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 ↗2018 Dodge Challenger electrical problems
severe 25 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850 · see electrical across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
25
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
2crashes
1fire
When does it fail?
Of the 25 electrical complaints filed for the 2018 Dodge Challenger, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Electrical accounts for 34% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 7 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 25 electrical complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
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.
Verify "Z" part number availability. Order a "Z" part number for all Exchange Orders: Warranty, Mopar, Customer pay and Service contract. Order"68" part number for New unsold units only
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Decreased Remote Start And RKE Range. Tire Pressure Sensors Values Are Not Displayed
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗"Washer Light On And Will Not Turn Off After Adding Washer Solvent."
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗SWITCH AND BEZEL - FRONT DOOR
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2018 Dodge Challenger's electrical system experiences multiple related failures centered on the UConnect 8.4 touchscreen and broader power-distribution issues. Most complaints involve screen delamination—bubbles or air pockets under the display that owners say worsen over time. Once delaminated, the screen exhibits "ghost touching," where it randomly activates functions without any contact: climate controls cycle to extremes, volume maxes out, contacts dial themselves, performance settings change, and pages flip uncontrolled. Owners report this happening 30+ times per minute while driving, creating serious distraction and safety risk.
Secondary screen issues include complete freezes requiring a full power cycle to restore function, frequent reboots (triggered by bumps or spontaneously), and total loss of responsiveness. The backup camera, climate control, navigation, and all infotainment functions depend on this single unit, so its failure removes critical safety features.
Beyond the screen, owners report instrument cluster blackouts while driving—gauges and warning lights go dark, windows open/close erratically, and hazard lights fail, all without warning. One owner experienced headlights flashing and a front passenger floorboard fire. Additional complaints include turn signals malfunctioning, power loss events, window switches operating uncontrolled, excessive parasitic battery drain, and speedometer flickering. Owners note dealers acknowledge the delamination issue and replacement costs around $1,500–$2,200, but initially deny warranty coverage claiming cosmetic defect until failure escalates to safety hazard.
Same Dodge Challenger electrical reports on nearby years: 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
UConnect 8.4 Screen Delamination & Ghost Touching
Touchscreen develops visible air pockets or bubbles under the display surface. Once delaminated, the screen exhibits uncontrolled ghost touching—randomly activating functions (climate, radio, phone calls, performance modes, navigation) without any physical contact. Frequency can reach 30+ activations per minute.
When: Begins as early as 28,000 miles; ongoing across multiple model years in this cluster
Symptoms owners cite: Visible bubble or air pocket under display; Uncontrolled ghost touching of screen buttons; Climate controls cycling to extremes (max heat/cold); Radio volume maxing out uncontrolled; Phone contacts dialing automatically; Navigation routes changing uncontrolled; Performance settings changing on their own; Screen grows worse over time
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer replacement costs cited as $1,500–$2,200. Extended warranty (Ally) and factory warranty denied because listed as 'cosmetic defect' initially, or recall pending. Owners report this is a known issue widely acknowledged by dealers and manufacturer.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dodge customer support and UConnect directly told owners this is a known issue with recall pending manufacturer approval. Dealers confirm seeing this issue daily. No formal recall issued as of complaint dates.
UConnect System Freezing & Reboot Failures
Screen freezes on whatever page it was displaying and will not respond to inputs to change pages, though buttons on the stuck page may still register. Requires full power cycle (engine off/on) to restore function. In one case, owner was forced to perform this while driving.
When: Recurring 1–2 times per week for owner; began second month of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Screen freezes and becomes unresponsive to page navigation; Must turn car off and on to unfreeze; Occurs while stationary or driving; Dealer unable to reproduce issue
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer inspection twice could not duplicate. No replacement offered or performed.
UConnect System Rebooting & Intermittent Loss of Functionality
Radio/infotainment system reboots or powers off continuously—sometimes every 30 seconds, sometimes triggered by bumps or spontaneously while parked. Loss of system also disables backup camera display.
When: Ongoing; one complaint reports it from day of purchase
Symptoms owners cite: System reboots or powers off without user input; Triggered by small bumps in road; Occurs when parked and stationary; Backup camera display unavailable during reboots; Navigation unavailable during outages
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report having to restart car or wait for system to recover. One mentions system reboots approximately every 30 seconds.
UConnect Screen Unresponsiveness & USB/CarPlay Failures
Touchscreen becomes completely unresponsive after starting vehicle; no buttons respond (radio, climate, apps, CarPlay). Phone USB charging fails to register or enable CarPlay. Requires multiple restarts or extended idle time to resolve.
When: From early ownership (day 2 in one case); occurs 7–8 times since purchase
Symptoms owners cite: No response to any screen button presses; Phone USB port not recognized; CarPlay fails to activate; Phone will not charge via USB; Intermittent function recovery after multiple restarts
Repairs/costs cited: No parts or repairs mentioned. Issue resolves temporarily with restart or by allowing car to sit.
Instrument Cluster Blackout While Driving
All instrument panel illumination and gauges go completely dark while vehicle is in motion, rendering speedometer, RPM, and warning indicators invisible. Vehicle continues to operate but driver cannot see critical operational data.
When: Occurs randomly and intermittently; one complaint notes it has happened since purchase
Symptoms owners cite: All gauges and illuminated features go dark; Speedometer becomes invisible; RPM display invisible; No warning lamps visible; Occurs during motion at various speeds; No prior warning or indicator of impending failure; Vehicle continues to operate (does not stall)
Codes mentioned: NHTSA 19V-203 (referenced for 2019 models, but 2018 owners report identical symptoms)
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs mentioned. One complaint notes this matches existing NHTSA investigation for 2019 models.
Multiple Simultaneous Electrical Failures (Lights, Windows, Hazard Lights)
Coordinated electrical failure affecting headlights, instrument cluster, steering wheel controls, touchscreen, and power windows—all failing and recovering erratically over a 5-minute period. Windows roll up and down uncontrolled. Hazard lights become unreliable.
When: Occurred once while driving 65 mph at night on highway
Symptoms owners cite: Headlights cut out; Instrument cluster lights out; Steering wheel controls dark; Touchscreen dark; Kick panel lights dark; Windows rolling up and down on their own; Hazard lights flickering and unreliable; All components cycling on/off erratically; No prior warning or post-failure warning lamps
Turn Signal Malfunctions & Stuck Indicators
Turn signals fail to function properly, flashing erratically or remaining stuck in activated position. Driver must manually manipulate switch for several minutes to turn off.
When: Intermittent failures while driving
Symptoms owners cite: Left turn signal light fails; Signal flashing erratically; Message 'Left Turn Signal Out' displayed; Signal stuck in on position; Requires manual manipulation to deactivate
Repairs/costs cited: One failure mentioned in context of damaged electrical wire requiring full electrical assembly replacement; owner did not complete repair due to cost.
Power Window Malfunction & Uncontrolled Movement
Passenger window rolls up and down slowly and uncontrolled, or becomes inoperable. Multiple service visits reveal window motor failure and damaged electrical wiring in electrical assembly.
When: Intermittent during driving; one case triggered windows opening/closing during hurricane conditions
Symptoms owners cite: Window rolling up and down slowly without input; Window becoming completely inoperable; Uncontrolled movement during normal driving; Multiple service visits required
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership diagnosed window motor failure and damaged wire in electrical assembly. Repair not completed; owner cited cost as prohibitive.
Parasitic Battery Drain
Battery discharges without vehicle being driven or used. Vehicle purchased new in May 2018 with only 3,206 miles, garage-kept, yet requires multiple service calls for dead battery.
When: Recurred June, July, September, October 2018, then April and May 2019
Symptoms owners cite: Battery fully discharged without use; Multiple discharge events within months; Occurs even with infrequent driving
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer replaced battery and reset IBS (Intelligent Battery Sensor). Dealer attributed cause to infrequent driving, though vehicle is new.
Backup Camera Display Loss & Distortion
Rear backup camera feed either displays black screen or is severely distorted when in reverse. Loss of image due to other system failures (screen reboot, power loss) also disables backup camera display.
When: Intermittent; recurring throughout ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Black screen while in reverse; Distorted or pixelated camera image; Loss of camera feed when UConnect reboots; Creates safety hazard when reversing; Nearly caused collisions with vehicles and pedestrians
Climate Control Malfunction via UConnect
Climate control system will not respond to inputs on UConnect screen. Auto climate and Max A/C buttons activate light indicator but produce no actual climate change. Turning system on/off multiple times does not restore function.
When: Intermittent; some cases during hot conditions
Symptoms owners cite: Auto climate button lights up but produces no effect; Max A/C button pressed but no cooling occurs; Repeated on/off cycling does not restore function; System requires full restart to potentially restore
Intermittent Power Loss Events
Vehicle experiences sudden loss of all electrical power—lights cut out, radio goes silent, windows stop responding—then power spontaneously returns. One incident involved opening trunk to restore power.
When: Sporadic events while parked or at unknown intervals
Symptoms owners cite: Complete loss of power (lights, radio, windows off); Power returns spontaneously or after trunk intervention; Dash lights blink out; Potential to leave vehicle stranded
Headlight Flashing & Potential Electrical Fire
Headlights begin flashing on and off while vehicle parked. Upon opening doors, front passenger floorboard and seat edge detected burning.
When: While vehicle sat in driveway for 10 minutes
Symptoms owners cite: Headlights flashing on and off erratically; Burning smell detected; Front passenger floorboard and seat edge charred/burning
Repairs/costs cited: Investigation ongoing by insurance and Chrysler corporate; cause not yet determined.
Synthesized from 25 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 8 most recent
Unconnect system constantly shuts off during normal operation which causes issues with navigation. There is also a short of some type with the electrical system which causes glitches in the speedometer/main display system - it flickers and then resumes to normal on occasion during normal operations.
Electrical system is going completely haywire. The display screen beeps as if being touched constantly causing driver distractions. Bluetooth hands free function makes random phone calls, hangs up and redials repeatedly causing driver distractions. The display also flashes from one setting to another, pulling up the navigation system and changing the route repeatedly causing driver…
This has been going on for a year now and started the 2nd month I bought the car. What will happen is 1 to 2 times a week the uconnect 8.4c navigation screen will freeze on the screen it started up on and can not be change. You can make selections on the screen its stuck on, but when you need to with go to another page you cant. You must put the car in neutral and turn it off then back on to get…
Radio will not turn on. Black screen.
After starting my car, I plugged my phone into the USB port in glove box and phone wouldn't charge or show up on apple car play. Unplugged and plugged back in multiple times and same thing would happen. Turn car off and back on multiple times and all of a sudden it just starts working again. Sometimes works after first restart sometimes not at all until I leave the car for awhile and come back to…
Started vehicle up, pressed auto for auto climate and the light turned on but that was it. Pressed max a/c on the uconnect system, still nothing. While driving around I turned climate control off and back on to max a/c about 4 different times trying to get it to work and nothing.
Started vehicle up, went to press car play on the uconnect screen and nothing happened. Tried pressing radio, apps, climate, nothing would work. Turned screen off then back on and still nothing would work. Sometimes if I go into reverse and the backup camera comes up, then go back to neutral/any other gear everything works again. Then other times I have to shut the car off completely then restart…
The uConnect 8.4 Display in my car has begun to delaminate. There is a large air pocket under the top portion of my display. This morning while waiting for the car to warm up so the heat would function on the climate control system, I used the display to set the defrost to on. After removing the initial frost from my windshield and I was able to see clearly, I left the house and headed to work.…
Had electrical trouble with your 2018 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 2018 Dodge Challenger?
It's a meaningful issue. 25 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Across the 8 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most electrical failures cluster between 3,206 and 30,000 miles, with the median around 6,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 3,206; a quarter make it past 30,000. 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 $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/2018/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.