MODELYEARINDEX

Which Dodge Charger years to avoid

Across 12 scored model years, the 2011, 2012 and 2013 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Dodge Charger Full report
F
Grade 2010–2021
2011 vs model median 7.0×
Model median3× median
Electrical 280
Lights & Visibility 116
Engine 49
Avoid

2011 · 2012

Best

2020 · 2021

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
0.71× 72 C
2011
7.00× 617 F
2012
5.86× 481 F
2013
3.19× 259 F
2014
3.12× 257 F
2015
0.98× 103 C
2016
1.27× 147 D
2017
0.97× 115 C
2018
1.02× 120 C
2019
0.85× 85 C
2020
0.51× 45 B
2021
0.34× 37 A
2022 P
0.21× 20 A
2023 P
0.46× 47 B

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2011 F 617 reports · median 50,000 mi

  1. Electrical 280

    U-connect (hands frees phone) disconnects and will not reconnect, until car is restarted. Has been in the shop three times. Chrysler group has been contacted, stated they were aware of the problem. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Lights & Visibility 116

    Upon starting the vehicle during daylight hours, the auto light control was on for the vehicles low beam headlight use. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Engine 49

    2011 dodge charger. Consumer writes in regards to l10 coolant reservoir recall the consumer stated while on the way to the dealership to have the recalls rectified, one involving a computer system issue to prevent… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

16 crash · 66 fire · 12 injuries

2012 F 481 reports · median 50,300 mi

  1. Electrical 208

    We bought this vehicle on may 6 , 2013, two hours later the check engine light went on. Took it to autozone and hooked it to the computer said it was the transmission. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Airbags & Restraints 54

    My charger has 2,317 miles. During driving the air bag light turn on with a chime. The light continue on. I turn the car off and turned on again and the light continue. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Lights & Visibility 45

    Car rolled eventhough vehicle was in park and vehicle was not running. 1st incident happened within 10 min of walking away from car, rolled into another car. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

17 crash · 43 fire · 15 injuries

The best year for the Charger

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2021 is the best-scoring Charger model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 86.5 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2021 0.34× 37 A
2020 0.51× 45 B
2010 0.71× 72 C

Recalls

40 campaigns on record, 4 carrying a Park It or Park Outside warning.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
18V332000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING 2014–2018 4,815,661
16V352000 Park it AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010–2012 4,648,270
15V313000 Park it AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010 4,077,169
15V461000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. 2015 1,416,903
19V018000 Park it AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010–2015 1,413,222
16V240000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM) 2012–2014 811,290
17V435000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR 2011–2014 442,214
16V043000 STRUCTURE 2011–2016 441,578
14V634000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR 2011–2014 435,081
18V021000 Park it AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010–2013 328,177
24V198000 AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN:INFLATOR 2018–2021 284,982
15V467000 AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW 2011–2014 284,095

+ 28 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2011 were reported at a median of 50,000 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Dodge Charger years should you avoid?
2011, 2012, 2013 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Dodge Charger model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Dodge Charger?
2021 is the best-scoring Dodge Charger model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 86.5 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Dodge Charger have?
40 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Dodge Charger model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2011 Charger
Complaints in window
617
Severity-weighted
1,100
Model median (weighted)
157
vs model median
7.00×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
17
Open investigations
1
Score 6.7 F