Problems · by component

2012 Dodge Charger exterior lighting problems

52 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2012 Dodge Charger cite exterior lighting, 8% of all 648 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
52
8% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the exterior lighting

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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. So I even added a couple of grounds from the engine to the chassis with no improvement. So I contacted a good friend of mine whom is a retired Dodge Chrysler master technician and he agreed to check my alternator for fluctuating amperage. He placed a device around the lead wire coming from the alternator to the battery…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 30, 2023Steering, Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11529695
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 14, 2022Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11493492
“THIRD TIME CHANGING THE LIGHT BULB AND THE WIRES FOR MY HEADLIGHT (LOW BEAM) AND STILL HAVING PROBLEMS, FEW FRIENDS OF MINE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. LOW BEAM GOES OFF WHILE DRIVING.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 4, 2019Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11286776
“1.THE WIRING TO THE HEADLIGHTS KEEPS BURNING INTO AND IT HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE ALREADY. 2. THE RADIO DOESN'T COME ON WHEN I START THE CAR; I HAVE TO SHUT IT OFF AND RESTART IT SOMETIMES SEVERAL TIMES TO GET EVERYTHING CONNECTED. 3. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE MY CAR ALIGNED 4 TIMES IN 9 MONTHS AND BOUGHT 2 SETS OF TIRES BECAUSE IT WILL NOT KEEP THE ALIGNMENT. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER A YEAR AND THE RADIO AND LIGHTS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR MUCH LONGER. WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 8, 2019Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Service brakesODI 11267046
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE CHARGER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AT NIGHT, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS UNINTENTIONALLY WENT OUT. DULUTH DODGE INC (4755 MILLER TRUNK HWY, DULUTH, MN 55811, (218) 720-6123) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V101000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 26, 2018Exterior lightingODI 11163520
“PASSENGER HID LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY SHUTS OFF. AFTER A PERIOD OF THE VEHICLE BEING SHUT DOWN AND RESTARTED THE LIGHT WILL COME BACK O BUT WILL SHUT OFF AGAIN AFTER A FEW MINUTES. THERE IS AN OPEN RECALL ON THE WIRING HARNESS, BUT NOTHING IS SHOWING ON MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE FOR THE RECALL.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 28, 2018Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11154650

Showing 6 of 52 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 4, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Exterior lighting: headlights

Free remedy

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.

Exterior lightingReported Mar 4, 2014NHTSA 14V101000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 4, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.