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The 2018 Dodge Charger has 122 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 active recall campaign on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2018 Dodge Charger has 122 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 recall on file (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). The most-reported system is electrical at 44 complaints, typically surfacing around 30,666 miles (~$850 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 Charger | 135 | 0 |
| 2016 Charger | 182 | 1 |
| 2017 Charger | 126 | 1 |
| 2018 Charger (this page) | 122 | 1 |
| 2019 Charger | 119 | 1 |
| 2020 Charger | 57 | 1 |
| 2021 Charger | 32 | 1 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: Optional
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2018 Dodge Charger 4 DR AWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: powertrain is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 61,171 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 1 active recall on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 7.6/10 model. The priciest documented failure is powertrain (~$2,500) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
The control touch screen has delaminated. The radio and the vehicle operation functions will not work most of the time. The screen is also apparently sensing input and randomly initiates functions so it beeps, changes stations, adjusts heating/cooling, etc. This is very…
The contact's wife leased a 2018 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that while driving at 60-62 MPH, she heard abnormal clinking sounds and the vehicle lost suspension and inadvertently turned to the right. The contact stated that as she quickly steered the steering wheel to the…
My daughter could not get the car to stop, as she was engaging the break to the floor. She is unsure if when she turned cruise control was set, but either way the brake should have turned it off. Then when the pole was hit, all the airbags went off except the passenger lower…
While driving & the car is in motion, I would be attempting to upshift using the paddles on the steering wheel and the transmission would instead downshift. It's been occurring since I purchased the vehicle in 2018. It unpredictability occurs at various speeds, gears, and…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
If the front driveshaft detaches from the vehicle it may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. EA21002 on NHTSA →
How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.6 out of 10 based on 122 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 Dodge Charger is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
On the NHTSA data, the 2018 Dodge Charger does not need avoiding. Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally. The record behind that call: No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record; Reliability score 7.6/10 — above the segment average; 1 recall campaign on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the electrical first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 44 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 30,666 miles. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 7.6 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 122 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is electrical. Typical failure occurs around 30,666 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is electrical, with 44 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 30,666 miles. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop.
The electrical is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 30,666 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 122 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $850, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.