Dodge Challenger reliability by year
20 recalls and 1,677 owner complaints across 16 model years. Best year to buy: 2020. Year to avoid: 2010.
Worst model years to avoid → — the single year to avoid for every model line we track, ranked side by side.
Years to avoid — and why 5 flagged on the NHTSA record
Cleaner on the data: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023 . Still verify the specific vehicle.
At-a-glance: every year color-coded
Each cell shows the last two digits of the model year and its 0–10 reliability score from NHTSA data. Click any year to see the full record. ★ best year · ✕ year to avoid.
Year-by-year reliability 16 model years · newest first
Common trouble spots across the Challenger aggregated across 16 model years
Common questions
What's the best year to buy a Dodge Challenger?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2020 Dodge Challenger scores 8.6/10 — the strongest in the 2008–2023 range. 20 complaints on file, 0 active recalls. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.
Which Dodge Challenger year should I avoid?
The 2010 Dodge Challenger scores 6.4/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 298 owner complaints with NHTSA, 2 active recalls. That doesn't mean every 2010 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.
Which years of the Dodge Challenger should I avoid?
On the NHTSA complaint and recall record, the model years to be most careful with are 2015 (avoid — the powertrain — powertrain: 28 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 13,816–49,700 mi); 2014 (avoid — the electrical system — 5 fire-related complaints and 2 crash-related complaints on the electrical system); 2013 (avoid — the electrical system — 7 fire-related complaints on the electrical system); 2009 (avoid — the engine — engine: 25 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 12,000–50,000 mi); 2010 (high-risk ownership — electrical system: 50 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 33,200–101,000 mi). The cleaner years on the data are 2023, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2017, 2016. This is our read of the federal data, not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection of the specific vehicle.
How many years of the Dodge Challenger are tracked?
16 model years (2008 through 2023) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 20 recalls and 1,677 owner complaints.
What's the most-reported problem on the Dodge Challenger?
electrical is the most-reported category — 538 complaints across 15 model years. Average shop repair runs about $850.