Dodge Charger Reliability Problems

Charger owners have made 819 complaints over 16 model years. Using our PainRank™ system we've ranked it 21st in overall reliability out of 29 Dodge models, with real engine and electrical concerns.

5 Common Dodge Charger Problems

A list of some of the most common issues Charger owners have to deal with.

  1. Charger Warped Door Panels

    There is a door panel defect in certain model years of the 7th generation Charger. The panels warp and pull away from where they meet the window, leaving an unsightly gap that causes more problems than cosmetics. A class-action lawsuit is t…

    Continue reading article "Charger Warped Door Panels" An overhead view where you can see the panel has pulled away from the window in a long curve

  2. Dodge Vehicles With Recalled Takata Airbags

    Takata, a parts supplier, provided automakers with a defective airbag inflator responsible for 23 deaths and hundreds of injuries. It's one of the largest and most dangerous recalls in automotive history, affecting over 37 million vehicles …

    Continue reading article "Dodge Vehicles With Recalled Takata Airbags" A crash test dummy about to hit an airbag superimposed with the Takata logo

  3. Dodge's Dangerous e-Shift Design

    The monostable electronic gear shifter is Fiat-Chrysler (FCA) vehicles has been disastrous. The confusing design is responsible for hundreds of rollaway incidents and widely believed to have caused actor Anton Yelchin’s death.

    Continue reading article "Dodge's Dangerous e-Shift Design" A dangerous design

  4. Stuck in Park

    Can't shift the car into reverse or drive! Now what? This is most commonly reported from Dodge Avenger owners, but there have also been similar complaints about other Dodge makes as well as other Chrysler and Jeep vehicles having a similar …

    Continue reading article "Stuck in Park" Red arrow points at a disassembled gear shifter

What Charger Owners Complain About

Sometimes it helps just to tally up the complaints and see where the biggest stacks are. Use this information to learn about troublespots or to run for the hills.

Worst Issues

What Breaks the Most

Years to Avoid

Full Lists on CarComplaints.com

Charger Generations

The Charger has 2 generations, each with their own issues. Using the same PainRank™ system we've determined that you're better off avoiding the 6th generation (2006–2010).

Charger Key Numbers

  1. 819 complaints

    Running tally of owner grievances filed to CarComplaints.com.

  2. 488 service bulletins

    Documenting the process of troubleshooting common problems.

  3. 40 recall campaigns

    Time-sensitive, free repairs for widespread safety problems.

Charger Class-Action Lawsuits

The Charger has been named as a class vehicle in the following lawsuits.

Recent Charger News

There's a lot of news out there, but not all of it matters. We try to boil down it to the most important bits about things that actually help you with your car problem. Interested in getting these stories in an email? Signup for free email alerts over at CarComplaints.com.

  1. The Charger's interior door panels have been warping and peeling away from where they meet the window since the 2014 model year.

    And while some owners have been able to replace the issue under warranty there's a handful of major problems according to a new class-action lawsuit:

    1. It takes so damn long because there's a national backorder for parts
    2. It doesn't really matter because Dodge is just going to replace your defective panel with a new, but equally defective panel
    3. They're betting you won't wait around to replace the panel because it can interfere with the side airbags from deploying and locks from activating.…

      keep reading article "Charger Owners Are Tired Of Their Door Panels Peeling Off Near the Windows"

  2. A lawsuit concerning hacking vulnerabilities in Fiat-Chrysler’s (FCA) Uconnect system is headed to trial this October.

    The lawsuit was filed after researchers showed how a Jeep could be controlled remotely through the infotainment system. FCA has called the case meritless and tried to get it dismissed. When that didn’t work they turned to the U.S. Supreme Court. To FCA’s surprise, the court refused to even hear the appeal.

    It’s almost as if FCA thought the were in control of the situation and then suddenly they weren’t 🤔

    keep reading article "Uconnect Hacking Vulnerability Trial Date Set"

  3. Is that a light at the end of the Takata tunnel?

    Fiat-Chrysler (FCA) says they’ve entered the _ fourth and final stage_ of Takata recalls with a campaign to replace the passenger-side inflators in 1.6 million vehicles.

    The bulk of the vehicles are in the US and include the 2010 Dodge Ram 3500, 4500, 5500, the 2010-2011 Dakota, the 2010-2014 Challenger, and the 2011-2015 Charger.…

    keep reading article "FCA Recalls 1.6 Million Takata Inflators in 'Fourth and Final Stage'"

  5. Did you know it’s been almost five years since the first Takata recall?

    And just like the ongoing nightmare it’s become, we find ourselves staring down the barrel of yet another recall expansion.

    Fiat-Chrysler (FCA) is recalling 317,000 vehicles, including the Dodge Challenger, Charger, Dakota, and older Ram trucks. David Woods of CarComplaints.com has the full breakdown of which model years and in what zones.…

    keep reading article "It’s Happening Again. More Dodge Vehicles Recalled with Dangerous Takata Airbags."

  6. The government has closed their investigation into FCA’s electronic gear shifters after the automaker agreed to a software update recall.

    But that doesn't mean they like the design change, saying the "monostable shifter isn't consistent and simply isn't easy to use."

    And yet, it appears at this point the only thing drivers have to look forward to is more chimes and audible warnings.

    keep reading article "How Many Accidents Have Electronic Gear Shifters Caused?"

  8. Fiat-Chrysler (FCA) is recalling 1.1 million vehicles with electronic gear selectors.

    While the system is working as it was designed, it's the design that's the problem.

    "A driver should know the gear-selection based on multiple sets of indicator lights, unlike normal shifters that use a gear-selector position. However, hundreds of drivers have caused their vehicles to roll away because of not realizing the vehicles aren't in Park."

    An investigation was opened earlier this year. One or two rollaways might be an accident, but hundreds? That screams of a "back to the drawing board" situation for the FCA team.…

    keep reading article "Electronic Gear Shifter Rollaways Lead to Massive FCA Recall"

See All Charger News

What Owners Say About Their Charger

Charger Door Panels Melt and Warp Under the Heat of the Sun

Looks like thousands of others are dealing with the Charger interior door panel issue. I should not be forced to spend a dime to replace door panels on a vehicle 4 years old w/ 30,000 miles.

2016 Charger Owner in MD

Other Dodge Models