Dodge Dart reliability by year
8 recall campaigns and 2,315 owner complaints across 4 model years. Best year to buy: 2016. Year to avoid: 2015.
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 4 flagged on the NHTSA record
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 4 model years · newest first
Per-year recall counts add up to 16, more than the 8 campaigns above, because a single NHTSA campaign often covers several model years and is counted once in each.
Common trouble spots across the Dart aggregated across 4 model years
Common questions
What's the best year to buy a Dodge Dart?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2016 Dodge Dart scores 6.4/10 — the strongest in the 2013–2016 range. 256 complaints on file, 5 active recalls. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.
Which Dodge Dart year should I avoid?
The 2015 Dodge Dart scores 5.8/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 522 owner complaints with NHTSA, 6 active recalls. That doesn't mean every 2015 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.
Which years of the Dodge Dart should I avoid?
On the NHTSA complaint and recall record, the model years to be most careful with are 2013 (avoid — the powertrain — 2 fatality reports and 4 fire-related complaints on the powertrain); 2016 (high-risk ownership — electrical system: 36 complaints, classified severe); 2015 (high-risk ownership — brakes: 46 complaints, classified severe); 2014 (high-risk ownership — electrical system: 55 complaints, classified severe). 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 Dart are tracked?
4 model years (2013 through 2016) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 8 distinct recall campaigns and 2,315 owner complaints. Those campaigns land on 16 model-year entries in total, because one campaign often covers several years at once — which is why per-year recall counts add up to more than the campaign count.
What's the most-reported problem on the Dodge Dart?
powertrain is the most-reported category — 869 complaints across 4 model years. Average shop repair runs about $2,500.