repaired · 2018 Q4
Air bags
Risk. If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of…
2012 Dodge CaliberProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 49 owner complaints about the 2012 Dodge Caliber, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 16V-668 the manufacturer reports only 38% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through February 26, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2012 Dodge Caliber has problems
49 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
17Air bags4 crash/fire/injury
13Seat belts1 crash/fire/injury
7Vehicle speed control3 crash/fire/injury
6Structure
5Power train3 crash/fire/injury
5Suspension1 crash/fire/injury
5Electrical system
5Engine2 crash/fire/injury
3Electronic stability control (ESC)
97 other systems2 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 17 | 4 |
| Seat belts | 13 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 7 | 3 |
| Structure | 6 | 0 |
| Power train | 5 | 3 |
| Suspension | 5 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 5 | 0 |
| Engine | 5 | 2 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 3 | 0 |
| 7 other systems | 9 | 2 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2012 Dodge Caliber recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Dodge.
Best & worst years
2012 vs. every other Caliber year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Caliber median. How we score
'07'08'09'10'11'12
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2012 Dodge Caliber safety ratings
2012 Dodge Caliber 4 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★Overall rating
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (15.5% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2012 Dodge Caliber, and the recalls they led to.
- Active Head Rest Inadvertent DeploymentNo recall
In owners' words
What Caliber owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V668000 (SEAT BELTS, AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL…
AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN MY CAR ACCIDENT IN APRIL 2017, CAR WAS TOTALED. RECEIVED CONCUSSION AND WHIPLASH AS A RESULT OF MY AIR BAGS NOT DEPLOYING. MY CAR WAS REG MAINTAINED AT THE DODGE DEALERSHIP ON RIVER DALE RD, OGDEN, UT CALLED IN AND SPOKE WITH A REP (SHAY) 10/09/2017 AND SHE GAVE ME A CASE…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V668000 (AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (NASHVILLE CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP LOCATED ON 5800 CROSSINGS BLVD, ANTIOCH, TN…
Own a 2012 Caliber?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.