Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 Dodge Charger owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Loss of touchscreen functionality only works initially and then freezes completely making it unusable and making the most part of the internal features and climate control completely unavailable and increasing the risk of safety of the driver, Dealer stating to replace whole touch screen unit which is extremely expensive to replace, It should be standard and lot of functionality is used from the touchscreen And also Loss Of Low Beam Headlights seems like issue with electrical system recall issue that was done a long time back
When I purchased the car it had been used as a police car in the state of Mississippi. So after I bought the car I checked for any recalls and found it to have 2 open recalls. 1 was a passenger side airbag and the other was the alternator. So I contacted Moss motor company in South Pittsburg Tennessee and they agreed to do the recalls. After they had finished installing the air bag they told me the alternator wasn't required for change out because the part number listed on it wasn't warranted. So I did some investigating and found my part number to be 7030. The part numbers not required for change out is 7051-7031-and 7170.. It's listed under the NHTSA S68/16v-739 recall. Since I've had the car I have had blinking headlight issues.. I have a little bit of automobile knowledge and I knew it had to be a grounding problem or a alternator problem. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired by the previous owner per an unknown recall regarding the plug in part for the headlight, which was melting. After the contact took ownership of the vehicle, the failure recurred. The contact called jim cogdill Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram (8544 kingston pike, knoxville, tn 37919, [phone]) and was informed that nothing could be done since the recall repair was already performed. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 45,000.
Takata recall on Saturday February 27 my car radio began to turn off and on the display screen it said battery saver mode. I assumed my battery needed to charge but later that night it started and within minutes it did it again but the auto shops were closed. I was unable to take it the next day and today Monday February 29 as I drove to work my radio turned off again. After work I decided to drive to the auto zone to get the battery checked. As I drove my screen began turning off and on, my A/C kept turning up and down but blowing hot air, as if the heater was on, and the display screen where it shows speed turned white and started blinking on and off, all the indexes on the dash went crazy and maybe two minutes later my car shut off while driving and I struggled to turn as the steering locked. I was lucky to be near the auto zone already and away from traffic. …
My low beam does not function. I googled my problem and an edmonds article identified a recall on police vehicles ( p08 ) and a subsequent recall on the rest of the model run. When I called the recall line given for FCA I was told it did not apply to my problem. I was transferred to customer care who told me they would do nothing for me since the recalls were VIN specific. I asked if there was a repair I could accomplish and was told I would have to talk to a service representative. Until I have a remedy I will be driving around with one headlight. It seems ridiculous that the representative in recall can agree that I have the affected wiring in my vehicle, according to the build sheet for my VIN, but they will not make the repair called for in the recall on the defect.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that the low beams failed to function and shorted out without warning. The dealer replaced the lights, but the low beams shorted out again. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the low beams were replaced again, along with the wiring and wiring harness. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign numbers: 12V197000 (service brakes, air, electrical system) and 12V042000 (service brakes, hydraulic, electrical system, exterior lighting) although the failures were identical. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The contact was uncertain if replacing the parts with the same OEM parts would correct the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 79,097.
The A/C and defroster became inoperable. A check of the fuse box panel underneath the hood of the vehicle revealed that the fuse that directly controls or is associated with the performance/operation of the A/C and defroster was melted resulting in a hole being burnt through the bottom of the box. The fuse was the original fuse for the vehicle. It appears that the entire fuse box needs replacing as a result of the damage caused by the burned fuse. Additionally, the head lights of the vehicle look as if they are shattered internally. It appears that the bulbs, which are also original/factory get too hot and cause the plastic fixtures to appear cracked or shattered.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that the driver and passenger's side headlights failed. The contact replaced the bulbs and noticed a melted connector. The failure recurred and the contact called the dealer however, no further repairs were made to the vehicle. The manufacturer was contacted but only referred the contact back to the dealer. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign id number: 12V042000 (electrical system, exterior lighting , service brakes, hydraulic) but did not confirm if the vehicle was included in the recall. The failure mileage was 61,850. The VIN was not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that the driver's side headlight failed. The contact replaced the bulb but continued to experience the failure. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the low beam headlight wiring connector was melted. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign id number: 12V042000 (electrical system, exterior lighting, service brakes, hydraulic) however, the recall only included those models that were being used as police vehicles. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 51,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that the driver's side low beam heads failed without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician diagnosed that the light bulb overheated and the wiring harness had melted. As a result, both the headlight and the wiring harness needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign id number: 14V101000 (lighting). The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 40,300 and the current mileage was 40,450.
Related recalls
Exterior lighting › Headlights
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Dodge Charger vehicles manufactured May 20, 2010, through November 8, 2011, and equipped with halogen headlamps. In the affected vehicles, a sub-harness for the headlights may overheat and cause the low beam headlights to go out.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headlamp jumper harnesses and bulbs, or the headlamp assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 2, 2014.
Headlight complaints in other Charger years
Frequently asked questions
How common are headlight problems on the 2012 Dodge Charger?
NHTSA has 52 complaints about the lights of the 2012 Dodge Charger, 8% of the model year's 648 complaints. The component named most often is headlights (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2012 Dodge Charger headlight problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 14V-101 (headlights, Mar 4, 2014). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2012 Dodge Charger headlight problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 48,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 7 fires and 0 injuries to lights problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.