Reliable Auto DB

2012 Dodge Grand Caravan reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan holds 583 complaints after 15 years, a rate of 19 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Grand Caravan years here — over the median of the other years, which is 10. NHTSA has 6 recalls on file, including Latch or anchor, Frontal, and Electrical system.

2012 Dodge Grand Caravan
Photo by SsmIntrigue, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

583

Per year

19

Recalls

6

Years on the road

15

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (336 of 583), then Engine (118) and Fuel and propulsion system (68). Those filings include 7 that report a crash, 14 that report a fire, and 8 that report an injury.

Next to 2013

The 2013 Grand Caravan has 470 complaints, 56 per year. The 2012 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (6)

Recall adaptive equipment, wheelchair restraints, latch or anchor 2025-12-17 · NHTSA campaign 25V876000
Summary 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.
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.
Recall air bags, frontal 2017-06-13 · NHTSA campaign 17V376000
Summary 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.
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.
Recall Electrical system 2014-05-07 · NHTSA campaign 14V234000
Summary 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.
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.
Recall Equipment 2012-05-02 · NHTSA campaign 12V191000
Summary 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.
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.
Recall suspension, rear 2012-04-03 · NHTSA campaign 12V141000
Summary 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.
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.
Recall Engine and engine cooling 2011-09-29 · NHTSA campaign 11V487000
Summary 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.
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.

Complaints by component (583 total)

Electrical system
336
Engine
118
Fuel and propulsion system
68
Powertrain
48
Service brakes
38
Speed control
24
Structure
19
Air bags
18
Electronic stability control (ESC)
18
Steering
14
Seats
9
Exterior lighting
7
Visibility and wipers
7
Visibility
6
Fuel system, gasoline
5
Tires
5
Wheels
4
Seat belts
3
Suspension
3
Engine and engine cooling
2
Diesel fuel system
1
Equipment
1
Fuel system, other
1
Latches, locks, and linkages
1
Show 16 more Show less
Crash-flagged

7

Fire-flagged

14

Injury reports

8

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

120114201211201341201414420154020164820173820188120197220204320212620221420231020248202522026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "We purchased our 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan 1/2026. Only 85000 miles on it. After about a week or 2, when husband tried go start van to go to work early cold, morning, van wouldn't start easily. Sometimes he would wait up…"
    Powertrain, Electrical system, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-04-14
  • "The fuel pump would run all night and going down the road the van would cut off...had it checked the tipm was bad"
    Electrical system, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-02-19
  • "My van tipm went out..it would cut off going down the road the safety door locks was not working the fuel pump was running all the time with switch off"
    Electrical system · filed 2025-11-26
  • "While driving, the vehicle will periodically shut down/lose all power. This appears to occur when a slight bump in the road occurs. The loss of power to the vehicle is obviously a significant safety issue. We have been…"
    Electrical system, Unknown or other, Engine · filed 2025-11-16
  • "The driver's seat active headrest spontaneously deployed while my wife was operating the van. Luckily this did not cause an accident, but being hit in the back of the head by the headrest certainly can cause an accident…"
    Air bags · filed 2025-07-03

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Grand Caravan 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 17 25 20 MPG $3250

Specs and fitment

RT generation (5th gen), 2012–2020
Body styles Minivan
Oil 5W-20 (3.6L V6 Pentastar) , 4.5 qt capacity
Tire size 225/65R17

Known issues for this generation

Recall 16V-461 covers certain 2015-2016 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country vehicles among other FCA models: the transmission pump may seize and lose hydraulic pressure, which can cut motive power while driving; dealers replace the transmission pump. Recall 15V-595 covers certain 2016 Grand Caravan and Town & Country vehicles: hood-striker bolts may loosen so the hood can open while driving and obstruct the driver's view; dealers install new striker bolts torqued to specification. Recall 18V-332 covers certain FCA products including minivans in the campaign scope for cruise-control wiring that may allow unintended continued speed; dealers inspect and flash control-module software. Confirm applicability by VIN because several campaigns also list other nameplates.

Compare

Next year 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan See every Dodge Grand Caravan model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan holds 583 complaints after 15 years, a rate of 19 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Grand Caravan years here — over the median of the other years, which is 10. NHTSA has 6 recalls on file, including Latch or anchor, Frontal, and Electrical system.

What are common problems with a 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (336 of 583), then Engine (118) and Fuel and propulsion system (68). Those filings include 7 that report a crash, 14 that report a fire, and 8 that report an injury.

Is the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 Grand Caravan has 470 complaints, 56 per year. The 2012 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013.

Has the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan been recalled?

The 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan has 6 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan?

Owners have filed 583 complaints about the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan is 20 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a Dodge Grand Caravan use?

5W-20 (3.6L V6 Pentastar)

What does NHTSA recall 16V-461 cover on the Dodge Grand Caravan?

Recall 16V-461 covers certain 2015-2016 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country vehicles among other FCA models: the transmission pump may seize and lose hydraulic pressure, which can cut motive power while driving; dealers replace the transmission pump.

What generation is the 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan?

RT generation (5th gen) (2012-2020).