2011 Dodge CHALLENGER

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2011 Dodge CHALLENGER has 255 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.2x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (41% of all complaints), specifically: i drive a 2011 dodge challenger srt-8. it has only 300 miles on it. i was driving it off the highway and was making a right turn off the exit. suddenly the vehicles engine and electrical power all shutdown. luckily the car behind me swerved out of the way or we both surely would of died. i could not. ⚠️ 10 fire reports filed.

10 fire reports 7 crash reports 6 injuries

255

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.2x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

104 complaints

41%

• I DRIVE A 2011 DODGE CHALLENGER SRT-8. IT HAS ONLY 300 MILES ON IT. I WAS DRIVING IT OFF THE HIGHWAY AND WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN OFF THE EXIT. SUDDENLY THE VEHICLES ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL POWER ALL SHUTDOWN. LUCKILY THE CAR BEHIND ME SWERVED OUT OF THE WAY OR WE BOTH SURELY WOULD OF DIED. I COULD NOT
• STARTED AT ABOUT TWO TO THREE MONTHS WHILE STOPPED TO MAKE TURN, THE COMPUTER RESET. IT NOTED TIRE PRESSURE LOW AND AIR BAG LIGHT. THIS COMPUTER PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST SIX TO EIGHT TIMES. ALSO, AT LEAST SIX TO EIGHT TIMES, THE CAR WILL NOT DETECT KEY FOB AND THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIM
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHALLENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERABLE AND DRAINING THE BATTERY. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 5 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“I DRIVE A 2011 DODGE CHALLENGER SRT-8. IT HAS ONLY 300 MILES ON IT. I WAS DRIVING IT OFF THE HIGHWAY AND WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN OFF THE EXIT. SUDDENLY THE VEHICLES ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL POWER ALL SHUTDOWN. LUCKILY THE CAR BEHIND ME SWERVED OUT OF THE WAY OR WE BOTH SURELY WOULD OF DIED. I COULD NOT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

35 complaints

14%

• THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY WERE AN ACCIDENT TO HAPPEN. IT IS THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT DEPLOY AIRBAG. THIS CAN BE TURNED OFF BY WIGGLING A WIRE AND CONNECTOR UNDER THE REAR OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE LIGHT AND DISABLING OF THE AIRBAG HAPPEN AT RANDOM TIMES AND ANY TIME YOU I
• MY 2011 DODGE CHALLENGER WAS IN A HEAD ON ACCIDENT. THE IMPACT PUSH THE MOTOR UNDER THE DASH, CRACKED THE TRANSMISSION, CRUMBLED THE FRONT OF THE CAR ALMOST TO THE WINDSHIELD. THE CHALLENGER HAS AN AIR BAG ON THE SEAT, WELL THAT AIR BAG; NOR THE AIR BAG ON THE WINDSHIELD PILLAR OR THE STEERING WHEEL
• BOUGHT CAR USED. AFTER 3 DAYS OF HAVING IT THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON, AND WILL NOT GO OUT. TOOK CAR TO DEALER THEY SAY IT IS IN THE HARNESS UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT. THEY ARE TRYING TO GET THE CORRECT HARNESS SO FAR 2 WHERE SHIPPED TO THEM AND THEY WERE THE WRONG ONE. THEY REALLY DON;T HAVE A ANSWER

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY WERE AN ACCIDENT TO HAPPEN. IT IS THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT DEPLOY AIRBAG. THIS CAN BE TURNED OFF BY WIGGLING A WIRE AND CONNECTOR UNDER THE REAR OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE LIGHT AND DISABLING OF THE AIRBAG HAPPEN AT RANDOM TIMES AND ANY TIME YOU I”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

22 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHALLENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM UNDER THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE
• MY FIANCE AND I WERE LEAVING A STORE WHEN ALL THE LIGHTS IN THE CAR STARTED FLASHING AND THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING A WEIRD HUMMING SOUND AND THEN THE CAR DIED AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN! I HAD TO PAY A TOW TRUCK TO COME OUT AND PICK IT UP AND TAKE IT IN TO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP. WAS WITHOUT MY CAR F
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHALLENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND SMOKE APPEARED FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHALLENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM UNDER THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

18 complaints

• WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, VEHICLE'S ENGINE FAILED AND ALL SYSTEMS WENT DEAD. LUCKILY I HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY AND INTO A SAFE AREA. AFTER BEING TESTED BY MECHANIC, HE SAID THE EDM HAD A STORED FAULT WITH THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR HOWEVER NO CURRENT FAULT
• IN EARLY OCTOBER 2014 I STARTED SMELLING GAS FUMES INSIDE MY VEHICLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT MY FUEL TANK HAD A FACTORY DEFECT WHERE THE FUEL PUMP LOCKING TABS WERE MOLDED INTO THE TANK. THE LEAK WAS AROUND THE SEAM WHERE ATTACHED. THIS IS DIRECTLY UNDER
• MY TANK HAS TO BE LEAKING BECAUSE I REMOVED MY BACK SEAT AND FOUND GAS. RECENTLY TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF A CHL AND THE GAS SMELL AND THEY CLAIM THEY COULD NOT FIND THE LOCATION OF THE GAS SMELL. THEY TOLD ME I MAY NEED TO REPLACE THE CANISTER IN WHICH THEY WOULD GLADLY DO FOR $$$$. I

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, VEHICLE'S ENGINE FAILED AND ALL SYSTEMS WENT DEAD. LUCKILY I HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY AND INTO A SAFE AREA. AFTER BEING TESTED BY MECHANIC, HE SAID THE EDM HAD A STORED FAULT WITH THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR HOWEVER NO CURRENT FAULT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

14 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHALLENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE PANEL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED INTERMENTLY, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NO
• PROBLEM IDENTICAL TO PRIOR CUSTOMER COMPLAINT WITH ALL INTERNAL LIGHTS AND GAUGES BLINKING. DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, ENGINE STARTED RACING, SMELLED RUBBER, SPEEDOMETER RACING. PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. PUT THE CAR IN PARK, AND THE LIGHT SHOW CONTINUED. ALL OF
• I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON 7/19/2014 AS NORMAL AND I NOTICED SEVERAL DRIVERS FROM OTHER CARS POINTING AT MY HOOD. THERE WERE NO DASH INDICATOR LIGHTS ON . I PULLED OVER AND THE CAR POWERED DOWN AND SMOKE STARTED BILLOWING THROUGH THE VENTS AND FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I RELEASED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE A

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHALLENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE PANEL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED INTERMENTLY, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 255 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: I DRIVE A 2011 DODGE CHALLENGER SRT-8. IT HAS ONLY 300 MILES ON IT. I WAS DRIVING IT OFF THE HIGHWAY AND WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN OFF THE EXIT. SUDDENLY THE VEHICLES ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL POWER ALL SHUTDOWN. LUCKILY THE CAR BEHIND ME SWERVED OUT OF THE WAY OR WE BOTH SURELY WOULD OF DIED. I COULD NOT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY WERE AN ACCIDENT TO HAPPEN. IT IS THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT DEPLOY AIRBAG. THIS CAN BE TURNED OFF BY WIGGLING A WIRE AND CONNECTOR UNDER THE REAR OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE LIGHT AND DISABLING OF THE AIRBAG HAPPEN AT RANDOM TIMES AND ANY TIME YOU I
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHALLENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM UNDER THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, VEHICLE'S ENGINE FAILED AND ALL SYSTEMS WENT DEAD. LUCKILY I HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY AND INTO A SAFE AREA. AFTER BEING TESTED BY MECHANIC, HE SAID THE EDM HAD A STORED FAULT WITH THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR HOWEVER NO CURRENT FAULT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)