 2015-Q3 | Owner reports | 45 | |
| 2015-Q4 | Owner reports | 14 | |
| 2016-Q1 | Owner reports | 11 | |
| 2016-Q2 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2016-Q3 | Owner reports | 15 | |
| 2016-Q4 | Owner reports | 16 | |
| 2017-Q1 | Owner reports | 14 | |
| 2017-Q2 | Owner reports | 18 | |
| 2017-Q3 | Owner reports | 27 | |
| 2017-Q4 | Owner reports | 25 | |
| 2018-Q1 | Owner reports | 14 | |
| 2018-Q2 | Owner reports | 19 | |
| 2018-Q3 | Owner reports | 12 | |
| 2018-Q4 | Owner reports | 15 | |
| 2019-Q1 | Owner reports | 14 | |
| 2019-Q2 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2019-Q3 | Owner reports | 17 | |
| 2019-Q4 | Owner reports | 13 | |
| 2020-Q1 | Owner reports | 20 | |
| 2020-Q2 | Owner reports | 12 | |
| 2020-Q3 | Owner reports | 21 | |
| 2020-Q4 | Owner reports | 11 | |
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 16 | |
| 2021-Q2 | Owner reports | 13 | |
| 2021-Q3 | Owner reports | 8 | |
| 2021-Q4 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2022-Q1 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2022-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2022-Q3 | Owner reports | 8 | |
| 2022-Q4 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2023-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2023-Q2 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2023-Q3 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2024-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2024-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2024-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2025-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2025-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2025-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2026-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2026-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 11V487000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 14V104000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 14V154000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 14V391000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 14V634000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 15V115000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 15V879000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 17V435000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 17V572000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 19V813000 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE13027 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA14001 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | DP14004 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | RQ15003 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE19014 |
Safety Recalls (10)
Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.
In short, these campaigns were filed about Brakes and Electrical.
-
Recall campaign 11V487000
Safety recall 11V487000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- 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 campaign 14V104000
Brakes
- Report date
- Component:
- Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
- Consequence:
- If the driver experiences a hard brake pedal, the driver may not push the pedal as intended, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the ABS module software, free of charge. The recall began on April 3, 2014. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number associated with this recall is P05.
-
Recall campaign 14V154000
Safety recall 14V154000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- The water inside could freeze and limit the braking ability of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will add a water diverter shield to the booster after the booster has been tested to confirm it can hold an acceptable amount of vacuum pressure. If the booster inspection confirms an unacceptable loss of vacuum pressure, the booster will be replaced. Repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2014. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's recall campaign number is P14.
-
Recall campaign 14V391000
Electrical
- Report date
- Component:
- Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- If the vanity lamp wiring shorts, there is an increased risk of fire.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and repair any damaged wiring, and install a new sun visor that properly routes the wire, free of charge. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P36.
-
Recall campaign 14V634000
Electrical
- Report date
- Component:
- Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- If the alternator fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will replace the alternator, free of charge. The recall began on February 27, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P60.
-
Recall campaign 15V115000
Safety recall 15V115000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump relay with one external to the TIPM. The recall began on August 7, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R09. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 14V-530. Note: This recall has been superseded by recall 19V813.
-
Recall campaign 15V879000
Electrical
- Report date
- Component:
- Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- The vanity lamp wiring may short, increasing the risk of a vehicle fire.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealer will install clearance for sun visor wiring, protection from sharp edges, and replace the sun visor, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R71.
-
Recall campaign 17V435000
Electrical
- Report date
- Component:
- Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
- 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 inspect the alternator and depending on the part number, will replace the alternator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T36.
-
Recall campaign 17V572000
Safety recall 17V572000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- If the brake booster shield was not installed properly, the vehicle's braking ability may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake booster shield, correcting the installation as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November10, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T59.
-
Recall campaign 19V813000
Safety recall 19V813000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) will replace the affected fuel pump relay and related wire harness. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed beginning December 19, 2019. Vehicles that experience a fuel pump failure will receive an interim repair. Owners will receive a second notice when the final remedy becomes available. Owner notification letters were mailed on December 10, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V62.
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
What owners actually wrote
Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Showing 8 of 637 complaints · page 1 of 26
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Vehicle was unable to start upon attempts in the morning. Was able to get it jumped and started. Less than 5 minutes later the dash lights along with radio lights began to flicker, the front windshield wipers activated, and the battery light came on. Immediately after the vehicle completely stopped, steering wheel got tight and hard to turn and a pole was barely missed as I attempted to maneuver the vehicle as close to the side of the road as possible. There was a complete loss of power, and I was stranded semi in the middle of a busy road during morning traffic. The vehicle was towed to out preferred shop to determine the cause of the loss of power and it was determined that the alternator was dead. The vehicle had the mandated Safety Recall T36 completed 15 months ago. The replacement has failed prematurely. The vehicle has been confirmed by an independent service center. It was inspected by the independent service center, but the incident was witnessed by Missouri Highway Patrol and our local police as they directed traffic around the stalled vehicle to ensure my safety. The evening before there were no indications of failure. The morning of the vehicle was unable to start and had to be jumped and then immediately before the failure the dash lights along with radio lights began to flicker, the front windshield wipers activated, and the battery light came on. Within seconds of these warnings the vehicle stalled and completely stopped. No police report was filed but my husband did notify dispatch of the situation to have police routed to direct traffic. Highway Patrol happened to already be on the scene as they were passing by and saw me.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
We were driving on the interstate in northern Kentucky when the battery alert LED appeared on the dash. We exited the highway while looking up info on possible car repair shops to go to when the vehicle stalled on the exit ramp. We immediately engaged the emergency flashers but they failed eventually due to a completely dead battery. It was determined that the alternator was fried, unable to charge the battery.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Dodge Durango. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 96,000. A Carfax Report was provided at the time of purchase. It was later discovered that the mileage on the Title was 162,000 when the vehicle was taken to the dealer for an engine issue, and upon receiving the Carfax Report.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the check engine warning light illuminated. Approximately three weeks later, while stopped at a light, the vehicle accelerated unintendedly. The gear shifter was shifted to park(P) to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the timing chain was blown. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was subsequently taken to an independent mechanic on several occasions, where it was diagnosed and determined that there were failures with Oxygen sensors, head gaskets, oil pan, oil pump, B2S1 heater, that the intake manifold was cracked, there was cylinder #2 misfire, and the circuit harness needed to be repaired, and DTC: P0300 was retrieved. The vehicle was repaired each time, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 190,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Alternator went out and fried the pcm. I know certain vehicles were on the recall for this and mine was not one of them but odd that it happened anyways.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I took my Durango to Albany ga to dodge dealership for recall on brake booster water shield repair plus the other recall they fixed one recall and say they can't fix brake booster recall cause they say they will not have part available til a year later which I have concerns about my safety of recall not being repaired for a whole year
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owned a 2012 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact opened the door and noticed that the interior of the vehicle was completely burned. The vehicle was unoccupied. The contact stated the exterior of the vehicle had no signs of fire. The vehicle was towed to the local tow yard. The vehicle was condemned as a total loss. In addition, the contact stated that prior to the failure, there was an unknown warning light illuminated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V879000 (Electrical System, Interior Lighting), which had a similar failure description; however the VIN was not associated with the recall. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline and report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 186,488.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Has major issues …
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2012 Dodge Durango?
Owners named Electrical most often — 245 of 637 reports (38%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2012 Dodge Durango?
NHTSA lists 10 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Brakes and Electrical. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.
What should I inspect before buying a 2012 Dodge Durango?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.
Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?
No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Methodology & Data Integrity
Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.