The contact owns a 2012 Chrysler 200. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. While inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware that the driver's side headrest had detached. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The contact was informed of a recall with a similar failure; however, the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 132,739.
The worst 2012 Chrysler 200 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine161
- Electrical140
- Airbags136
- Visibility81
- Seat belts71
- Transmission54
- Steering45
- Brakes42
- Lights36
- Driver assistance29
- Acceleration26
- Body19
- Fuel system18
- Seats18
- Suspension17
- Wheels4
- Tires2
- Locks1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2012 Chrysler 200
Stalling 98Check engine light 42Headlights 40Airbag light 35ABS 22Loss of power 22Wipers 22Power steering loss 21No deployment 18Jerking 16Grinding brakes 15Won't start 15Engine failure 14Knocking 11Overheating 11Steering lock-up 11Harsh shifting 9Hesitation 9Fuel pump 8Won't shift 7Steering noise 6Pulling 6Transmission failure 6Adaptive cruise 5Misfire 5Seat belt 5
Recalls 4
Seats: front assembly: head restraint
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2012 Jeep Liberty and 2012-2013 Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger vehicles. A component within the occupant restraint controller (ORC) may fail and prevent the active headrests from deploying in the event of a rear-end crash.
- Risk
- If the active headrests do not deploy in certain rear-end crashes, the front seat occupants have an increased risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ORC as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 4, 2017. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. FCA's number for this recall is T56.
Recall number 17V640000 · Recall details
Air bags
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 200, 2010 Chrysler Sebring, 2010-2012 Dodge Caliber and 2010-2014 Jeep Patriot, Compass and Dodge Avenger vehicles. The Occupant Restraint Control (OCR) module may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.
- 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 a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCR, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners that parts are not available yet were mailed on October 26, 2016. The recall began on August 15, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S61.
Recall number 16V668000 · Recall details
Air bags
- What is wrong
- Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Sebring and 200 vehicles manufactured June 28, 2011, through December 13, 2012; model year 2011-2013 Dodge Avenger vehicles manufactured June 25, 2011, through January 14, 2013; model year 2011-2012 Dodge Nitro vehicles manufactured June 17, 2011, through December 15, 2011; and model year 2011-2012 Jeep Liberty vehicles manufactured June 17, 2011, through August 15, 2012. Electrical over-stress of a resistor in the occupant restraint control module may lead to the non-deployment of the active head restraints during a rear impact collision.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash necessitating the deployment of the active head restraints , their non-deployment could increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will flash the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) or replace the occupant restraint control module, as needed, free of charge. The recall began on November 19, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1‑800‑247‑9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N38.
Recall number 13V282000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- Connecting rod failure may lead to engine seizure which may increase the risk of a crash.
- 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.
Recall number 11V487000 · Recall details
See all 4 recalls for the 2012 Chrysler 200
Defect investigations
Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19014 on September 9, 2019, to investigate 128 consumer complaints alleging that the Active Head Rest (AHR) inadvertently deployed without the occurrence of a crash or other rear impact event in model year (MY) 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles.When ODI opened the investigation, ODI was aware of thirteen alleged injuries.A small number of Early Warning Reports identified driver and/or passenger front seat AHR inadvertent deployments without a rear impact event.Reported safety consequences resulting from the AHR deployments include concussions, headaches, soft tissue injuries, disorientation, nausea, vomiting and/or loss of vehicle control as a result of being surprised and distracted by being struck in the head by the inadvertent AHR deployment. On September 24, 2019, ODI sent an Information Request (IR) letter to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).ODI requested certain detailed information from FCA related to the following subject vehicles: MY 2010-2014 Dodge Avenger 200, MY 2010-2014 Dodge Calber, MY 2010-2014 Chrysler Sebring, MY 2013-2015 Ram Tradesman, MY 2012 Ram Van, MY 2010-2019 Dodge Grand Caravan, MY 2010-2016 Chrysler Town and Country, MY 2010-2017 Jeep Compass, MY 2011-2020 Dodge Durango, MY 2011-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, MY 2010-2019 Dodge Journey, MY 2010-2012 Jeep Liberty, MY 2010-2011 Jeep Nitro, and MY 2010-2011 Jeep Patriot vehicles.On December 2, 2019, ODI received a response from FCA that included vehicle production data, consumer complaints, field reports, warranty claims, manufacturer actions, production changes, and other data related to the alleged defect from the start of production (2010) through September 24, 2019.On January 27, 2020, ODI received an update to the December 2, 2019, IR response from FCA.On September 22, 2020, ODI requested additional subject vehicle AHR information from FCA.ODI received FCA's response on October 21, 2020.ODI subsequently received an update to FCA's October 21, 2020, response on February 16, 2021.During the investigation, ODI requested updates to certain IR questions on two occasions.FCA provided updates to question #2 on March 5, 2021, and questions #2 and #5 on May 26, 2023. FCA’s IR response data identified approximately 7.5 million subject vehicles (with approximately 15 million AHR assemblies).Due to the large number of vehicles and failure reports, ODI focused its analysis on the FCA vehicle model with the highest failure rate to represent the worst-case scenario.For this purpose, ODI focused on MY 2012-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles for its analysis.This population includes 710,890 vehicles that FCA manufactured between August 19, 2011, and August 8, 2015.ODI identified 2,839 alleged AHR failures within this limited population.ODI identified 263 alleged injuries that were caused by AHR failures in MY 2012-2015 Grand Cherokees vehicles.Of these alleged injuries, ODI categorized them as eighty-two (82) soft tissue (neck/whiplash, bruise) injuries, four (4) concussions, fifty-nine (59) headaches, and one hundred eighteen (118) without a specific injury description.Although complainants have alleged injuries, ODI has been unable to obtain evidence to substantiate or validate any injuries where medical treatment was required.Consumer outreach was conducted by ODI, where sixty-three (63) FCA complainants with alleged injuries were contacted.Twelve of the sixty-three FCA consumers responded and were interviewed by ODI.ODI requested medical records, however, only one response was provided. Attorneys representing the responding complainant provided a synopsis that indicated they had experienced prior neck-related injuries dating to the mid-1990s.ODI also contacted one hundred (100) consumers who submitted Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ) in an attempt to validate alleged injuries. Despite the efforts of ODI, the office has been unsuccessful at obtaining substantive documentation/evidence supporting complaints that allege serious injuries (where pre-existing medical conditions did not already exist). In addition to the low severity of alleged injuries caused by AHR deployments, there have been eleven alleged crashes and two alleged lane departures within the entire subject vehicle population that has been in the field up to sixteen years (with over 8,500 AHR inadvertent deployments).ODI was not able to validate that the alleged crashes were the result of inadvertent head rest deployments, and the crashes were minor in nature. ODI has conducted a thorough investigation of the alleged safety defect and with up to sixteen years of exposure for some vehicles and over 8,500 inadvertent AHR deployments, no serious crashes or injuries could be validated in the sub-population of focus.The lack of serious injuries validated by ODI with such large period of field exposure is consistent with thework done by the federal safety agency’s Human Injury Research Division and the Biodynamic Research Corporation, which support that an inadvertent AHR deployment is not likely to cause serious injury.In addition to the low risk of injury, FCA released an extended warranty program that covers inadvertent AHR deployment for ten years / unlimited mileage from the vehicle's in-service date. PE19014 is closed with the FCA extended warranty program.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist, and the Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances. To review a complete closing summary, please the attached closing report. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to
PE19014
Technical service bulletins for the 2012 Chrysler 200 171
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Emissions Recall U67
- Verify Reman part number availability
- Actuator - a/c and heater
- Lifter
- Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair...
- Lubrication and Maintenance Fluids If MOPAR fluids and chemicals are not readily available, please review...
- WiTECH Small Leak Verification Test (SLVT)
- Adapter
- Adapter
- Emissions recal U67 Catalytic Converter Efficiency
2012 Chrysler 200 fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4‑cyl | FWD | 18-21 | 29-30 | 22-24 |
| 3.6L 6‑cyl | FWD | 19 | 28 | 22 |
What 2012 Chrysler 200 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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
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 INSANITY .....IM TIRED OF DUMPING MONEY INTO THE CAR THAT HAS A MAKER ISSUE !!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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 speed control was inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The battery was replaced; however, the failures reoccurred. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.
The problem seems to be with the electrical system the TIPM is malfunctioning. Wipers will stop midstream or run constantly, any time power is engaged in the car the wipers will begin to work whether the switch is on or off and regardless if the key is even in the ignition or not. Airbag lights are lit up, blinker switch will engage wipers to run.
The contact owns a 2012 Chrysler 200. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated upon starting the vehicle. The dealer and the manufacturer had not been notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owned a 2012 Chrysler 200. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed during night, a bright light suddenly obstructed his view to the roadway. The contact's son veered the steering wheel and suddenly crashed into a traffic signal, where it came to a stop. The traffic pole was knocked down and landed on top of the vehicle, damaging the front windshield and roof. The contact's son was unsure what exactly happened, and is unsure whether the vehicle spun around or crashed into any other private property. The driver-side and passenger-side air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed. The contact's son was covered in glass from the front windshield and suffered injuries to the back on the right side that did not require medical attention. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 161,123.
It happened to my wife with our three kiddos in the car, she was on the freeway doing speed limit 65 when the car just shut off going around a corner at night all of everything shut off including head lights, power steering, and moter it almost through her and kids off the road in the dark ,the wipers shut off whenever they want and the healights off and on without warning, the horn blows unpredictable like , eceleration from bogging down to super fast causes the car to swerve and jerk around unpredictabley the windows sometimes work and sometimes not, once in a while car wont start and or stalls while driving. I'm really worried and scared my wife and kids are going to get hurt or killed or hurt someone else because of these electrical issues. I was so happy to buy my wifey something nice ,safe and sound to drive kiddos back and forth and take me to work and back for it to only turn out super unsafe and unpredictable , we love our crysler 200 still but its unsafe and needs to be addressed as soon as we can before anyone gets hurt or killed, I'll do anything to get help with resolving this issue. It needs help that I cant provide, or afford I'm still happily paying for it crossing my fingers nothing else this scary happens.
The contact owns a 2012 Chrysler 200. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was restarted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 42,000.
As I was waiting for the light to change, my car suddenly shuts off and won't restart. Luckily, some goof Samaritans helped push my vehicle out of traffic. The mechanic close to where the incident took place found that the ASD fuse needed to be replaced and my car started right up. Well my car shut off while waiting for a light a few days later. I will be having my car looked at again however after research it seems to be that the TIPM needs to be replaced. It would be amazing if there was a recall on this as I see so many others having the same issue. This is a HUGE safety concern.
Compare the 2012 Chrysler 200
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Questions about the 2012 Chrysler 200
Is the 2012 Chrysler 200 reliable?
Owners have filed 639 complaints about the 2012 Chrysler 200, 1.9 times a typical 200 model year.
What is the 2012 Chrysler 200 year score?
The 2012 Chrysler 200 scores 50 out of 100 (below average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Chrysler 200: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Chrysler 200?
Engine and cooling, with 161 complaints, typically around 68,000 miles. Next is electrical (140).
How many recalls does the 2012 Chrysler 200 have?
4 recalls, covering seats, air bags and engine and engine cooling.
What gas mileage does the 2012 Chrysler 200 get?
Official estimates for the 2012 Chrysler 200 range from 22 to 24 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.4L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 18-21 city and 29-30 highway.
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