Dodge Charger Problems by Year
NHTSA has 5,737 owner complaints and 48 safety recalls on file for the Dodge Charger, across 23 model years (2001–2027). The 2006 model year has the most complaints (1,294). The most reported problem area overall is electrical system.
Dodge Charger years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Charger year: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2006 Charger: 1,294 complaints, 5 recalls
- 2011 Charger: 695 complaints, 11 recalls
- 2012 Charger: 648 complaints, 14 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2024 Charger: 1 complaint, 0 recalls
- 2026 Charger: 2 complaints, 1 recall
- 2001 Charger: 3 complaints, 0 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Dodge Charger problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 1,921 | 20 | 36 |
| Engine problems | 1,026 | 18 | 13 |
| Power Train problems | 792 | 17 | 27 |
| Air Bags problems | 778 | 19 | 145 |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 513 | 17 | 0 |
| Steering problems | 408 | 17 | 17 |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 315 | 19 | 2 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 253 | 13 | 1 |
| Service Brakes problems | 240 | 15 | 22 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 205 | 15 | 20 |
| Structure problems | 188 | 17 | 20 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 166 | 13 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) problems | 162 | 13 | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 144 | 10 | 6 |
| Suspension problems | 125 | 17 | 8 |
| Wheels | 89 | 16 | 9 |
| Seat Belts | 57 | 11 | 9 |
| Tires | 56 | 14 | 5 |
| Visibility/wiper | 44 | 12 | 1 |
| Visibility | 33 | 11 | 0 |
| Seats | 23 | 11 | 0 |
| Equipment | 22 | 11 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 18 | 7 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 17 | 10 | 3 |
| Traction Control System | 14 | 7 | 1 |
| Parking Brake | 10 | 5 | 0 |
| Lane Departure | 8 | 6 | 1 |
| Back Over Prevention | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Other/i Am Not Sure | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Other/unknown | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Firerelated | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Dodge Charger problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2016: structure (53)
- 2014: electrical system (109) · steering (62) · engine (61) · power train (60)
- 2013: electrical system (167) · engine (50)
- 2012: electrical system (359) · air bags (111) · engine (94) · power train (65) · steering (53) · exterior lighting (52)
- 2011: electrical system (395) · exterior lighting (158) · fuel/propulsion system (79) · engine (77) · air bags (52)
- 2010: electrical system (74) · air bags (59)
- 2008: electrical system (391) · air bags (124) · engine (89)
- 2007: power train (220) · engine (82) · air bags (77) · electrical system (50)
- 2006: engine (388) · fuel/propulsion system (305) · power train (218) · fuel system, gasoline (215) · electrical system (145) · air bags (103) · service brakes, hydraulic (97) · steering (89) · engine and engine cooling (63) · vehicle speed control (52)
All Dodge Charger model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 Charger | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2026 Charger | 2 | 1 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2024 Charger | 1 | 0 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2023 Charger | 26 | 2 | 5★ | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2022 Charger | 16 | 3 | 5★ | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2021 Charger | 35 | 2 | 5★ | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2020 Charger | 57 | 3 | 5★ | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2019 Charger | 120 | 5 | 5★ | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2018 Charger | 122 | 6 | 5★ | Electrical System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2017 Charger | 128 | 4 | 5★ | Electrical System | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2016 Charger | 182 | 5 | 5★ | Structure | More complaints than other years |
| 2015 Charger | 136 | 7 | — | Power Train | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2014 Charger | 343 | 9 | 5★ | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2013 Charger | 360 | 8 | 5★ | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2012 Charger | 648 | 14 | 5★ | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2011 Charger | 695 | 11 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2010 Charger | 232 | 6 | — | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 2009 Charger | 174 | 6 | — | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 2008 Charger | 609 | 5 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2007 Charger | 554 | 5 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2006 Charger | 1,294 | 5 | — | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2005 Charger | 0 | 0 | — | — | |
| 2001 Charger | 3 | 0 | — | Air Bags |
More from Dodge: all Dodge models · Dodge VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Dodge Charger years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2006 (1,294), 2007 (554), 2008 (609), 2011 (695), 2012 (648), 2013 (360), 2014 (343) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Charger year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Dodge Charger?
Electrical System, with 1,921 complaints across 20 model years.
How many recalls does the Dodge Charger have?
48 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.