2008 Dodge Charger Reliability
The 2008 Dodge Charger has 624 owner complaints and 5 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and air bags. Compared with other Charger model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Charger's typical year.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
624
NHTSA owner complaints
5
Recall campaigns
24
Complaints citing a crash
22
Complaints citing a fire
2008 Dodge Charger complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 model year, filed between 2007 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 397 | 64% |
| Air bags | 124 | 20% |
| Engine | 94 | 15% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 35 | 6% |
| Unknown or other | 31 | 5% |
| Steering | 31 | 5% |
| Stability control | 18 | 3% |
| Service brakes | 17 | 3% |
2008 Dodge Charger recalls
5 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2008 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08V295000 | Jul 2, 2008 | Powertrain / transmission — axle hubs | Chrysler is recalling 5,509 my 2008 300, Dodge magnum, and Charger vehicles. The torque retention crimp feature was missed during the manufacture of one lot of rear axle hub nuts. This could cause the nuts to loosen and allow the halfshaft to disengage from… |
| 08V583000 | Nov 6, 2008 | Powertrain / transmission — automatic transmission / lever and linkage / column shift | Chrysler is recalling 20,283 my 2006-2009 Charger and magnum vehicles built with the police package and equipped with a column shifter. The gearshift cable may become disengaged from the steering column mounting bracket and cause an incorrect transmission… |
| 14V567000 | Sep 17, 2014 | Electrical system — ignition | Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2008 Chrysler 300 vehicles manufactured May 31, 2007, to May 12, 2008, Dodge Magnum vehicles manufactured May 23, 2007, to May 12, 2008, Dodge Charger vehicles manufactured May 24, 2007, to May 12,… |
| 15V313000 | May 27, 2015 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Dodge Ram 2500, 2004-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 and Durango, 2006-2009 Dodge Ram 3500, 2008-2010 Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2005-2010 Chrysler 300, 300C, 300S, and SRT8,…NHTSA park-it advisory: do not drive until repaired. |
| 16V352000 | May 24, 2016 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 RAM 2500 trucks produced at the St. Louis North Assembly Plant. With this change, Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM…NHTSA park-it advisory: do not drive until repaired. |
How the 2008 compares with nearby Charger years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Charger analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1,294 | 5 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2007 | 570 | 5 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2008 (this page) | 624 | 5 | Electrical system | Avoid |
| 2009 | 175 | 6 | Electrical system | Caution |
| 2010 | 238 | 6 | Electrical system | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2008 Dodge Charger
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 5 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2008 Dodge Charger can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2008 Dodge Charger reliability FAQ
Is the 2008 Dodge Charger reliable?
The 2008 Dodge Charger has 624 owner complaints and 5 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and air bags. Compared with other Charger model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Charger's typical year.
What are the most common 2008 Dodge Charger problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2008 Dodge Charger are electrical system (397), air bags (124), engine (94), powertrain / transmission (35). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2008 Dodge Charger have recalls?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2008 Dodge Charger, including 08V295000 (powertrain / transmission — axle hubs) and 08V583000 (powertrain / transmission — automatic transmission / lever and linkage / column shift). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2008 Dodge Charger compare with the 2007 and 2009 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2007 has 570 complaints and 5 recalls (avoid); the 2009 has 175 complaints and 6 recalls (caution). The 2008 has 624 complaints and 5 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2008 Dodge Charger?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Dodge Charger research
Other Dodge Charger model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2008 Charger, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.