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full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2006 Dodge Magnum steering problems
severe 21 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
21
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
3crashes
2injuries
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering steering on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
REVISED POWER STEERING SYSTEM BLEEDING PROCEDURES.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2006 Magnum has serious, recurring steering and control problems that multiple owners describe as safety hazards. The most persistent complaint is violent shaking in the steering wheel at 40–80 mph during acceleration—wheels have been balanced three to four times per car with no fix. Tie rods fail around 45,000–60,000 miles despite normal driving; dealerships acknowledge it's the number-one Magnum repair but refuse to recall. One owner needed rack-and-pinion replacement at 53,000 miles. Several owners report the car pulls hard to the right above 30 mph; one took his vehicle to the dealer ten times without resolution.
Engine stalling right after refueling is widespread. Cars cut out at 5–25 mph, owners lose all power steering and brakes, and the problem repeats multiple times in a single drive. Some owners have implemented workarounds like revving the engine hard after filling up. Multiple owners report complete loss of steering and brake control while driving, resulting in crashes; one owner's air bags failed to deploy. Brake rotors and pads wear out at 17,000 miles. Power steering hoses leak, and one owner had to weld the front frame back together. Dealerships often cannot diagnose the problems even after month-long inspections or ten repeat visits.
Same Dodge Magnum steering reports on nearby years: 2005
Failure modes owners describe
Violent shaking/vibration in steering wheel at speed
Entire car shakes when traveling 40–80+ mph, with vibration felt primarily in steering wheel. Occurs during acceleration, not under braking. Owners report it gets progressively worse and makes the car unsafe to handle, especially at 65 mph or higher. One owner reports the shaking causes air pressure pulsing through open windows that is deafening.
When: 40–80+ mph, usually during acceleration; one case reported at 3,000 miles, another at 11,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Violent shaking felt in steering wheel; Entire car vibrates at highway speeds; Only under acceleration, not when braking; Air pressure pulsing/deafening noise with one window open; Progressive worsening over time
Repairs/costs cited: Wheels balanced multiple times (3–4 occasions per owner, did not resolve). Tie rods replaced (did not resolve). Rims swapped from another SRT8 (did not resolve). No successful repair reported.
Tie rod/rack and pinion wear and failure
Tie rod ends loose and requiring replacement at very low mileage; one owner reports tie rod ends replaced at 45,000 miles with dealer claiming it is normal. Another owner had rack and pinion replaced at 53,000 miles. Multiple owners report dealership resistance to warranty coverage, attempting to charge for entire rack-and-pinion assembly instead of just the tie rod. Dealers acknowledge this is the number-one repair for the Magnum but refuse to recall.
When: 45,000–60,000 miles reported; one case at 53,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Loose tie rods; Worn tie rod ends; Rack and pinion failure
Repairs/costs cited: Rack and pinion replacement: ~$1,000. Tie rod replacement: varies; dealer attempted to charge full rack-and-pinion replacement instead of tie rod alone. Owners report going to independent shops due to dealer cost.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall issued. Dealer told owner that complaints exist but no recall has been implemented. Chrysler Canada acknowledged it as number-one Magnum repair but refused to recall.
Excessive pulling to the right at speed
Vehicle pulls excessively to the right when traveling over 30 mph. One owner took vehicle to dealership ten times for front-end realignment and tire changes without resolution. Service manager contacted manufacturer on 01/03/07 and requested guidance; manufacturer said they would research and respond (case reference 15849994).
When: Over 30 mph
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle pulls to right excessively; Occurs at speeds over 30 mph
Repairs/costs cited: Front-end realignment attempted multiple times (ten visits). Tires changed. No successful repair documented.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer case reference 15849994 opened; manufacturer said they would research and provide guidance (no resolution reported).
Engine stalling after fuel refill
Engine stalls shortly after filling the gas tank, often within minutes or while driving on highways/surface streets. Occurs at low speeds (5–25 mph) and can happen multiple times in a day. One owner notes this happens almost every time fuel is added. One case reports the issue subsiding once fuel level drops below full. Owners report loss of power steering when stalling occurs. One owner reports implementing a workaround: revving engine fast after refuel and driving in 1st/2nd gear for 10+ minutes.
When: Shortly after fuel refill; typically during first 10–25 minutes of driving after refueling
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stalls without warning; Loss of power steering when stalled; Occurs almost every time after filling gas tank; May stall multiple times in succession; Happens at low speeds (5–25 mph)
Repairs/costs cited: No successful repair documented. One owner's workaround: rev engine hard after refuel and drive in lower gears for 10+ minutes. Dealership could not reproduce problem in one case.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA investigation PE13-016 opened; last activity August 2013 with no update since. Recall needed per owner assertion.
Engine hesitation and near-stall on wide-open throttle shifts
Vehicle nearly stalls out when shifting between first and second gear on wide-open throttle. Appears as though engine is starved for fuel and may stall completely. Can be dangerous if driver expects power and vehicle stutters instead.
When: During wide-open throttle acceleration between first and second gear
Symptoms owners cite: Engine hesitation during gear shift; Near-stall condition; Appears fuel-starved; Stuttering acceleration response
Loss of power steering and power brakes (engine shutdown)
Engine suddenly cuts off completely while driving, resulting in loss of all power steering and power brakes. Occurs with no warning at low speeds (10 mph) and is completely random. Owner reports this happened three times in one day and five times in two days over a weekend. Loss of steering and braking creates severe safety hazard. All warning lights flash on/off, check engine light comes on. Restarting resolves the issue temporarily.
When: Random while driving, low speed (10 mph); one case reported multiple occurrences after gas fill-up
Symptoms owners cite: Engine cuts off completely; Loss of all power steering; Loss of all power brakes; All warning lights flash on/off; Check engine light illuminates; Completely random occurrence
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership 60,000-mile service completed; issue did not recur until weekend when it happened five times in two days. Vehicle not diagnosed or successfully repaired.
Loss of steering control and brake failure while driving
Two separate incidents reported: (1) brake pedal depressed to floor and failed to stop vehicle at 25 mph; steering wheel dropped down and seized on second occurrence at 25 mph, resulting in crash into rear of another vehicle; (2) while driving at speed limit after exiting freeway, vehicle lost control and steering would not respond, accelerated uncontrollably, jerked across street, went off road and struck tree multiple times. In both cases, owners lost ability to control steering and brakes simultaneously.
When: Incident 1: 154,000 miles; Incident 2: no mileage stated
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal depressed to floor, no stopping power; Steering wheel seized/dropped down; Complete loss of steering control; Uncontrolled acceleration; Vehicle jerks uncontrollably across lanes
Repairs/costs cited: Incident 1: vehicle not diagnosed or repaired; air bags failed to deploy. Incident 2: vehicle not repaired.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Incident 1: manufacturer not made aware. Incident 2: no manufacturer contact reported.
Unpredictable steering feel and handling
Steering feels unpredictable and unstable even after four-wheel alignment showing major adjustments needed at all four wheels at only 6,000 miles (no prior collision). At 21,000 miles, steering still feels very unpredictable. Owner suspects potential steering rack problem rather than just tire issue, since car showed no signs of misalignment damage.
When: From 6,000 miles onward; alignment needed at 6,000 miles with major adjustment at all corners
Symptoms owners cite: Unpredictable steering feel; Unstable handling despite alignment; Major alignment drift at very low mileage
Repairs/costs cited: Four-wheel alignment performed at 6,000 miles; major adjustment needed at all four wheels. Tire replacement may be required (suspected premature wear).
Power steering hose leaks
Power steering hose developed leaks requiring repair twice within one year. Manufacturer aware of failure but offered no assistance or remedy.
When: Two repairs within one year
Symptoms owners cite: Power steering hose leak
Repairs/costs cited: Hose repair performed twice in one year
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer aware of failure but provided no assistance.
Brake rotor and pad premature wear
All four brake rotors worn out at 17,000 miles; all four brake pads also worn out at 17,000 miles. Dealer replaced rotors free after a dispute but refused to replace brake pads for free, demanding $600 even though defective rotors likely contributed to pad wear.
When: 17,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: All four brake rotors worn out; All four brake pads worn out
Repairs/costs cited: Rotors replaced free (after dealership dispute); pads quoted at $600 replacement by dealer
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership agreed to free rotor replacement after negotiation but refused free pad replacement.
Shift interlock and steering module malfunction
Vehicle becomes stuck in park gear; shift interlock latch fails. Steering module also malfunctions. Owner reports safety risk due to inability to shift gears in an emergency. Problem confirmed by Dodge inspection per invoice.
When: Not stated
Symptoms owners cite: Shift stuck in park; Shift interlock latch failure; Steering module malfunction
Repairs/costs cited: Problem confirmed by Dodge per invoice; no repair status reported
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: VIN excluded from recall.
General engine shutdown and stalling issues
Engine shuts off and stalls multiple times over extended period (60–90 days or longer). In one case, car only gives about 5 percent power when it does run. Can occur at any time while driving. Dealership unable to determine cause even after extended diagnostic period (one case held for a month). Owner suspects fuel tank issue based on maintenance advisor comment.
When: Multiple occurrences over weeks to months; can happen anytime
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stalls and shuts off multiple times; Only 5 percent power available when running; Can occur at any time; Completely random
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership kept vehicle for one month without determining cause. No successful repair documented.
Frame/front-end damage requiring welding
Front end frame severely damaged and welded back together. Front wheel bar may come loose during turns. Structural integrity compromised. Damage appears to be manufacturing-related rather than owner-caused.
When: Not stated
Symptoms owners cite: Front frame cracked/broken and welded; Front wheel bar loose during turns; Severe structural damage visible at bottom front
Repairs/costs cited: Frame welded; appears to be poor quality repair or assembly issue
Early suspension and steering component wear
Suspension issues present since 40,000 miles despite regular oil changes and maintenance. One owner reports second-owner vehicle that at 60,000 miles required rack-and-pinion replacement, then cooling fan at 75,000 miles, then water pump/thermostat/tension pulley/timing belt at 90,000 miles. Suspension deterioration suggests design or manufacturing defect.
When: Suspension issues from 40,000 miles onward
Symptoms owners cite: Suspension wear and failure; Multiple component failures in rapid succession
Repairs/costs cited: Rack and pinion: ~$1,000 at 60,000 miles. Cooling fan: $700 at 75,000 miles. Water pump/thermostat/tension pulley/timing belt: $1,300 at 90,000 miles.
Synthesized from 21 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had steering trouble with your 2006 Dodge Magnum?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2006 Dodge Magnum?
It's a meaningful issue. 21 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $700.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Across the 18 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 41,000 and 90,000 miles, with the median around 78,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 41,000; a quarter make it past 90,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2006/Dodge/Magnum.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.