Dodge Charger Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Dodge Charger options? We analyzed 10 model years (2017–2026) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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Model-year trends show patterns — they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.
- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Dodge Charger has 524 owner complaints and 31 safety recalls across model years 2017–2026. The most reported issue area is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. 2017 drew the most complaints; 2024 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Dodge
- Model
- Charger
- Model years analyzed
- 2017–2026 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 524
- Safety recall campaigns
- 31
- Crash-related complaints
- 36
- Fire-related complaints
- 9
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2017 (126 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2024 (1 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Dodge Charger: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe DODGE CHARGER has 524 NHTSA complaints and 31 recalls on record. 36 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 524 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 31 federal recall campaigns
- 36 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Jul 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
31 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
BACK OVER PREVENTION:WARNINGS:EXTERNAL/PEDESTRIAN ALERT
BACK OVER PREVENTION:WARNINGS:EXTERNAL/PEDESTRIAN ALERT
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:INTERNAL:PARK PAWL
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:INTERNAL:PARK PAWL
SEATS:CRITICAL FASTENERS
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:COLUMN SHIFT ASSEMBLY
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN:INFLATOR
PARKING BRAKE
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN:INFLATOR
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
SERVICE BRAKES
AIR BAGS
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017–2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 524 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
524 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
I am filing a safety complaint regarding my vehicle due to repeated mechanical failures that have caused it to become unreliable and unsafe. My vehicle has experienced ongoing issues despite multiple repair attempts. Most recently, the vehicle broke down again and left me stranded while I was transporting my mother to a critical cancer appointment and the 1st time had me stranded on the highway late at night. This situation created a serious safety concern, as we were left stuck in the vehicle without reliable transportation for the 3rd time. This is not an isolated incident. The vehicle has previously been in the repair shop for an extended period (over 50 days), for a separate issue that has been resolved. Despite these repeated failures and loss of use, the manufacturer, Stellantis, has declined a buyback request. I no longer feel safe operating this vehicle due to its unpredictability and repeated breakdowns. This poses a risk not only to myself and my passengers but potentially to others on the road. I am requesting that this issue be investigated as a potential safety defect.
The car is a 2022 with only 17k miles it started by smelling like gas really bad in the car and outside of it and eventually leaking gas badly so i took it into the dealership and it turns out there is a defective weld on the fuel filler neck and it had been leaking for a while. It was a major fire hazard not just for myself, but others on the road. Filling my garage up with fuel vapors and it was 1 spark away from catching on fire. So I contacted Stellantis to see if they would make it right and they refused to and told me things like that happen. It doesn't sit right with me. There was no warning lamps , messages anything of that sort. The leak was directly next to the exhaust as well.
I’m getting a indicator that I need to service my shifter and it’s making a strange noise and having problems shifting
all air bag not deployed
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2022 Dodge Charger. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 49,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 93,000.
I am writing to formally express my concern regarding an alignment issue with my 2022 Dodge Charger Hellcat Widebody, which remains unresolved despite multiple visits to an authorized Dodge dealership. I have been meticulous about maintaining this vehicle, including performing regular 4-wheel alignments and rotating the tires at every oil change trying to remedy this issue. Despite this, the dealership recently informed me that the camber on the vehicle is off by 1 degree do to the control arms not being long enough when designed. Most concerning is that I was told there are no factory parts available to bring the alignment back within proper specification. Tires are being replaced with less than 10k miles on them for uneven wear on the insides of the front tires causing them too bald quickly. After multiple years of going to one dodge dealership that would state it was fine after an alignment, I finally got an answer that the control arms are short not allowing correct adjustments earlier this year and 30k miles later from another dealership. This has raised several issues for me as a customer who purchased a high-performance vehicle expecting both quality and support from Dodge. An inability to correct alignment within factory specs using OEM parts suggests a potential manufacturing or design defect, and I believe it deserves further investigation. I would appreciate your review of this matter and a response with your recommended course of action. I am seeking a resolution that ensures the camber can be corrected appropriately without compromising the performance, handling, or tire wear of the vehicle.
Read 14 more owner reports
Instrument cluster on steering wheel not working could include airbag. All power to instruments on steering wheel no longer work under 40000 miles and no abuse or collisions on vehicle. All services done to the recommended schedule done by dealership. Rear camera glitches out from time to time and alarm system is triggered at night when in secure garage.
The contact's grandson owns a 2022 Dodge Charger. The contact's grandson stated that while changing lanes at an undisclosed speed and making a turn into a right lane; the rear driver-side tire had lost traction and the vehicle had spun out and crashed into the sidewalk, over a curb, and into a street sign where it came to a stop. The vehicle was also inspected by the grandson's mother prior to the failure where the vehicle was spun out at a lower speed. The contact stated that while the grandson was driving the failure may had happened because the vehicle was automatically switched into AWD mode and was set in rear wheel drive. A police report was filed however, was not available. The vehicle was not deemed a total loss and was towed to a local dealer for further repairs. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V808000 (Tires) and NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V504000 (Tires), however the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.
We purchased this vehicle new. Over time it started to surge on mild acceleration in all gears and all speeds. Dealership reset the transmission and engine computers. It was better but still noticeable. Over time though it gets worse. Dealership just does the same thing and resets the engine and transmission. This last time though it was still quite noticeable and has gotten much worse. We contacted the dealership and they plan to just reset them again as there is no other fix. The surging is unsafe especially in parking lots where you might be giving a little throttle and the car isn't really moving so you push harder and then it takes off.
When braking the engine goes into an uncontrolled fast idle that smokes the tires. Need to shut off engine immediately. This is intermittent. It is the 2nd time I had in to the dealer. Had it towed.
Intermittently the vehicle will jerk as if it looses power when driving, it has also happened when at a stop light and acceleration begins it jerks. It happens more often when at a complete stop and vehicle starts to accelerate. Vehicle was taken to melloy dodge in los lunas NM and they stated they were unable to find a problem
The contact owns a 2022 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle crashed into a mule. During the crash, the front passenger side of the vehicle was severely damaged, but no air bags were deployed. During the crash, the driver sustained a headache, right and left hip pain and a bruised torso from the seat belts. A police report was taken at the scene, and the vehicle was towed to an unknown location. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 11,000.
While parked in my driveway, the passenger rear side curtain airbag inflated on its own with noone in the car. The car cranks and operates correctly with no indication of a problem with the airbag system. This airbag had been replaced in September of 2025 due to a recall issued by Mopar. I have contacted Mopar and been assigned a case number.
I went to have my car make/model Dodge Charger serviced and when I went to the dealership I told them the problem before they even got to look at it, because it’s a known problem with Dodge Charger SRT models. Stellantis hasn't put a recall out on the part called Mopar Exhaust Valve Actuator - Mopar (68505881AA). There is a detachable spring that can break over time and its a known common problem. The dealership told me that they can't just order the spring like they use to and customers have to buy the entire part which they told me is $700 and $100 to install it. We should be able to order just the spring which is detachable and not the entire part which is not the issue for my car. There should be a recall put out from Stellantis about this known common issue. I've called Stellantis and they said on the phone that they’ve created a case and that was it. I truly believe Stellantis is running a scam and just trying to rake in more money and having customers order $700 parts when they may just need a $30 spring replaced. This rattling noise with the active exhaust for SRT Dodge Chargers is a very common issue and can easily be searched online, but no recalls or warnings have been put out from Stellantis about it. I could see if the spring was not detachable. Its detachable, because it’s designed to be replaced. There are no warning lamps for my car and this issue can increase air pollution.
The contact owns a 2021 Dodge Charger. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V198000 (Air Bags) and 21V516000 (Visibility). The dealer was contacted to perform the recall repairs; however, the dealer refused to complete the recall repairs. The contact stated that the sound was audible through the window, which the contact associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V516000 (Visibility). The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the recall repairs remained incomplete. The VIN was previously related to the recalls. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 101,000.
Rear doors cannot be opened from the inside when the child proof locks are in the open position, or the locked position. They can only be opened for the inside when unlocked from the drivers unlock panel.
The contact owns a 2021 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that while installing the car seats in the rear of the vehicle, the contact became aware that the driver’s side and passenger’s side rear seat belts would loosen unintendedly while attempting to fasten the seat belts. The vehicle had not been taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 61,702.
condensation in headlight
1. Headlight low/high beam keeps going out and comes back on. It seems like the wiring harness overheating, bulb is fine but continues to go out and on. 2. Transmission, does a very aggressive down shift at gear 6 it makes the car jump and if it happens too much, my car won't accelerate..I got it repaired once and it took dealer almost 30 days but it did not fix the problem..I could not afford to be without my car so I could not take it back to them.
No incident happened. My 2021 Charger windshield has not been recalled due to the adhesive around the edge of windshield.
Showing 20 of 524 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Dodge Charger
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Dodge Charger, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Dodge Charger has 524 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Dodge Charger has 31 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 36 of the Dodge Charger's 524 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Dodge Charger vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Dodge Charger vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Dodge Charger has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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By state
Check a Dodge Charger by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Dodge Charger.
Research more
Keep researching before you buy
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Dodge Charger reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Dodge Charger reliable?
Poor. The Dodge Charger has 524 NHTSA owner complaints and 31 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Dodge Charger years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2017 (126 complaints), 2018 (122 complaints), 2019 (119 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Dodge Charger problems?
Top reported issues: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (158 complaints); AIR BAGS (115 complaints); UNKNOWN OR OTHER (104 complaints).
Does the Dodge Charger have recalls?
Yes — 31 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Dodge Charger. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.