Dodge Challenger Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 1,680 NHTSA complaints, the Dodge Challenger years to avoid are 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 — the worst logged up to 2.9× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by electrical failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 10 | 4 | 3 | N/A |
| 2009 | 132 | 75 | 7 | CAUTION |
| 2010 | 298 | 175 | 7 | AVOID |
| 2011 | 191 | 70 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2012 | 253 | 80 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2013 | 179 | 76 | 5 | AVOID |
| 2014 | 146 | 93 | 5 | AVOID |
| 2015 | 126 | 82 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2016 | 78 | 49 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2017 | 49 | 22 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2018 | 74 | 27 | 4 | SOLID |
| 2019 | 57 | 29 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2020 | 20 | 11 | 1 | BEST |
| 2021 | 18 | 12 | 2 | BEST |
| 2022 | 9 | 5 | 2 | N/A |
| 2023 | 40 | 11 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Dodge Challenger. Full methodology.
Common Dodge Challenger problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Dodge Challenger are electrical, engine, drivetrain. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Window cycles on/off when shut off, drains battery
· Dodge Challenger 2011–2013Corroborated by 5 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 345 electrical complaints across 2011–2013. Owner-reported repair cost $190–$480.
Engine stall without warning
· Dodge Challenger 2008–2011Corroborated by 8 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 170 engine complaints across 2008–2011.
Driveshaft failure / carrier bearing failure
· Dodge Challenger 2015–2017Corroborated by 9 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 50 drivetrain complaints across 2015–2017, typically 16,000–110,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $2,500.
Why these years stand out
2010 Dodge Challenger: 298 owner complaints on federal record, 175 of them severe, plus 7 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Challenger.
2011 Dodge Challenger: 191 owner complaints on federal record, 70 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Challenger.
2012 Dodge Challenger: 253 owner complaints on federal record, 80 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Challenger.
2013 Dodge Challenger: 179 owner complaints on federal record, 76 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Challenger.
2014 Dodge Challenger: 146 owner complaints on federal record, 93 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Challenger.
2015 Dodge Challenger: 126 owner complaints on federal record, 82 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Challenger.
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FAQ
What years of the Dodge Challenger should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Dodge Challenger years to avoid are 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by electrical issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Dodge Challenger?
The 2020 and 2021 Dodge Challenger show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Dodge Challenger verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Dodge Challenger's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Dodge Challenger before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Dodge Challenger reliable?
The Dodge Challenger's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 1,680 NHTSA owner complaints, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 rate "avoid", while 2020 and 2021 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Dodge Challenger?
The most-reported problem area for the Dodge Challenger is electrical, followed by engine and drivetrain. Confirmed failures include window cycles on/off when shut off, drains battery, engine stall without warning, driveshaft failure / carrier bearing failure. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Dodge Challenger across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Dodge Challenger, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.