Dodge Challenger Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2010 draws 6.69 complaints per run and the 2019 1.43, a 4.7-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age, so 68.1% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Electrical System, with 573 complaints, typically at 4.3 years.

Dodge Challenger years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Dodge Challenger — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2023	1.3	43	33	too new
2022	1.29	9	7	too new
2021	1.29	18	14	too new
2020	1.33	20	15	yes
2019	1.43	57	40	yes
2018	2.03	73	36	yes
2017	1.66	48	29	yes
2016	2	70	35	yes
2015	2.18	120	55	yes
2014	4.76	138	29	yes
2013	4.88	166	34	yes
2012	5.97	233	39	yes
2011	4.89	171	35	yes
2010	6.69	261	39	yes
2009	3.31	119	36	yes
2008	1	7	7	yes

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2010 Challenger asks a median $10,700, against $13,995 for a 2011, the next model year: about 24% less, so sellers do price some of the trouble in.

Among the 8 Dodge Challenger years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2010, 2012, 2011; the three worth hunting are 2019, 2016, 2018.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Dodge Challenger — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	151	9.8%	covered
1 year	164	20.4%	covered
2 years	178	31.9%	covered
3 years	177	43.4%	you pay
4 years	190	55.7%	you pay
5 years	201	68.7%	you pay
6 years	161	79.1%	you pay
7 years	112	86.4%	you pay
8 years	70	90.9%	you pay
9 years	49	94.1%	you pay
10 years	29	96%	you pay
11 years	24	97.5%	you pay
12 years	18	98.7%	you pay
13 years	9	99.3%	you pay
14 years	8	99.8%	you pay
15 years	3	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 31.9% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 68.1% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 27% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Dodge Challenger, the early trouble is Service Brakes — reported at around 3.9 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Electrical System at 4.3 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Dodge Challenger — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Electrical System	573	4.3 yrs	10	31
Air Bags	257	4.9 yrs	57	—
Engine	256	4.8 yrs	4	15
Unknown Or Other	176	4.7 yrs	7	6
Power Train	171	4.3 yrs	5	3
Steering	137	4.1 yrs	7	1
Service Brakes	99	3.9 yrs	12	3
Fuel/propulsion System	74	5.5 yrs	1	5

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Challenger's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota Camry draws 5.65, the Honda Accord 4.02 and the Toyota Prius 13.31, against 3.27 for the Challenger. That is the fewest complaints of the group.

FIG.05·Dodge Challenger — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Challenger	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Toyota Camry	20,039	161	1983–2026
Honda Accord	24,369	415	1981–2026
Toyota Prius	12,873	109	2001–2026
Hyundai Elantra	9,090	117	1992–2026
Nissan Altima	15,657	148	1993–2026
Tesla Model 3	4,207	142	2017–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Dodge Challenger

Recalls77 campaigns Fuel economy23 mpg best Common problems1,696 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space16 cu ft Used prices2,389 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car1981–2026

Frequently asked questions

Is the Dodge Challenger reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 3.27 against 3.73 for the average car, and fewer than each of the 3 class rivals we compared.

Which Challenger years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2010, 2012, 2011. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2019, 2016, 2018. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Challenger problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age. The most reported system is Electrical System, typically at 4.3 years, followed by Air Bags.

Will the warranty cover Challenger problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 31.9% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 27% of the complaints here.

Is the Challenger more reliable than the Toyota Camry?

Yes: 3.27 complaints per production run for the Challenger against 5.65 for the Toyota Camry.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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