Owners of 2015 Dodge Challengers describe a cluster of electrical and sensor faults that range from intermittent nuisance to outright safety hazard. Wheel speed sensors trip ABS and stability control warnings while the vehicle is driving normally, causing brake pulsation and steering vibration; dealerships replace the sensor but at markups exceeding 600% the part cost. Water intrusion into the trunk fuse panel—acknowledged by one dealership as endemic to the 2015 model—has required multiple service visits and temporary tape fixes over months.
Dashboard warning lights cycle unpredictably: ABS, traction control, brake, and battery lights flash on and off across multiple vehicles, sometimes after battery replacement fails to resolve the issue. Headlights cut out entirely while driving at night, then come back on by themselves seconds later, linked to turn signal electronics and possible body control unit malfunction. Some owners report passenger-side headlights that intermittently fail over days. Two documented cases describe electrical fires—one in the dashboard while the vehicle was moving, another in the pillar panel when a key fob unlocked a parked, off vehicle.
Forward collision warning systems fail silently at low mileage. Backup cameras work intermittently with blurry images. Windows move on their own and get stuck. A shifter/transmission electrical fault causes loss of drive on the highway. Fuses serving headlights burn out on ignition. One owner reports ignition coils with broken seals leaking oil profusely.
Failure modes owners describe
Wheel speed sensor malfunction triggering ABS/stability control warnings
Faulty wheel speed sensor causing Service ABS and Stability Control warning lights to illuminate during normal highway and county road driving at 35–65 mph. Brake system began pulsing and steering vibrated. Issues recurred multiple times within short driving distances. Dealership diagnosed as faulty wheel speed sensor and replaced at 49,575 miles.
When: 49,575 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Service ABS warning light on; Service Stability Control warning light on; Brake system pulsing; Steering vibration; Steering affected; Braking affected
Repairs/costs cited: $42 part replaced; total repair cost $310
Water intrusion into trunk fuse panel and rear battery area
Water leaking into trunk area where rear fuse panel and battery are located. Leak occurring onto fuse panel housing various safety device fuses. Owner reports issue has been in service over 6 times without resolution over 4-month period. Owner reports dealership applying double-sided tape as temporary fix. Dealership acknowledged 2015 is worst year for this issue across Challenger lineup but denies factory defect in diagnostic system.
Symptoms owners cite: Water pooling in trunk; Moisture on fuse panel; Potential safety device electrical failure
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple attempted repairs; temporary fixes applied (double-sided tape)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: FCA denies defect; not logged in STAR diagnostic system; dealership applied temporary tape fix
Turn signal indicator lamp fault light malfunction
Turn signal indicator lamp fault warning appearing on dash display intermittently, remaining on for 3–10 seconds before clearing. Warning accompanied by audible alert. Occurs as frequently as every five minutes. All exterior turn signal lamps function normally even when dashboard indicator blinks rapidly. Issue started approximately six weeks prior to complaint. Multiple independent and Dodge dealerships unable to diagnose root cause.
Symptoms owners cite: Turn signal indicator lamp fault warning on dash; Audible alert chime when warning appears; Intermittent warning cycles; All exterior lamps function normally
Repairs/costs cited: Dealerships estimated $182/hour labor; no diagnosis provided after investigation
Shifter/transmission electrical malfunction causing loss of drive
Shifter and transmission electrical system malfunction causing vehicle to stop moving unexpectedly during highway driving. Owner reports previous owner had vehicle serviced under recall but problem persists. Vehicle has two valid recalls related to shifter and transmission/electrical system. Shifter described as blinking out and disengaging at random while driving.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle losing propulsion while driving on highway; Shifter blinking/disengaging; Loss of drive at random intervals
Repairs/costs cited: Previous owner had recall repair performed; current owner states repair was incomplete
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall U4 applies to this vehicle; previous owner had repair attempted
Dashboard warning lights—ABS, traction control, brake light, battery light—on multiple vehicles
Two separate 2015 Challengers owned by same person both exhibiting traction control, ABS, and brake warning lights. One vehicle later developed battery warning light that remained on continuously. Battery replacement did not resolve issue. Voltage meter reading around 13.0 indicating possible charging or parasitic draw. Owner also reports GPS and compass malfunctioning, showing directional changes while vehicle traveling straight north.
When: Beginning of model year through May
Symptoms owners cite: Traction control warning light on; ABS warning light on; Brake warning light on; Battery warning light on and off, then stays on; GPS compass erratic, changing cardinal directions; GPS display showing vehicle glitching back and forth
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replaced without resolution; persistent charging voltage issue around 13.0V
Intermittent complete loss of both headlights while driving
Complete and sudden loss of both headlights while driving at night. Lights come back on by themselves after several seconds, indicating intermittent electrical fault. Dealership, in discussion with FCA headquarters, attributes cause to front turn signal electronics associated with a single turn indicator that otherwise functions normally. Suggests possible body control unit malfunction or failsafe design issue. Dodge reported no replacement parts available; vehicle deemed unsafe to drive by dealership.
Symptoms owners cite: Both headlights go out suddenly while driving; Lights return automatically after several seconds; Intermittent loss pattern; Associated with front turn signal circuit
Repairs/costs cited: No parts available; vehicle unsafe to drive per dealership
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: FCA HQ consulted; no replacement parts available; issue attributed to turn signal electronics/body control unit
HVAC blower motor premature failure and rattling
HVAC blower motor failure and rattling within approximately two days of initial operation, progressing to complete non-function. Owner expresses concern about fire risk based on similar failures in other vehicles (owner cites BMW experience with scorched wires and black smoke). Owner reports vehicles have caught fire due to blower motor failure and wire scorching.
When: Early in ownership; failure within ~2 days
Symptoms owners cite: Blower motor rattling; Blower motor non-functional; No air output from vents
Forward collision warning system failure
Forward collision warning system failing to provide warning when approaching vehicles at moderate speed. Failure occurred multiple times. Vehicle taken to dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. Manufacturer was notified. Another vehicle experienced same failure—preceding vehicle stopped abruptly at 35 mph but forward collision warning did not alert driver; failure recurred on numerous occasions with no diagnostic or repair attempted.
When: Low mileage (3,000–40 miles)
Symptoms owners cite: No warning when approaching slower/stopped vehicle; Collision avoidance system unresponsive; Multiple recurrences
Repairs/costs cited: Not diagnosed or repaired at dealer
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified; no action taken
Power window malfunction—windows moving by themselves and getting stuck
Passenger and driver windows moving up and down by themselves, getting stuck in intermediate positions, and refusing to return to fully closed position. Intermittent operation with loss of control.
Symptoms owners cite: Windows moving unexpectedly; Windows stuck partway open or closed; Windows won't return to up position
Engine ignition coil failure with oil leakage and fire hazard
Engine ignition coils burning out and leaking oil throughout engine bay. Manufacturer coils had broken seals. Owner reports amount of oil leakage was sufficient that vehicle should have caught fire.
Symptoms owners cite: Ignition coil burnout; Broken seal on coils; Oil leaking throughout engine
Repairs/costs cited: Coils replaced; broken seal noted as manufacturer defect
Intermittent headlight failure—passenger side
Passenger-side headlight going out intermittently while driving on freeway, remaining off for several days, then turning back on, cycling repeatedly. Dealership diagnostic test returned headlight as good, indicating electrical circuit fault rather than bulb failure.
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger headlight goes out while driving; Intermittent on/off cycling over days; Bulb tests good
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership diagnostic: bulb good; electrical issue unresolved
Electrical short in dashboard causing vehicle fire
Electrical short in passenger-side dashboard area igniting fire while vehicle was in motion. Smoke noted in cabin; vehicle pulled off road and emergency services called within 40 seconds. Vehicle total loss on 7/15/2019.
When: 7/15/2019
Symptoms owners cite: Smoke in cabin; Fire on passenger-side dashboard; Vehicle fire
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle total loss
Electrical fire in dashboard/pillar area while parked
Panel between windshield and passenger door caught on fire when key fob was used to unlock parked, off vehicle. Fire also caused sunroof to jar open. Vehicle was not running at time of ignition.
Symptoms owners cite: Fire in dashboard/pillar panel; Fire triggered by key fob signal; Sunroof activation from fire
Backup camera intermittent operation and image quality
Backup camera cutting on and off intermittently and not working most of the time. When functioning, image is blurry and visibility is compromised. Issue accompanied by related ABS and traction control warning lights cycling on and off.
Symptoms owners cite: Camera cuts on and off; Non-functional most of time; Blurry image quality when working; ABS warning light cycles on/off; Traction control light cycles on/off
Headlight fuse burnout
Fuses serving both left and right headlights burning out. Fuses burned out when vehicle was turned on, suggesting power surge or short in headlight circuit.
Symptoms owners cite: Left and right headlight fuses burnt out; Burnout occurs on ignition
Uconnect infotainment screen failure and sport button deactivation
Uconnect touchscreen display going black and becoming non-functional. Sport button mode also deactivated. Screen failure unrelated to mechanical seat issue reported in same complaint.
Symptoms owners cite: Uconnect screen black; Screen unresponsive; Sport button deactivated
Synthesized from 20 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.