2012 Dodge DART

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Dodge DART has 1533 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 19.2x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (30% of all complaints), specifically: 2013 dodge dart rallye. consumer states when engaging clutch pedal his left foot became jammed between the clutch pedal and a piece of interior superstructure under the dash panel *tgw the consumer stated he was able to get un-tangled, but he was only going 10 mph and there was no traffic to conten. ⚠️ 26 fire reports filed.

26 fire reports 86 crash reports 43 injuries

1533

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

19.2x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

455 complaints

30%

• 2013 DODGE DART RALLYE. CONSUMER STATES WHEN ENGAGING CLUTCH PEDAL HIS LEFT FOOT BECAME JAMMED BETWEEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND A PIECE OF INTERIOR SUPERSTRUCTURE UNDER THE DASH PANEL *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS ABLE TO GET UN-TANGLED, BUT HE WAS ONLY GOING 10 MPH AND THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC TO CONTEN
• ONE MONTH OLD DODGE DART RALLYE WAS PARKED ON A STEEP DRIVEWAY THE MORNING OF 01/20/13. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHT FOR THE 'PARKING BRAKE ENGAGED' WAS LIT. THE CAR SAT IDLE FOR ABOUT A MINUTE AND WAS ALSO IDLE AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE CAR FOR >30 SECONDS. AT THAT POINT
• MY ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS BASED ON ENGINEERING EXPERTISE NOT EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE, SUGGESTS THAT, RATHER THAN RESPONDING TO DRIVER CONTROLLED BY-WIRE" INSTRUCTIONS TO BRAKE PREPARATORY TO A HARD RIGHT TURN INTO OUR DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE TOOK CONTROL OF THE THROTTLE, BRAKE, AND (DRIVE-BY-WIRE ?) CLUTCH P

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports💥 11 crashes

“2013 DODGE DART RALLYE. CONSUMER STATES WHEN ENGAGING CLUTCH PEDAL HIS LEFT FOOT BECAME JAMMED BETWEEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND A PIECE OF INTERIOR SUPERSTRUCTURE UNDER THE DASH PANEL *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS ABLE TO GET UN-TANGLED, BUT HE WAS ONLY GOING 10 MPH AND THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC TO CONTEN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

279 complaints

18%

• THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE & COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATALITY. WHO EVER OWNS THIS VEHICLE BE CAREFUL. ON 10/31/12 ABOUT 11:30AM MY GRANDMOTHER & I WERE HEADING OUT TO LUNCH. MY GRANDMA WANTED TO RIDE IN THE DART THAT I HAD BOUGHT ON 10/26/12. I ONLY PUT ABOUT 10 MILES ON THE DART & IT IS A MANUAL 6 SPEED.
• ONE MONTH OLD DODGE DART RALLYE WAS PARKED ON A STEEP DRIVEWAY THE MORNING OF 01/20/13. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHT FOR THE 'PARKING BRAKE ENGAGED' WAS LIT. THE CAR SAT IDLE FOR ABOUT A MINUTE AND WAS ALSO IDLE AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE CAR FOR >30 SECONDS. AT THAT POINT
• MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY FROM FEB. 21, 2013 FROM 11:30 AM TO APPROXIMATELY 4:00 PM WHEN IT ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY HIT A TREE AND STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN FIRST GEAR AND THE PARKING BRAKE WAS ENGAGED. THE DRIVEWAY HAS AN APPROXIMATELY 20% SLOPE AT THE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 29 crashes

“THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE & COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATALITY. WHO EVER OWNS THIS VEHICLE BE CAREFUL. ON 10/31/12 ABOUT 11:30AM MY GRANDMOTHER & I WERE HEADING OUT TO LUNCH. MY GRANDMA WANTED TO RIDE IN THE DART THAT I HAD BOUGHT ON 10/26/12. I ONLY PUT ABOUT 10 MILES ON THE DART & IT IS A MANUAL 6 SPEED. ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

176 complaints

11%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE DART. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE AND BATTERY WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUTMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A SOFTWARE UPDATE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIR
• CHAPMANSWRECKER WRECKER SVC IN NASHVILLE , TN 37210 TOWED A 2013 DODGE DART RENT-A-CAR THAT THE WHOLE FRONT END BURNT. *TR
• WHEN I START MY CAR THE GPS/RADIO SCREEN DOES NOT TURN ON, THE BACK UP CAMERA, BLINKERS, LIGHTS AND WINDOWS, A/C, RADIO WILL NOT WORK, SOMETIMES FOR A MATTER OF SECONDS OR MY ENTIRE DRIVE. IT IS UNSAFE TO TURN, HOT IN THE CAR ON 90 DEGREE WEATHER AND JUST ANNOYING, I HAVE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO AS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 7 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE DART. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE AND BATTERY WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUTMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A SOFTWARE UPDATE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

168 complaints

11%

• MY ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS BASED ON ENGINEERING EXPERTISE NOT EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE, SUGGESTS THAT, RATHER THAN RESPONDING TO DRIVER CONTROLLED BY-WIRE" INSTRUCTIONS TO BRAKE PREPARATORY TO A HARD RIGHT TURN INTO OUR DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE TOOK CONTROL OF THE THROTTLE, BRAKE, AND (DRIVE-BY-WIRE ?) CLUTCH P
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE DART. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN A PARKING LOT IDLING, SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT THROUGH THE VENTS AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE LOW WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE DART. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING LAMPS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE AND

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 7 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“MY ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS BASED ON ENGINEERING EXPERTISE NOT EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE, SUGGESTS THAT, RATHER THAN RESPONDING TO DRIVER CONTROLLED BY-WIRE" INSTRUCTIONS TO BRAKE PREPARATORY TO A HARD RIGHT TURN INTO OUR DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE TOOK CONTROL OF THE THROTTLE, BRAKE, AND (DRIVE-BY-WIRE ?) CLUTCH P”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

116 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE DART. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HANDLE FAILED CAUSING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE RELEASE ROD TO MALFUNCTION AND NOT ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AN
• WHILE PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN THE ACCELATOR PEDDLE STUCK UNDER THE FLOOR MAT. I NOTICED THE FACTORY MAT SLIDING AROUND A MONTH AGO AND RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD TO BUY NEW AFTER MARKET MATS. I REMOVED THE DRIVER-SIDE MAT AND ORDERED AFTER MARKETS. THE NEW MATS HAVE LARGER LUGS
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE DART. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY AND CRASHED INTO A TREE WHILE THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE WAS ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO ADVISED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 13V124000 (PARKING BRAKE). THE MANUFA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports💥 8 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE DART. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HANDLE FAILED CAUSING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE RELEASE ROD TO MALFUNCTION AND NOT ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 1533 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: 2013 DODGE DART RALLYE. CONSUMER STATES WHEN ENGAGING CLUTCH PEDAL HIS LEFT FOOT BECAME JAMMED BETWEEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND A PIECE OF INTERIOR SUPERSTRUCTURE UNDER THE DASH PANEL *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS ABLE TO GET UN-TANGLED, BUT HE WAS ONLY GOING 10 MPH AND THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC TO CONTEN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE & COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATALITY. WHO EVER OWNS THIS VEHICLE BE CAREFUL. ON 10/31/12 ABOUT 11:30AM MY GRANDMOTHER & I WERE HEADING OUT TO LUNCH. MY GRANDMA WANTED TO RIDE IN THE DART THAT I HAD BOUGHT ON 10/26/12. I ONLY PUT ABOUT 10 MILES ON THE DART & IT IS A MANUAL 6 SPEED.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE DART. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE AND BATTERY WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUTMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A SOFTWARE UPDATE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: MY ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS BASED ON ENGINEERING EXPERTISE NOT EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE, SUGGESTS THAT, RATHER THAN RESPONDING TO DRIVER CONTROLLED BY-WIRE" INSTRUCTIONS TO BRAKE PREPARATORY TO A HARD RIGHT TURN INTO OUR DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE TOOK CONTROL OF THE THROTTLE, BRAKE, AND (DRIVE-BY-WIRE ?) CLUTCH P
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)