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Research · Compact Cars

2009 Dodge ChallengerRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 7 safety recalls and 133 owner complaints for the 2009 Dodge Challenger. Most complaints involve air bags (41) and power train (27). The EPA rates it 15–20 mpg combined.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
15–20mpg
EPA · 6 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
7campaigns
Latest Jan 2018
Owner complaints
133
Top: air bags
Fuel cost / yr
$3,200est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

7 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Air bags: inflator module

Park It: do not driveFree remedy

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger vehicles, and 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Chrysler is recalling certain 2009-2010 RAM 4500 Cab Chassis, RAM 5500 Cab Chassis, RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Dakota, Dodge Challenger, and Dodge Charger vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Chrysler is also recalling certain 2009 RAM 3500, RAM 2500, RAM 4500 Cab Chassis, RAM 5500 Cab Chassis, Dodge Durango, Chrysler Aspen, RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Dakota, Dodge Challenger, and Dodge Charger vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jan 9, 2018NHTSA 18V021000

Air bags: inflator module

Park It: do not driveFree remedy

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 RAM 2500 trucks produced at the St. Louis North Assembly Plant. With this change, Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM 3500, 2007-2010 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2010 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, 2004-2009 Dodge Durango, 2007-2009 Chrysler Aspen, 2007-2012 Jeep Wrangler, 2008-2012 Dodge Challenger, 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum, 2005-2012 Chrysler 300, 2006-2012 Dodge Charger, 2005-2011 Dodge Dakota, and 2006-2009 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Chrysler is also recalling 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM 3500, 2007-2009 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2009 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, 2004-2009 Dodge Durango, 2007-2009 Chrysler Aspen, 2007-2009 Jeep Wrangler, 2008-2009 Dodge Challenger, 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum, 2005-2009 Chrysler 300, 2006-2009 Dodge Charger, 2005-2009 Dodge Dakota and 2006-2009 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in AZ, AR, DE, Washington D.C., IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV, or "Zone B." Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Chrysler is recalling certain 2005-2008 RAM 2500, 2006-2008 RAM 3500, 2007-2008 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, 2004-2008 Dodge Durango, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2007-2008 Jeep Wrangler, 2008 Dodge Challenger, 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum, 2005-2008 Chrysler 300, 2006-2008 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Dodge Dakota, and 2006-2008 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles originally sold, or registered, in AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY.

Air bagsReported May 24, 2016NHTSA 16V352000

Air bags: inflator module

Park It: do not driveFree remedy

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Dodge Challenger vehicles manufactured September 19, 2007, to October 29, 2010. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

Air bagsReported Jul 10, 2015NHTSA 15V444000
See all 7 recalls with remedies
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 30, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

133 complaints filed with NHTSA · Apr 2009 – Aug 2026
  1. Air bags41
  2. Power train27
  3. Engine26
  4. Electrical system21
  5. Engine and engine cooling13
  6. Vehicle speed control9
  7. Steering8
  8. Fuel/propulsion system4
  9. Service brakes4

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each Challenger model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
200810
2009133
2010299
2011193
2012253
2013179
2014149
2015127
201678
201749
201875
201958
202020
202119
20229
202343
Crashes reported
8
Fires reported
4
Injuries reported
6
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Air bags

41 reports4 crashes
“The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Challenger. The contact stated while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the "check air bag" warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local parts store where it was diagnosed and determined that the driver's side and passenger’s side air bags needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 18V021000 (Air Bags) and NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V444000 (Air Bags). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 16, 2022Air bagsODI 11493840

Power train

27 reports1 crash
“Faulty TCM After purchasing my car it would hard shift in the 3rd and 4th gear And I realize that shortly after purchasing it chant and then one night I was on the freeway and between 2 semi trucks when it's just neutral and then tried shifting into 2nd gear Which almost caused me to wreck in between 2 semi trucks which was not cool and Now my car only shifts into 1st and 2nd gear and when it gets to 3rd it neutrals , It won't go into 3rd or 4th gear . I took it into the dealership to get new software Uploaded on my TCM they said it was fine so I drove it out the parking lot and still doing the sa.e thing won't shift into 3rd gear so I took it to another shop to have it looked at because I didn't want to risk my life driving the car. I'm not gonna take it back to a place that just gotten to tell me that everything was fine when it's clearly not so we put it on a lift inspected it and it shifts from 1st all the way up to 4th no problem and then soon as you put it on the ground and start driving it ,it does the same thing neutrals when it gets the 3rd . Then after looking further into the car the mechanic noticed how small the groundwire was compared to the power…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 13, 2021Power trainODI 11428928

Engine

26 reports2 crashes2 fires
“I took my car to the dealer for recalls they didn’t fix anything they left my car out in the rain the hood up and Choppa had my car for a whole month did any nothing they were very courteous no customer assistance nothing”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 11, 2021Power train, Air bags, EngineODI 11424269
All 2009 Challenger problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

6 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Compact Cars
Engines
3.5L 6-cyl · 5.7L 8-cyl · 6.1L 8-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic 4-spd · Automatic 5-spd · Manual 6-spd
Drive
Rear-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 30, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Challenger
Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
172520$3,200444
Challenger
Auto 5-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
172520$3,200444
Challenger
Auto 5-spd, 8 cyl, 5.7 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
162519$3,400468
Challenger
Man 6-spd, 8 cyl, 5.7 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
162519$3,400468
Challenger
Man 6-spd, 8 cyl, 6.1 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
142216$4,000555
Challenger
Auto 5-spd, 8 cyl, 6.1 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
131915$4,300592
  • Challenger
    Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L
    17 city · 25 hwy · $3,200/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
  • Challenger
    Auto 5-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L
    17 city · 25 hwy · $3,200/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
  • Challenger
    Auto 5-spd, 8 cyl, 5.7 L
    16 city · 25 hwy · $3,400/yr
    19
    mpg comb.
  • Challenger
    Man 6-spd, 8 cyl, 5.7 L
    16 city · 25 hwy · $3,400/yr
    19
    mpg comb.
  • Challenger
    Man 6-spd, 8 cyl, 6.1 L
    14 city · 22 hwy · $4,000/yr
    16
    mpg comb.
  • Challenger
    Auto 5-spd, 8 cyl, 6.1 L
    13 city · 19 hwy · $4,300/yr
    15
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 30, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

1 tested variant
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2009 Dodge Challenger as of Oct 30, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Oct 30, 2026Vehicle 5383
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2009 Challenger questions

How many recalls does the 2009 Dodge Challenger have?

7 safety recalls as of Oct 30, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2009 Dodge Challenger problems?

Owners filed 133 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are air bags (41), power train (27), engine (26). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2009 Dodge Challenger get?

The EPA rates the 2009 Dodge Challenger at 15–20 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (6 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Oct 30, 2026