Dodge Charger

Where it stands out against its peers

• Electrical system: more complaints than 96% of 2012 cars — 55% of its 648 complaints, where an ordinary 2012 car has 16%.
• Exterior lighting: more complaints than 91% of 2012 cars — 8% of its 648 complaints, where an ordinary 2012 car has 3%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 207 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash, 22 involving a fire
• AIR BAGS — 77 owners reported this, 4 involving a crash
• ENGINE — 35 owners reported this, 2 involving a fire
• EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 31 owners reported this, 5 involving a fire
• POWER TRAIN — 26 owners reported this, 3 involving a crash
• STEERING — 17 owners reported this, 1 involving a fire
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — 15 owners reported this, 3 involving a fire
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 14 owners reported this, 2 involving a fire

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

49% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• Do not drive

  16V352000

  These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. These inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM owners. Mitsubishi owners will be notified by their company. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S43. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V-7700.

• Do not drive

  18V021000

  An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 28, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U03.

• Do not drive

  19V018000

  In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

  Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 4, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V01.

• 11V487000

  CONNECTING ROD FAILURE MAY LEAD TO ENGINE SEIZURE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

  CHRYSLER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE ENGINE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT NOVEMBER 18, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

• 12V004000

  UNDERINFLATED TIRES CAN RESULT IN TIRE OVERLOADING AND OVERHEATING, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A BLOWOUT AND POSSIBLE CRASH.

  CHRYSLER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE VEHICLE’S TPMS. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 2, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

• 12V042000

  THIS COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF VISIBILITY AND/OR BRAKING ABILITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

  CHRYSLER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEADLAMP JUMPER HARNESSES AND RELOCATE THE ABS/ESC SYSTEM FUSE WITHIN THE POWER DISTRIBUTION CENTER, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 2, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

• 12V197000

  THIS COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

  CHRYSLER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL RELOCATE THE ABS/ESC SYSTEM FUSE, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 18, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

• 13V118000

  In the event of a crash necessitating airbag deployment the airbags may not operate as designed, increasing the risk of injury.

  Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace both driver and passenger seat airbag wiring harnesses, free of charge. The recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N07.

27 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  Engineering analysis, opened September 2021, still open.

• Vehicle rollaway, engine on

  Engineering analysis, opened February 2016, closed June 2016.

• Software security vulnerability

  Recall query, opened July 2015, closed January 2016.

• Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  Engineering analysis, opened February 2015, still open.

• Alternator failure

  Preliminary evaluation, opened July 2014, closed November 2014.

• Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  Preliminary evaluation, opened June 2014, closed March 2015.

• Engine Stall

  Preliminary evaluation, opened May 2013, closed February 2014.

• Prndl misalignment

  Preliminary evaluation, opened September 2008, closed November 2008.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Dodge filed 7 bulletins about the 2027 Charger.

• Electrical system: 5
• Power train: 1
• Suspension: 1

• Front Wheel Bearing Click Noise Issue Customers may comment on the following: SYMPTOM: ● Single or multiple clicking noises from the front wheels during static or very low speed steering maneuvers… · August 2026
• Flash: Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Updates Vehicle does not meet evaporative emissions requirements. This bulletin involves inspecting and possibly reprogramming the PCM with the latest available… · August 2026
• Navigation Won't Load On Home/Split Screen Customers may experience the following: SYMPTOM: ● Factory navigation won't load on the Home/Split screen Fig. 1. · July 2026
• Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) and Radio Compass Display has Dashes (--) · July 2026
• Door And Window Operation With 12V Inoperative Or Drained. Rev A · July 2026
• Radio Map Won't Load The customer may experience the Display Screen Module (DSM) showing a TomTom navigation screen stuck showing "Loading Map" · June 2026
• Flash: Power Hatch Module (PHM) Updates Customers may comment on one or more of the following: ● Liftgate won't open or close. ● Liftgate chime will not stop. ● Liftgate chime not heard upon wake-up… · June 2026

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.