2012 Dodge Caravan problems & reliability
87 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Dodge Caravan. 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.
3 complaints report injuries (4 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 47 | 54% |
| Engine | 19 | 22% |
| Service Brakes | 9 | 10% |
| Unknown OR Other | 8 | 9% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 6 | 7% |
| Air Bags | 4 | 5% |
| Power Train | 3 | 3% |
| Seats | 3 | 3% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 3% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 2% |
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 52,500 miles (middle 50% between 32,469 and 114,136 miles), based on 56 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Van stops abruptly. Will die while driving, wheel will lock up and and van powers down. Will start back up as soon as its stops.”
Electrical System · filed Jan 3, 2021
“Tl* the contact owns a 2012 dodge caravan. While driving 15 mph, the vehicle stalled and was towed to kendall dodge chrysler jeep ram (13355 sw 137th ave, miami, fl 33186, (786) 231-2120). The dealer diagnosed that there was an electrical failure and they repaired the ignition switch and replaced the key, but the…”
Engine · filed May 29, 2019
“Tl* the contact owns a 2012 dodge caravan. The contact stated that their vehicle would not start. They jump started the vehicle and it was able to restart. The following day the vehicle failed to start as a result, the contact replaced the battery and the vehicle was then able to start. However, the failure recurred…”
Electrical System · filed May 14, 2019
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Totally Integrated Power Module Failure
Defect Petition DP14004 · opened Sep 25, 2014 · closed Jul 24, 2015
Technical service bulletins
150 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2012 Dodge Caravan. The 10 most recent:
Pad kit - rear disc brake, front disc brake
108463 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 18, 2025
Pad kit - rear disc brake, front disc brake
108464 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 17, 2025
STARTER - ENGINE
103617 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 20, 2025
Incoming Vehicles with Deployed Active Head Rest (AHR) should have a through enquiry. If there is no Broken Pieces or Electrical failure, Direction to RESET the AHR following the Procedure.
9100456 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 27, 2024
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
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2012 Dodge Caravan in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
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 Dodge Caravan?
- · 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 52,500 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.