2008 Dodge Charger
The Verdict
The 2008 Dodge Charger has 612 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are electrical (390 complaints) and engine (121 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 19/100, it earns a "Total Klunk" rating. If you're shopping for a Dodge Charger, consider the 2024 model year which has 98% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2024 has 98% fewer complaints
View the 2024 Dodge Charger dashboard →
Klunk Score: Total Klunk
Among the most complained-about vehicle years on record. Strongly consider alternatives.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
| Year | Body | Brakes | Electrical | Engine | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 97 | 100 | 152 | 786 | 157 |
| 2007 | 69 | 35 | 113 | 138 | 210 |
| 2008 | 61 | 14 | 390 | 121 | 26 |
| 2009 | 40 | 6 | 79 | 46 | 4 |
| 2010 | 29 | 5 | 113 | 78 | 13 |
| 2011 | 40 | 44 | 428 | 165 | 14 |
| 2012 | 59 | 37 | 392 | 106 | 54 |
| 2013 | 74 | 11 | 175 | 60 | 38 |
| 2014 | 92 | 24 | 101 | 75 | 48 |
| 2015 | 35 | 13 | 29 | 33 | 25 |
| 2016 | 79 | 6 | 28 | 49 | 19 |
| 2017 | 47 | 4 | 38 | 25 | 11 |
| 2018 | 50 | 5 | 44 | 15 | 8 |
| 2019 | 21 | 11 | 61 | 16 | 1 |
| 2020 | 11 | 0 | 33 | 6 | 0 |
| 2021 | 10 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 4 |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| 2023 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| 2024 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 1 |
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Complaints
While driving on an expressway at 70 MPH , the car suddenly stopped and had no power. The gas gauge showed 1/4 tank of gas . Luckily we we able to cross lanes by coasting, to get off to the right. We had to be towed to a repair shop. The car was found to be Out of Gas ! This could have been a catastrophic accident ,or death ,had we not been able to get off the road !!
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start as intended. An abnormal cranking sound could be heard coming from the engine. The contact stated it would take several attempts to start the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that last year he received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers : 4V567000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) and NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V352000 (AIR BAGS). The vehicle was repaired. The dealer is refusing to repair the vehicle for the most recent failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 250,000.
My car was leaking gas from the fuel pump and I guess my car from the backseat almost caught fire cause I seen smoke coming from the back seat behind the driver. I went to two Dodge dealerships to let them know about this incident that reason why my fuel pump caught on fire because Dodge put the negative and the positive wire close to each other on the fuel pump, which could cause a fire or your car to explode. I let Dodge know about this incident and let them know that my car almost caught on fire smoke came out and I could’ve died. They totally brushed me off and brushed off my incident. I told him hey this is a recall that you guys need to take serious before someone really gets hurt from Now. I am carless with no vehicle to drive. No way to pick up my daughter from school. I need you guys help ASAP so I could be able to father my child and be able to go to work to provide for my child. Thank you.
When I turned my ignition key, it would not turn on the car no power
Hesitation when starting car
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled, but was able to coast off the roadway. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle temporarily returned to normal functionality but was running abnormally. The contact stated that the failure recurred. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the PCM and the ignition switch. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V567000 (Electrical System) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 208,500.
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the vehicle remained running temporarily. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle would no longer start. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V567000 (Electrical System). The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not repair the vehicle under the recall as the vehicle was over 10 years old; however, the vehicle was not more than 10 years old on the date the defect was determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 187,846.
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Charger. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power with the check engine, traction control, and an unknown warning light illuminated. The contact restarted the vehicle and drove to his residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the dealer informed the contact that he had to pay out of pocket for the diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 270,917.
The esp bass light and traction control lights and the brake light keeps lighting up on the dash of my 2008 Dodge Charger RT took it to a mechanic shop and told them what was going on replace the wheel speed sensor in the back and the rear axle the brake light no longer lights up but the ESP and the traction control light still light up on the car sometimes cannot find the issue or what's going on
Accelerating on highway at around 45mph my Dodge Charger gave a small spurt of powder then immediately after i lost complete power and shut down. I had to move to shoulder of highway where i turned the key to off position and took key out. I tried to restart the car and it wouldnt even try turning over. The cluster lights of PRND38 (ive never seen an 8 on there before)… showed up with boxes around each letter which was not normal along with the lightning bolt light and battery light. We changed new charged battery still no turn over. Tried to connect a snap on code scanner and it wouldn’t link. I also changed throttle pedal as well as throttle body because the lightning bolb light was on When can shut down while driving it.
The gas gage on the dash is not reading properly my car said I had 1/8 of a tank and then driving down the interstate my car dies in the middle of the road lights went out power steering
My air bag light is on and im having problems with high idle after replacing map sensors, and replacing the Throttle Body, and replacing the fuel pump my car is running horrible
Need keyfobs reprogramed my car won't start unless I hold down on door lock and lock on keyfob at the same time and to the point where it won't start at all security light keeps coming on before starting. My car shutdown while driving in traffic. It happens a lot. Please recall these parts. I'm afraid of wrecking when breaking down in rush hour traffic? My Name is [XXX] ph number is [XXX] My address is [XXX]. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The contact owned a 2008 Dodge Charger. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V352000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that while a female was driving the vehicle at an unknown speed with the contact's boyfriend and his older cousin as passengers in the vehicle, the driver crashed the vehicle into a wall. The contact stated that none of the air bags deployed upon impact. The contact's boyfriend and his cousin were unconscious and were transported to two separate hospitals by ambulance. The contact's boyfriend sustained injuries to his neck, hip, and back. The contact was not aware of the injuries sustained by her boyfriend's cousin but stated that prior to the collision, his cousin had surgery regarding a pacemaker. The female driver did not sustain any injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
THE CAR IS IN DRIVE, WITHOUT WARNING THE CAR SIMPLY LOOSES POWER, SHUTS DOWN IMMEDIATELY ON THE FREEWAY, IN TRAFFIC, ANYWHERE INCLUDING ON A SHORT DRIVE; THE CAR LOOSES POWER, THE MPH DROPS TO 0, THE CAR COASTS TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, IT LOOSES POWER STEERING, THE KEY FOB IS STILL IN IGNITION, LIGHTS GO OFF, AND I HAVE TO RESTART CAR; FORMER ALLEN SAMUELS DODGE SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR, BUT IT WAS NOT DOING THIS UNTIL THEY CHANGED THE KEY FOB AND RESET THE IGNITION SWITCH FOR THE NEW FOB IN 2014, IT HAS NEARLY CAUSED US TO BE RUN OVER SEVERAL TIMES WITH GRANDCHILDREN IN THE CAR BY 18 WHEELERS ON THE HWY, SO WE HAVE HAD AUTONATION RUN DIAGNOSIS AND SAY NOTHING IS WRONG WHEN CLEARLY IT IS SOMETHING VERY WRONG - HELP, MY NEPHEWS DODGE CHARGER DOES THE SAME THING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CHARGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY CEASED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ON, CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. ADDITIONALLY, THE GEAR SHIFTER COULD NOT BE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL PERTAINING TO THE FAILURE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.
SINCE 2015 THE CLEAR COATING ON THE DRIVER SIDE FROM THE FRONT TO BACK IS PEELING IT HAS BUBBLES JUST LATELY IT'S NOW ON THE BACK BUMPER IT APPEARS IT'S GOING AROUND THE WHOLE CAR .I CAN'T WASH IT AT CAR WASH I HAVE TO WATCH HOW I SPRAY IT WITH WATER I HAVE SEEN OTHER CARS LIKE MINE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.I HAVE MORE PICTURES THEN I'M SHOWING .
THE IGNITION SWITCH AND KEY FOB IS NOT WORKING AT ALL. VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND WILL NOT START. APPARENTLY, THERE IS A LOSS OF FUNCTIONALITY.
THE CAR IS POORLY WINTERIZED, CAUSING MY ENTIRE FRAME TO RUST AND COMPLETELY FALL, THEREFORE LEAVING MY MOTOR SITTING ON TOP OF MY RATCH AND PINION AND ALMOST RESULTING IN MY DEATH. THIS CAR ISN'T OLD ENOUGH TO BE EXPERIENCING THESE PROBLEMS OR THE AMOUNT OF PARTS THAT RUST OUT OF IT.
PROBLEMS STARTING THE SWITCH GETS STUCK AFTER I TRY STARTING IT AND NO MY CAR DOESN'T START AT ALL DOESN'T EVEN TURN OVER LIGHTS AND FINGERS ALL ARE WORKING BUT WON'T CRANK
612 total