2012 Chrysler 200 problems & reliability
638 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Chrysler 200, alongside 4 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
23 complaints report injuries (33 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2012 Chrysler 200 vehicles were involved in 78 fatal crashes with 43 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 146 | 23% |
| Electrical System | 140 | 22% |
| Air Bags | 136 | 21% |
| Unknown OR Other | 103 | 16% |
| Seat Belts | 71 | 11% |
| Visibility/wiper | 56 | 9% |
| Power Train | 54 | 8% |
| Steering | 45 | 7% |
| Service Brakes | 40 | 6% |
| Exterior Lighting | 36 | 6% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 60,000 miles (middle 50% between 33,000 and 90,000 miles), based on 452 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“My husband sat down in the driver seat of my vehicle thatwas parked in our driveway and wasnt even turned on and the head rest deployed and smacked the back of his head”
Unknown OR Other · filed Apr 27, 2026
“Replaced all spark plugs and coils , code is saying misfire cylinder 4..replaced intake manifold gasket code states multiple cylinder misfire .My [XXX] was stranded in the middle of a busy road due to loss of power the.engine jeking..cutting out .after $1000 worth of shop work CHRYSLER NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE ITS…”
Engine · filed Apr 21, 2026
“The contact owns a 2012 Chrysler 200. The contact stated that occasionally, while driving at various speeds at night, the headlights intermittently became inoperable. The failure occurred with the high beam and low beam headlights. Additionally, the windshield wipers only operated at high speeds because the variable…”
Exterior Lighting · filed Mar 5, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment
Preliminary Evaluation PE19014 · opened Sep 9, 2019 · closed Feb 25, 2026
Technical service bulletins
171 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2012 Chrysler 200. The 10 most recent:
Emissions Recall U67 - Catalytic Converter Efficiency - Dealer Notification (Revision 11)
U67 Combo Rev11 · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Jun 18, 2026
Verify Reman part number availability. Order the "R" part number for all orders: Warranty, Mopar, customer pay and service contract. Order "68" part number for New unsold units only.
9100653 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 15, 2025
ACTUATOR - A/C AND HEATER
103954 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 2, 2025
ACTUATOR - A/C AND HEATER
104087 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 2, 2025
LIFTER, Hydraulic Roller Deactivating Please do not replace MDS lifters because the disconnecting pin is not lined up, this is normal and not a defect.
9100229 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 2023
LIFTER, Hydraulic Roller Deactivating Please do not replace MDS lifters because the disconnecting pin is not lined up, this is normal and not a defect.
9100229 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 2023
Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service…
9100226 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 15, 2023
Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service…
9100226 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 15, 2023
Lubrication and Maintenance Fluids If MOPAR fluids and chemicals are not readily available, please review Service Library for specifications so a suitable alternative can be used
9100196 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 27, 2023
wiTECH Small Leak Verification Test (SLVT) - P0456-EVAP SYSTEM SMALL LEAK
1804823 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 15, 2023
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2012 Chrysler 200 has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2012 Chrysler 200?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 60,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.