CarBrief

NHTSA has 638 owner complaints on file for the 2012 Chrysler 200[1], and engine is the largest complaint group[2]. The car also has four recalls, three of them tied to air bags, head restraints or seat belt systems[3][4][5].

638owner complaints[1]
4recalls[6]
22–24MPG combined (EPA)[7]
4★NHTSA overall rating[8]

Most reported problems

NHTSA lists 638 owner complaints for this model year[1]. Of those, 29 mention a crash, 4 a fire and 33 injuries, and none report a death[1]. These are unverified owner reports, and one complaint can name more than one component.

Other groups are smaller. They include visibility and wipers at 56 complaints[12], power train at 54[13] and steering at 45[14].

Recalls

NHTSA lists four recalls for this car. Newest first:

Check any car's VIN on NHTSA's recall site before you buy.

Fuel economy

EPA lists ratings for several engine and transmission setups[16][17][7][18][19]. Combined ratings run from 22 to 24 MPG[16][7].

The annual cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Safety ratings

The four-door front-wheel-drive version earned 4 stars overall from NHTSA[8]. It got 4 stars in the frontal test, 3 stars in the side test and 4 stars in rollover[8]. Rollover risk is 11.1%[8]. A second listing, C FWD, is not rated[20].

Engine and size

The EPA test car list rates the 2.4L 4-cylinder at 173 hp[21]. Dimensions below are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US cars.

Version Length Width Height Wheelbase Curb weight
Sedan LX/Limited[22] 192 in 72 in 55 in 109 in 3,389 lb
Sedan Touring/S[23] 192 in 72 in 55 in 109 in 3,558 lb
Convertible[24] 195 in 72 in 58 in 109 in 3,898 lb

How 2012 compares with other years

2011: 371 complaints, 3 recalls20112012: 638 complaints, 4 recalls63820122013: 628 complaints, 5 recalls20132014: 192 complaints, 1 recalls20142015: 1,993 complaints, 8 recalls20152016: 344 complaints, 2 recalls20162017: 43 complaints, 1 recalls2017
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each 200 model year. The 2012 is highlighted[6].
Show the numbers
Model yearComplaintsRecalls
20113713
20126384
20136285
20141921
20151,9938
20163442
2017431

NHTSA lists 638 complaints for 2012[6]. Only 2015 has more, at 1,993[6]. The 2013 model year has 628[6]. Others run lower: 371 for 2011, 192 for 2014, 344 for 2016 and 43 for 2017[6].

For recalls, 2012 has 4[6]. The 2015 model year has 8 and 2013 has 5[6]. The 2011 year has 3, 2016 has 2, and 2014 and 2017 have 1 each[6]. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so they show where reports cluster, not how likely a car is to fail.

Should you buy a used 2012 Chrysler 200?

The 2012 model has the second-highest complaint count of the years listed[6]. In the engine complaints we read, owners describe stalling[2], and the air bag and head restraint recalls are worth checking[3][4][5]. If you are shopping, confirm with a VIN check that every recall repair has been done, and ask about stalling or air bag warning lights. Fuel economy ranges from 22 to 24 MPG combined depending on the setup[7][18][19].

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Chrysler 200?
Engine is the largest complaint group at 161 of 638 complaints[1][2]. In a sample of engine complaints we read, owners describe stalling or hesitation[2].
Does the 2012 Chrysler 200 have recalls?
Yes, four: 17V640, 16V668, 13V282 and 11V487[3][4][5][15].
What is the gas mileage of the 2012 Chrysler 200?
EPA combined ratings run from 22 to 24 MPG, depending on engine and transmission[16][17][7][18][19].
How safe is the 2012 Chrysler 200?
The four-door front-wheel-drive version earned 4 stars overall from NHTSA, with 3 stars in the side test[8].
Is 2012 a bad year for the Chrysler 200?
It has 638 complaints, second to 2015 at 1,993[6]. Counts are not adjusted for sales.

Facts and sources

  1. NHTSA has 638 owner complaints on file for the 2012 Chrysler 200 (29 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 33 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
  2. 161 complaints name the engine component group (1 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 64,234). NHTSA vehicle records
  3. Recall 17V640, filed October 10, 2017: Seats › Front Assembly › Head Restraint. NHTSA recall database
  4. Recall 16V668, filed September 15, 2016: Seat Belts › Pretensioner. NHTSA recall database
  5. Recall 13V282, filed July 2, 2013: Air Bags. NHTSA recall database
  6. Owner complaints and recalls for every Chrysler 200 model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
  7. EPA rating for 200, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 21 city / 29 highway / 24 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,800. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  8. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR FWD: overall 4 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 3 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 11.1%. NHTSA vehicle records
  9. 140 complaints name the electrical system component group (1 crashes, 2 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 70,500). NHTSA vehicle records
  10. 136 complaints name the air bags component group (20 crashes, 0 fires, 22 injuries, median mileage at failure 66,448). NHTSA vehicle records
  11. 71 complaints name the seat belts component group (6 crashes, 0 fires, 6 injuries, median mileage at failure 55,000). NHTSA vehicle records
  12. 56 complaints name the visibility/wiper component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 69,537). NHTSA vehicle records
  13. 54 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 59,950). NHTSA vehicle records
  14. 45 complaints name the steering component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 29,875). NHTSA vehicle records
  15. Recall 11V487, filed September 29, 2011: Engine And Engine Cooling. NHTSA recall database
  16. EPA rating for 200 Convertible, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 18 city / 29 highway / 22 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  17. EPA rating for 200 Convertible, 3.6L 6-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Gasoline or E85, Front-Wheel Drive: 19 city / 28 highway / 22 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  18. EPA rating for 200, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 20 city / 30 highway / 23 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,900. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  19. EPA rating for 200, 3.6L 6-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Gasoline or E85, Front-Wheel Drive: 19 city / 28 highway / 22 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  20. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, C FWD: not rated. NHTSA vehicle records
  21. EPA Test Car List, 2012 Chrysler 200 with 2.4L 4-cylinder: rated 173 hp. www.epa.gov
  22. Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, 200 4DR SEDAN LX/LIMITED: length 192 in, width 72 in, height 55 in, wheelbase 109 in, curb weight 3,389 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
  23. Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, 200 4DR SEDAN TOURING/S: length 192 in, width 72 in, height 55 in, wheelbase 109 in, curb weight 3,558 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
  24. Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, 200 CONVERTIBLE LX/TOURING/LIMITED/S: length 195 in, width 72 in, height 58 in, wheelbase 109 in, curb weight 3,898 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.