Engine complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 4 | 9% | — |
| 2022 | 1 | 11% | — |
| 2021 | 3 | 16% | 16,000 miles |
| 2020 | 4 | 20% | 18,000 miles |
| 2019 | 8 | 14% | 2,000 miles |
| 2018 | 5 | 7% | 24,000 miles |
| 2017 | 6 | 12% | 46,000 miles |
| 2016 | 12 | 15% | 16,000 miles |
| 2015 | 26 | 21% | 20,000 miles |
| 2014 | 38 | 26% | 40,000 miles |
| 2013 | 27 | 15% | 49,000 miles |
| 2012 | 25 | 10% | 62,000 miles |
| 2011 | 24 | 12% | 67,000 miles |
| 2010 | 106 | 35% | 34,000 miles |
| 2009 | 39 | 29% | 30,000 miles |
| 2008 | 3 | 30% | 57,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I purchased a DODGE 2023 CHALLENGER SRT HELLCAT WIDEBODY JAILBREAK with manual transmission in October 2023. In April of 2024 I noticed that the AC did not work when the vehicle was NOT in motion and the OUTSIDE temperature was more than 90 degrees. I took it to a local dealer ship and they kept troubleshooting the vehicle with Dodge and could not fix the issue. Come to find out, all 2023 manual transmission Challenger Hellcats have the same issue. This is effecting approximately 628+ vehicles. Dodge Care states they are aware of the issue and are working on it internally, however no ETA or timeline has been given to the customers of the affected vehicles. …
The computer system has a malfunction I'm driving it says shifter service the shifter starts blinking red car wipers goes on car will shut off in traffic into anti theft mode and ask fir code and will not start it has happened 3 times or more within 30 days the has been in the shop 3 times within 30 days twice where I purchased it the car is not safe I'm scared for my life and others when operating this car as of today I'm afraid to drive my car and I've told asked the dealer for another car the first it happened. Here recently I couldn't stop the car my grandkids in the car on 20 west this started around November 29 and has been continuing I've reported to the dealer the bank that purchased the car for me and filed a claim with my insurance the car is not safe and I have receipts and a video to show and messages to the manager on duty and my salesperson.
The contact owns a 2021 Dodge SXT. The contact stated while the vehicle was at a standstill, it caught on fire without warning. The fire marshals extinguished the flames. A report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 16,000.
Challenger less than a week from the dealership and less than 1,000 miles. Catastrophic fuel pump failure while driving, unable to recover. Rear view back up camera freezes and stutters causing safety issues. Radio volume constantly changes while driving and leads to distraction safety issues. Door locks are consistently unreliable, roughly 25% chance of door lock failure. Key fob not detected and electronic security lock down issues. Uconnect freezing and stuttering causing delays in back up camera and other functions causing safety concerns.
The contact owns a 2020 Dodge Challenger. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle momentarily powered off; while coasting to the side of the road, the vehicle suddenly powered back on and continued to drive as needed. The contact stated that during the failure, the instrument cluster was inoperable. The vehicle independently restarted. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was contacted regarding the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 17,800.
On my way to work on 9/28/23 my 2019 dodge challenger hellcat Redeye engine just shut off at 65mph. I was in the left lane by the wall on I45 heading northbound. I instantly had a loss of power steering and braking. The engine just shut off. A check engine light came on and the dash said shift I to park to start. I was successfully able to get across 4 lanes of traffic to stop on the apron between o ram and side of freeway. When I shifted to park and to try to restart it would not start. Had to be towed to dealership where upon inspection they said the motor was locked. When broken down a valve just dropped into the cylinder and jammed into the piston and cylinder wall. Pieces also damaged the head and the supercharger and dealer says starter is fried. …
Was getting on freeway and hit the gas to accelerate and get ahead of the traffic. The Challenger would not accelerate fast (has a hemi) and car almost flew into me. Started testing the vehicle and it just wouldn't accelerate fast, it was stall slowly and pickup speed over 30 seconds or so. I brought it in to one shop and they said its probably a software update and to take it to Dodge and it should be free. Dodge told me it's probably not software, kept my car for 5 days and told me it was a software update and that they updated it for free but still charged me $175 for the "diagnosis" when I told them exactly what the issue was. And now that I got it back, it gets stuck in reverse, you have to turn the vehcile off and wait and start it again then it works. At a red light turn yesterday, it wouldn't drive forward and the "D" for drive started flashing.
I got the car on 4/13/2025 from a Toyota dealership with about 31000 miles they told me the car fax showed the car had 2 owners a regular customer and another dealership, they also told me they change the battery but they failed to disclosed that they took the car to a body shop to fix a dent and to be repainted, by mistake they offered me the Toyota warranty 5 years or 60000 miles , on 8/10/25 while driving the car it caught on fire luckily nobody got injured , after putting the fire off the fire department told us the cause of it was an engine malfunction only after 4 months and with about 39000 miles ,from the pictures we suspect the fire started by the fuse box and now I'm looking for answers and who's responsible, the dealership, the previous owner or the manufacturer, the car got totaled.
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling › Engine
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017 Dodge Challenger and Charger vehicles equipped with Hellcat engines. The engine oil cooler (EOC) hoses may fail resulting in a rapid loss of engine oil.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EOC lines, free of charge. The recall began October 3, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Frequently asked questions
Which Dodge Challenger years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2010 (106), 2009 (39), 2014 (38), 2013 (27) and 2015 (26) model years. Engine complaints make up 35% of all complaints for the 2010.
Is there a recall for Dodge Challenger engine problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 17V-496 (engine, Aug 8, 2017). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Dodge Challenger engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 39,000 miles; 60% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine (9 mentions), followed by the engine › oil/lubrication › oil cooler (1).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.