Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
24–27 mpgcombined; city 22–24, highway 27–31; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$12,030–$13,530U.S. average; Ohio $10,750–$12,090 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2012 Caliber. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 49 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Caliber. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Air bags
17
4
1
5
Seat belts
13
1
0
0
Vehicle speed control
7
3
0
0
Structure
6
0
0
0
Electrical system
5
0
0
0
Engine
5
1
1
0
Power train
5
3
0
0
Suspension
5
1
0
0
Unknown or other
5
1
1
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
3
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
2
0
0
0
Steering
2
0
0
0
5 more parts
Fuel system, gasoline
1
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
1
0
0
0
Seats
1
1
0
1
Service brakes
1
0
0
0
Wheels
1
1
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2012 Caliber over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Air bags; Air bags: frontal; Seat belts: pretensioner
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.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 100 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2012 Caliber, the latest on Jun 18, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (37), electrical system (23), power train (13), seats (12), engine and engine cooling (10).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Preliminary evaluation PE19014 Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment · covers 4 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2012 Caliber.
EPA class: small station wagons. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Caliber Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Manual 5-spd
Regular Gasoline
24 / 31 / 27
Caliber Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Regular Gasoline
23 / 27 / 24
Caliber Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Regular Gasoline
22 / 27 / 24
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data