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KLUNK
KLUNK

2016 Dodge Charger

The Verdict

58 Proceed with Caution

The 2016 Dodge Charger has 181 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (79 complaints) and engine (49 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 58/100, it earns a "Proceed with Caution" rating. If you're shopping for a Dodge Charger, consider the 2024 model year which has 95% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2024 has 95% fewer complaints

View the 2024 Dodge Charger dashboard →

58

Klunk Score: Proceed with Caution

About average for complaint volume. Research the specific issues before buying.

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.

Recalls 1

Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.

17V824000 EQUIPMENT

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling various Dodge, Chrysler, and RAM vehicles equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. A list of the affected trailer model...

Risk

If the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury in the event of a fire.

Remedy

Chrysler will notify owners instructing them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

Get notified if a recall hits this car.

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
200697100152786157
20076935113138210
2008611439012126
200940679464
20102951137813
2011404442816514
2012593739210654
201374111756038
201492241017548
20153513293325
2016796284919
2017474382511
201850544158
2019211161161
20201103360
20211001534
202220540
202373357
202413410
202516471

By Category

Body
79
Engine
49
Electrical
28
Transmission
19
Brakes
6

By Severity

1
72
2
96
3
4
4
9

Worst Problems

Complaints

Engine 1

I am starting to smell fuel inside of my car everytime I fill up my vehicle.

2mo ago
Transmission 2

The contract owns a 2016 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that while driving approximately 38 MPH, the vehicle began cranking. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road, where they called a relative. Once the relative arrived and inspected the vehicle, they noticed the drive shaft had detached. They drove back up the road the truck had just traveled and found the drive shaft. The vehicle was towed to a mechanic, who confirmed the drive shaft had detached from the vehicle, causing a fracture in both the transmission and transfer case. The contact found information on NHTSA Campaign Numbers 16V-043000 (Structure) and 18V-281000 (Power Train); reported a similar failure. The vehicle's drive shaft, transmission, and transfer case were scheduled for replacement. The manufacturer was informed, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not attached to any recalls. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

2mo ago
Engine 1

The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Charger. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed oil cooler. The contact was informed that all the oil had spilled into the coolant reservoir. In addition, the contact was informed that the oil cooler was made of plastic and was warped. The contact was informed that the oil cooler needed to be replaced. The vehicle was in the process of being repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall which had a similar failure description, however the contact's VIN was not associated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline and report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

2mo ago
Engine 1

Dodge Charger, 2016, won't turn on a list. Key is in the cup holder. On the driver's side also there are many videos showing this same issue with many dodge, twenty sixteen chargers.

4mo ago
Body 1

I am the original owner of a 2016 Dodge Charger SXT AWD (VIN: [XXX] ). On February 3, 2026, while driving at highway speeds, the vehicle suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure. I heard a loud metallic grinding noise from underneath, followed by an immediate loss of power and "Service Transmission" and "SERV AWD" warnings on the dashboard. The vehicle became inoperable, and the engine could not be shut off through normal means after the incident. Recall Context: This vehicle has previously had Safety Recalls T03 (Driveshaft Bolts) and U60 (Front Driveshaft) performed in 2017/2018. However, the current failure is identical to the safety defects described in those recalls. This indicates a Recall Remedy Failure, posing a severe safety risk to the driver and others on the road. Current Dispute: The vehicle was towed to Preston CDJR of Dover, but the dealer claims they cannot diagnose the issue or read fault codes. They are attempting to charge $200/hour for unsuccessful diagnosis attempts. I have opened a case with Dodge Corporate (Case #XXX), but the Case Manager has temporarily closed the case due to the dealer's inability to provide a diagnosis, and neither party has responded to my inquiries for 2 business days. Requested Action: I am filing this complaint to request a formal investigation into this recurring safety defect and to compel the manufacturer to honor the safety recall by performing a physical inspection and necessary repairs at no cost to the consumer. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

5mo ago
Engine 2

I recently tried to get my oil changed and they told me that the oil filter housing was cracked. After doing research on this there is several sources saying that there is lots that has had the same malfunction. Surprised there isn't a recall on this part

6mo ago
Body 1

The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that the dashboard and plastic around the gear shifter were folding outward. The contact was concerned that the parts would detach. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000. The VIN was not available.

6mo ago
Transmission 2

The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, while the accelerator pedal was depressed, there was an abnormal thumping sound coming from the front passenger’s side of the vehicle. The contact slowed down the thumping sound decreased; however, the faster the vehicle was driven, the louder the sound became. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the front driveshaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V281000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 89,996.

9mo ago
Engine 2

The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Charger. The contact purchased the vehicle, and the vehicle was taken for the Emissions Test; however, the vehicle failed the Emissions Test. The contact notified the dealer and was informed that some unknown sensors had been replaced, and to allow for a week for the vehicle to adjust. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact stopped by the dealer to pick up the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted, and the contact drove the vehicle to the residence. The contact stated that in the evening, the vehicle failed to restart. After several attempts, the vehicle restarted. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving 40 MPH, there was white smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated that there was a plastic burning odor and an abnormal fuel odor entering the vehicle through the A/C vents. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact requested that the vehicle have a full inspection, and the dealer refused. The contact was informed that the spark plugs and fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

9mo ago
Electrical 1

Odometer Faud. The contact purchased a 2016 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that while attempting to have the vehicle diagnosed, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was approximately 116,000 and at the time of diagnosis, it was discovered that the mileage was approximately 120,000.

9mo ago
Transmission 2

Unknown/. When Press on brake car still moves. Also when put in parked car will move forward or backwards a few inches. Steering wheel does not feel right as if feels not secure when driving.when trying to go in right lane on freeway steering wheel was not all the way responding as if felt like it was loose and not connected to what pairs it’s spose to be. And almost crashed

13mo ago
Transmission 2

My charger was a michigan state patrol vehicle all its maint. Kept up on and all recalls fixed and repaired properly, yet driving at 45mph and my front driveshaft gives out and ends up smashing off my transmission and transfer case and it hit and almost went through the passanger side floor board right under the passanger seat which if it had it would of messed my passanger up bad ,so now 12k + in repairs. Dodge has had multiple recalls over the years for this exact problem, so i guess its time for another one, idk how you can say the recall has been fixed on vehicle if it breaks exactly the same way, that means its not fixed. 06

13mo ago
Body 1

The interior door panels on both front doors of my 2016 Dodge Charger SXT have warped and pulled away from the frame near the window area. The defect appears to be heat-related, and the panels have progressively worsened over time. This issue has not only affected the cosmetic integrity of the vehicle, but it also poses a safety risk by potentially interfering with side airbag deployment or window functionality. I believe this could compromise occupant safety in the event of a side-impact collision. The issue is visible and can be inspected upon request. The problem has not been officially confirmed by a Dodge dealer, but it is widely documented online and the subject of an active class action lawsuit [XXX] et al. v. FCA US LLC). I reported this defect to CarComplaints.com over three years ago and have seen other owners report identical issues with Chargers from similar model years. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or an insurance representative. There were no warning lights or messages related to this issue. The defect gradually became visible approximately two years after I purchased the vehicle. To date, no resolution or support has been provided by Dodge or FCA despite the known and recurring nature of this problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

13mo ago
Engine 1

Smelled fuel leaking inside car towards rear seat. Electrical connector to fuel pump had fuel surrounding it (located under back seat, on left side of car). Upon disconnecting connector, I notice two right most pins of connector (on pump) had a burn mark which cause a hole and allowed fuel to leak out.

14mo ago
Transmission 1

I have a continuous and ongoing problem with my draft shaft specifically the carrier bearing. This part has been giving me trouble for over a couple of years now and feel like it's going to break every time I pull in reverse and my local dealer manufacturer currently has no recalls for this which in 2018 they did.

14mo ago
Transmission 1

I repaired my drive shaft in May of 2024 and I am already having this problem again. It appears this is a common issue with this vehicle. My vehicle is a 2016 Dodge charger. I paid $2000 to repair this the last time and am not happy that I am having the exact same problem again. It was repaired by Dodge, jeep, Chrysler in Springdale Ohio (Jake Sweeney)

16mo ago
Electrical 1

There’s multiple issues I’ve had with this car since day one. One of them almost causing a crash on the interstate going 70mph. The car shut down though the lights remained on and the message service ESC electronic stability control came on, service AWD system, service electric power steering, service brake system and at the time I just left a certified dodge dealership where they did a “” flash recall on the engines computer. Me and my infant child were stranded for over 5 hours until the car decided it would start back. This power loss caused the power steering to lock up and no movement besides me coasting to get over into the emergency lane on the interstate almost being hit by multiple vehicles. The Service ESC came on numerous times since then and still keeps coming on and dodge says it’s nothing and clears the codes. The drive shaft bolts backed out and caused my drive shaft to snap in half costing me over $1700.00. The sec system never works properly it stays stuck in awd mode and seldomly goes in RWD mode. When turning traction control off it automatically kicks into awd not sure if that’s suppose to happen but makes no sense if so. Also the turn signal switch on the steering column is faulty causing the wipers to come on any time you use the turn signal or turn the wheel to make a turn in the vehicle. That has caused me to almost wreck more times then I can count. This car and this cars year make and model definitely has a lot of safety issues and should be investigated by the manufacturer. On the date below I checked February 22, 2022 due to this issue being persistent I can look for the old invoices where I had to replace my drive shaft if needed just email me

17mo ago
Transmission 1

Unexpected vehicle movement from power Train. I was changing my tire and the jack caused my vehicle body side to deform causing the vehicle to fall and nearly broke my leg.

18mo ago
Engine 2

The car has had over 5 batteries in the last year and 3 in the last 2 months. Something is constantly draining the battery in my car and making them go very bad. Also the car will be dead if I park it too long because of the electrical issue and it’s been a huge problem for me.

19mo ago
Transmission 2

Loud noise coming from where the center console should be. I thought it could be something wrapped around the drive shaft but instead the drive shaft carrier bearing needs replaced. You can't get a shop to buy just the part they have to replace the entire piece!

22mo ago

181 total

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