2005 Dodge Magnum Problems & Complaints

Avoid4.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the Magnum at the same age

Owners have filed 638 complaints about the 2005 Dodge Magnum with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That is 4.0× as many as a typical Magnum model year at the same age, which makes the 2005 one of the Magnum years to avoid. The most reported problem area is the fuel & propulsion system (140 complaints, typically around 80,000 miles). 7 recalls cover this model year, including 2 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning.

638complaints
7recalls
22crashes
9fires
36injuries
1deaths

Most common 2005 Dodge Magnum problems

  • 14022%
  • Air bags~88,000 miles
    13121%
  • 11718%
  • Engine & cooling~86,000 miles
    11218%
  • Electrical system~84,000 miles
    548%
  • Suspension~8,000 miles
    498%
  • Steering~21,000 miles
    488%
  • Wheels & tires~14,000 miles
    457%
  • Body & structure~53,000 miles
    254%
  • Other / not specified~110,000 miles
    213%
  • Speed control & acceleration~110,000 miles
    163%
  • Brakes~45,000 miles
    152%
  • Lights~90,000 miles
    152%
  • Locks & latches~50,000 miles
    122%
  • Stability & traction control~129,000 miles
    91%
  • Seat belts~94,000 miles
    81%
  • Windows, wipers & sunroof~70,000 miles
    81%
  • Equipment & accessories~52,000 miles
    51%
  • Seats~106,000 miles
    51%
  • A/C & heater~20,000 miles
    41%
  • Driver assistance
    20%

Share of the 638 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.

Dodge Magnum complaints by model year

200520062007200863832111093
Owner complaints per model year, Dodge Magnum. Colour = our verdict for that year (red: avoid, orange: caution, green: better than average, blue: too new).

Best Magnum years: 2007, 2008. Years to avoid: 2005, 2006. Compare all years →

2005 Dodge Magnum recalls (7)

Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module

NHTSA recall 16V-352 · May 24, 2016 · 4,648,270 vehiclesDo not drive

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 3500, 2007-2010 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2010 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab…

Remedy: 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.

Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module

NHTSA recall 15V-313 · May 26, 2015 · 4,077,169 vehiclesDo not drive

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, 2006-2010 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Magnum, 2005-2011 Dodge Dakota, and…

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler and Dodge owners and Mitsubishi will notify the affected Raider owners.

Air bags

NHTSA recall 14V-770 · Dec 3, 2014 · 250,896 vehicles

Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2004-2005 Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500, 2004-2005 Dodge Durango, 2005 Dodge Dakota, 2005 Dodge Magnum and 2005 Chrysler 300, 300C and 300 SRT8 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. For vehicles that were sold, or are currently registered, in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the U.S.

Power train › Automatic transmission

NHTSA recall 05V-460 · Oct 6, 2005 · 256,409 vehicles

On certain pickup trucks, sport utility and passenger vehicles equipped with 42rle automatic transmissions, the cup plug that retains the park pawl anchor shaft May be improperly installed. If the shaft moves out of position, the vehicle May not be able to achieve 'park' position.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the transmissions and install a bracket to ensure the park pawl anchor shaft is retained in the proper position. The recall began on November 28, 2005.

Electrical system › 12V/24V/48V battery › Cables

NHTSA recall 04V-334 · Jul 9, 2004 · 20,060 vehicles

On certain passenger vehicles, the battery cable fasteners at the bulkhead stud May not have been properly tightened.

Remedy: Dealers will tighten the bulkhead stud battery cable fasteners to the proper specification. Owner notification began on July 6, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

Seat belts › Front

NHTSA recall 04V-335 · Jul 8, 2004 · 12,211 vehicles

On certain passenger vehicles, the front shoulder belt adjustable turning loop (atl) bolts May not have been properly tightened.

Remedy: Dealers will tighten the shoulder belt adjuster turning loop bolts to the proper specification. Owner notification began on July 6, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

Show 1 more recall

Seat belts › Rear/other

NHTSA recall 04V-333 · Jul 8, 2004 · 21 vehicles

On certain passenger vehicles, a spot welding operation for the rear floorpan reinforcement May not have been performed.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear floorpan reinforcement for missing welds and install structural rivets if necessary. Owner notification began on July 6, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2005 Dodge Magnum:

Air Bag Inflator Rupture

NHTSA investigation PE14016 · opened Jun 11, 2014 · closed Mar 2, 2015 · led to recall 13V-172

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…

Rear Hatch Strut Support Failure

NHTSA investigation PE10024 · opened Jul 19, 2010 · closed Nov 24, 2010

See Attached Closing Report.

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

NHTSA investigation EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · open

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.

Air Bag Inflator Rupture

NHTSA investigation EA15001 · opened Feb 24, 2015 · open · led to recall 14V-668

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…

What 2005 Dodge Magnum owners say

Fuel & propulsion system all 140 →

The vehicle stalled during normal use traveling about 35 miles an hour right after an intersection. MY husband was able to safely make it off the road as we live in a small town he did this by feathering the accelerator pedal. He is a mechanic so he was able to get it home by lightly tapping the pedal. If he pressed the pedal too hard the car stalled without warning so he lightly tapped on it and made it 2 blocks to our home where it has set in the driveway ever since. We spent over $1000 replacing parts such as the throttle body and the fuel pump and sending unit, egr, pcv, crankshaft sensor, plugs,injectors, intake seals, air intake temperature sensor and throttle body which include the throttle position sensor. Before we went for the cam sensor I decided to look up the issue and found so many with the same problem as us. …

Aug 2022

The malfunction to report is after fueling the vehicle will stall out. There is the sign of the fuel sending unit and fuel pump cycling after the ignition is turned on. This only occurs after topping off the fuel. The safety of operation is the stalling may occur while driving as well as at sitting still. When driving and the vehicles stalls causes the steering wheel to stiffen and the must come to a complete stop, placed in park, turn off the ignition and wait for the possible reset. The problem has not been reviewed on my particular vehicle but has been reported by other 2005 Magnum owners. No other manufacturing process has inspected my vehicle. And there are no warning lights that come to indicate there is a problem.

Dec 2023

Air bags all 131 →

the other person jeep tires were sticking out my wife was blind sided by sun glare the only one hurt was my wife since jeep was parked outside on street she was the only one hurt since her right tire hit the jeep tire ,on other side of this narrow street was a plummers van ,the only damage was on my wife very nice vehicle passenger side rim cracked and tire also my wife had to go to hospital with broken funny bone ,we only had liability insurance at that time, geico insurance didn't cover anything we had to pay for all medical bills which I'm still paying, dr. he's opinion seat belt or air bag cause her arm to break even now dr.needs to rebrake her arm again so it could heal right way CESAR CUEVAS [phone] EM:[email] ps she didn't have s.t.d. it put us behind 4months of bills and currently still paying thank you

Mar 2021 · crash · 1 injury

The contact's wife owns a 2005 Dodge Magnum. The contact stated that his wife had received a recall notice for NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V352000 (Air Bags). His wife had taken the vehicle to the dealer to have the recall serviced; however, upon return of the vehicle, the passenger's side air bag off warning light illuminated. His wife took the vehicle back to the dealer where she was informed that she had to pay a diagnostic fee for an inspection. The contact then notified the manufacturer and he was informed that if the diagnostic determined that the dealer was at fault for the failure, he would be reimbursed. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

200,000 miles · Sep 2021

Transmission & drivetrain all 117 →

The contact owns a 2005 Dodge Magnum. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle failed to release and shift out of park(P). There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to Customer Satisfaction Notification: K39 (Transmission Shift Interlock Lever). The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed there was no coverage for the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

200,000 miles · Jul 2025

The contact owns a 2005 Dodge Magnum. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact attempted to shift into drive; however, the gear shifter remained stuck in park. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle remained at the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.

113,000 miles · May 2025

2005 Dodge Magnum engines & fuel economy

EngineTransmissionDriveMPG city / hwy / combined
2.7L 6-cyl4-speed automaticRWD18 / 26 / 21
3.5L 6-cyl4-speed automaticRWD17 / 25 / 20
5.7L 8-cyl5-speed automaticRWD15 / 23 / 18
3.5L 6-cyl5-speed automatic4WD/AWD15 / 22 / 18
5.7L 8-cyl5-speed automatic4WD/AWD15 / 22 / 18

EPA ratings. Class: SUV.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2005 Dodge Magnum a good car?

Based on 638 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Magnum rates avoid: 4.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the Magnum at the same age. It is one of the Magnum years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.

What is the most common problem with the 2005 Dodge Magnum?

The fuel & propulsion system — 140 complaints, 22% of all complaints for this model year, most often about storage › tank assembly. Next are the air bags (131) and transmission & drivetrain (117).

How many recalls does the 2005 Dodge Magnum have?

There are 7 recalls for the 2005 Dodge Magnum, the most recent from May 24, 2016 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.

What are the best and worst years of the Dodge Magnum?

The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007 and 2008. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005 and 2006. See the full Dodge Magnum years comparison.

At what mileage do 2005 Dodge Magnum problems happen?

The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 36% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.

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.