Dodge Charger Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 3,912 NHTSA complaints, the Dodge Charger years to avoid are 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016 — the worst logged up to 4.4× 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 | 624 | 217 | 5 | AVOID |
| 2009 | 175 | 79 | 6 | CAUTION |
| 2010 | 238 | 119 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2011 | 692 | 316 | 11 | AVOID |
| 2012 | 648 | 277 | 14 | AVOID |
| 2013 | 358 | 167 | 8 | AVOID |
| 2014 | 342 | 226 | 10 | AVOID |
| 2015 | 135 | 88 | 8 | CAUTION |
| 2016 | 182 | 91 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2017 | 125 | 47 | 4 | CAUTION |
| 2018 | 122 | 35 | 6 | CAUTION |
| 2019 | 118 | 41 | 5 | CAUTION |
| 2020 | 57 | 18 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2021 | 32 | 9 | 2 | BEST |
| 2022 | 11 | 8 | 3 | N/A |
| 2023 | 25 | 19 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2024 | 9 | 4 | 2 | N/A |
| 2025 | 19 | 15 | 2 | SOLID |
"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 Charger. Full methodology.
Common Dodge Charger problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Dodge Charger are electrical, body, engine. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Loss of power and stalling while driving
· Dodge Charger 2008–2017Corroborated by 7 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 849 electrical complaints across 2008–2017, typically 208,500–270,917 miles.
Knee airbag explosive injury
· Dodge Charger 2011Corroborated by 1 owner account of this failure, within a federal cluster of 169 body complaints across 2011.
Timing chain fracture
· Dodge Charger 2010–2012Corroborated by 2 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 162 engine complaints across 2010–2012.
Why these years stand out
2008 Dodge Charger: 624 owner complaints on federal record, 217 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Charger.
2010 Dodge Charger: 238 owner complaints on federal record, 119 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Charger.
2011 Dodge Charger: 692 owner complaints on federal record, 316 of them severe, plus 11 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Charger.
2012 Dodge Charger: 648 owner complaints on federal record, 277 of them severe, plus 14 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Charger.
2013 Dodge Charger: 358 owner complaints on federal record, 167 of them severe, plus 8 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Charger.
2014 Dodge Charger: 342 owner complaints on federal record, 226 of them severe, plus 10 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Charger.
2016 Dodge Charger: 182 owner complaints on federal record, 91 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Charger.
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FAQ
What years of the Dodge Charger should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Dodge Charger years to avoid are 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016 — 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 Charger?
The 2021 Dodge Charger shows 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 Charger 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 Charger's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Dodge Charger 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 Charger reliable?
The Dodge Charger's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 3,912 NHTSA owner complaints, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016 rate "avoid", while 2021 shows 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 Charger?
The most-reported problem area for the Dodge Charger is electrical, followed by body and engine. Confirmed failures include loss of power and stalling while driving, knee airbag explosive injury, timing chain fracture. 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 Charger 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 Charger, 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.