Active Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) B1A10-00, B1A11-00, B1A12- 00, B1A13-00-, B1A14-00, B1A15-00, B1A16-00, and B1A17-00 in The Radio Frequency Hub (RFH)
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2016 Dodge Challenger electrical problems
severe Owners of the 2016 Dodge Challenger have filed 12 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
12
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 Challenger | 127 |
| 2013 Challenger | 96 |
| 2014 Challenger | 53 |
| 2015 Challenger | 20 |
| 2016 Challenger (this page) | 12 |
| 2017 Challenger | 14 |
| 2018 Challenger | 25 |
| 2019 Challenger | 14 |
| 2020 Challenger | 7 |
1fire
What stands out
No new NHTSA electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 7 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical 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.
Decreased Remote Start And RKE Range. Tire Pressure Sensors Values Are Not Displayed
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗SWITCH AND BEZEL - FRONT DOOR
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗SWITCH AND BEZEL - FRONT DOOR
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Start Stop Charging Warning Lamp Illuminated On, Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) State of Charge (SOC) Inaccurate, Battery Charging Message, Presence of IBS related Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), or Battery Warning Lamp On
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2016 Challengers describe a constellation of electrical failures affecting core vehicle functions. Several report catastrophic headlight circuit faults: wiring harnesses overheat and burn, fuses char (Fuse 15, 16), and headlights flicker or fail entirely, forcing drivers to use hazard lights at night. One owner's trunk caught fire while driving—dealership and insurance attributed it to wiring harness or battery fault in the trunk.
The Tipmaan Integrated Power Module (TIPM) appears problematic: owners describe melting plastic, burn marks from arcing, excessive amperage draw, and fire-hazard risk. This module also affects seatbelt sensors—driver's-side buckles fail to register, keeping airbag warnings lit.
Remote-start and push-button systems malfunction: after remote starting, vehicles become unresponsive, stick in 'RUN' mode, disable power windows on frameless doors, and trap occupants inside. Dealership diagnostics consistently show no stored fault codes.
Key-fob interference causes phantom lock/unlock events when the fob is in a pocket near the parked vehicle; doors and trunk cycle repeatedly; dashboard falsely warns 'KEY FOB NOT IN VEHICLE.'
Alternator or voltage-regulation faults disable ABS, stability control, brakes, and power steering mid-drive; speedometers oscillate; burning smells emanate from the engine bay.
Uconnect infotainment modules fail: white screens, non-functional 911 buttons, inability to add Bluetooth phones, unresponsive HVAC controls, and back-ordered replacement head units. Dealership and Stellantis customer support often prove uncooperative or unresponsive.
Same Dodge Challenger electrical reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2017 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Remote start / push-button start system lockout
Vehicle enters unresponsive state after remote start: engine shuts off unexpectedly, all dashboard lights illuminate, push-button remains stuck in 'RUN' position, and frameless door cannot be opened because power window won't lower. Lock/unlock functions trigger audible responses but vehicle remains unresponsive to start button until multiple fob presses and button cycles.
When: Shortly after remote-start activation
Symptoms owners cite: Rough idle followed by engine shutdown; All dashboard cluster lights illuminate; Side mirror proximity lights come on; Start button illuminated in 'RUN' position and unresponsive to presses; Power window inoperable, preventing door opening on frameless door; Lock/unlock fob commands register (horn, lights, actuators respond) but door remains stuck
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership (Gresham Dodge) ran diagnostic and found no stored event code; told owner to wait for failure to recur
Uconnect 3G to 4G transition / loss of emergency functions
After Uconnect 3G infrastructure sunset, vehicles lose cellular functions and emergency-call capability via Assist and 9-1-1 buttons on rear-view mirror. Owner reports Stellantis refused to provide upgrade or alternative solution, citing 'use your cell phone' as workaround. Stellantis customer support became unresponsive and evasive.
When: Post-3G network deprecation
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of Assist button functionality on rear-view mirror; Loss of 9-1-1 button functionality on rear-view mirror; Loss of cellular-dependent phone functions (partially mitigated by T-Mobile/Sprint dongle); No manufacturer upgrade path offered
Repairs/costs cited: Partial workaround: T-Mobile/Sprint dongle restores some cellular functions but not emergency mirror buttons
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Uconnect advised 3G sunset; Stellantis refused upgrade recommendation and offered no alternative; customer support terminated communication
Key fob signal interference / phantom lock/unlock actions
Vehicle exhibits intermittent, involuntary lock and unlock behavior when fob is in owner's pocket near parked vehicle. Trunk locking actuator engages/disengages repeatedly; doors auto-unlock after being locked manually; horn honks and lights flash during these events. After fob interference episodes, vehicle displays 'KEY FOB NOT IN VEHICLE' warning and audible tone.
When: Started 5/1/2019, intermittent, does not occur daily
Symptoms owners cite: Trunk repeatedly locks and unlocks while closing; Door auto-unlocks after manual lock via door panel button; Horn beeps and lights flash during involuntary unlock events; Dashboard displays 'KEY FOB NOT IN VEHICLE' warning; Audible tone indicates fob out of vehicle despite fob being in pocket; Issues occur only while vehicle is parked
Repairs/costs cited: Carson City Dodge service kept vehicle for one week; issues would not replicate; car returned 5/10/2019; owner advised to call if issues recur
Headlight system failure with stuck-on position
Vehicle headlights do not function or remain stuck in an abnormal state. Lights either do not turn on (even when commanded), or conversely remain on and cannot be turned off. License plate lights and side markers also stuck on. Dash cluster remains very dim during daytime, making gauges unreadable.
When: Present at time of purchase (used vehicle, purchased less than one month prior to complaint)
Symptoms owners cite: Headlights do not work; vehicle unable to drive at night or early morning; Owner driving with hazard lights as workaround; Headlights stuck in 'on' position in some cases, unable to shut off; License plate light cannot be turned off; Side marker lights cannot be turned off; Dash cluster extremely dim during daylight, gauges not visible
Repairs/costs cited: Bulbs and relays checked; identified as major electrical problem, not component-level
Headlight wiring overheating and burning
Wiring harness and fuses supplying headlights exhibit visible burn marks and become extremely hot. Fuses (Fuse 15, Fuse 16) are burnt out. Headlights come on intermittently and erratically. Owner reports burning smell and fire hazard concern. Dealership suggested relocating wires to different fuse slots without addressing root cause.
When: Intermittent over time; multiple occurrences
Symptoms owners cite: Wiring visibly burned and showing scorch marks; Fuses burnt (both Fuse 15 and Fuse 16 affected); Headlights come on intermittently—sometimes at night, sometimes do not; Headlights suddenly illuminate after miles of driving with flashers on; Burning smell detectable from engine bay; Both low-beam and high-beam headlights affected
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership (Douglasville, Georgia) verified burnt wiring and fuses; proposed relocating wires to different fuse slots; owner questions efficacy of relocation without repair of underlying short or overload condition
Trunk wiring fire / battery terminal fire
Vehicle caught fire in trunk while owner was driving home from work. Fire department responded; vehicle totaled. Dealership and insurance investigation point to wiring harness or battery terminal in trunk as ignition source.
When: While actively driving
Symptoms owners cite: Smoke smell detected while driving; Trunk caught fire and burned uncontrolled; Vehicle totaled
Uconnect head unit / infotainment system failures
Uconnect module exhibits multiple failures: 911-call chip non-functional, white screen on radio display, inability to adjust radio settings, inability to control HVAC blower (heat, AC, defrost). Phone connectivity to hands-free system compromised. Multiple dealer visits and customer-care calls have not resolved issue. Head unit on back-order.
When: Persistent across multiple service visits
Symptoms owners cite: Uconnect 911 chip not working; White screen on radio module display; Cannot adjust radio settings; Cannot control blower/HVAC (heat, AC, defrost); Phone cannot safely connect to hands-free system
Repairs/costs cited: Head unit on back-order at dealership; multiple trips to dealer without resolution
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership not cooperative per owner; awaiting head unit replacement
Electrical system voltage regulation / alternator fault
Dashboard battery warning light illuminates despite healthy battery voltage reading. Over time, vehicle stalls; multiple electrical systems shut down: ABS disabled, electronic stability control disabled, brakes disabled, speedometer erratic. Power steering lost. Burning smell near alternator suggests overheating or internal fault in charging system.
When: Progressive over time; culminates in stalling and system failures
Symptoms owners cite: Battery failure light on dashboard (voltage actually healthy); Vehicle stalls while driving; ABS disables; Electronic stability control disables; Brake system disabled; Speedometer fluctuates up and down; Power steering shuts off; Burning smell from engine bay near alternator area
Tipmaan module (TIPM) overheating and fire hazard
Tipmaan Integrated Power Module (TIPM) exhibits melting, burning smell, and blackened areas with evidence of arcing/sparking. Module draws excessive amperage from headlight circuit, creating fire hazard. Associated seatbelt sensor failure: driver's-side seatbelt not registering with buckle, seatbelt warning light remains illuminated.
When: <UNKNOWN>
Symptoms owners cite: TIPM melting and showing visible heat damage; Burning smell from TIPM area; Black marks on TIPM from arcing/sparking; TIPM drawing excessive current from headlight circuit; Driver's-side seatbelt sensor not registering buckle status; Seatbelt airbag warning light stays on
Uconnect Bluetooth / phone pairing failure
Uconnect infotainment system refuses to add or recognize new phone devices. Hands-free Bluetooth pairing fails. Owner reports software defect; vehicle is only 3 years old at time of complaint. No resolution offered.
When: Persistent issue on 3-year-old vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Cannot add phones to vehicle via Bluetooth; Cannot establish hands-free connectivity; Uconnect refuses to recognize new paired devices
Synthesized from 12 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Battery failure light brought up on dashboard, battery voltage healthy but dashboard readings read otherwise. Over time car stalled out, disabled ABS, electronic stability control and brakes. Speedometer went up and down and power steering shut off. Burning smell from engine near the alternator
Uconnect will not add to devices, can't add phones to car for hands free driving. Software defect. My car is 3years old. There's no way this should be happening. I need satisfaction please.
Had electrical trouble with your 2016 Dodge Challenger?
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 electrical problem on the 2016 Dodge Challenger?
It's a meaningful issue. 12 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 12 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 20,540 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical 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 electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical 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/2016/Dodge/Challenger.
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.