Problems · by component

2009 Dodge Challenger power train problems

27 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2009 Dodge Challenger cite power train, 20% of all 133 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
27
20% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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
“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
“CAR GETS STUCK IN GEAR WHEN PARKED AND IS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT WHEN DRIVING. THE CAR WHEN PARKED IS ON A FLAT SURFACE AND YOU NEED TO YANK IT OUT OF GEAR WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING. IF YOU BACK UP THE CAR AND TRY TO TAKE IT OUT OF REVERSE YOU HAVE TO YANK IT OUT OF GEAR.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 8, 2020Power trainODI 11307874
“I BROUGHT MY CAR 8 MONTHS AGO AND THE DELALERSHIP NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT ANY OF THE FOUR RECALLS I NEVER RECEIVED ANY PAPERS IN THE MAIL CONCERNING THE RECALLS AND THAT PUTS ME AND MY CHILDREN AT RISK EVERYDAY IT'S A SCARY FEELING I ALSO HIT A TREE THAT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET MY STEERING G WHEEL WAS HARD TO CONTROL AND MY BREAKS AS WELL”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 7, 2020Power train, Electrical system, Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11297547
“THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY TAKING THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION OUT OF GEAR WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED. THIS OCCURS ON BOTH COLD AND HOT START UP AS WELL AS WHEN DRIVING OR STOPPING DURING IN TOWN DRIVING. THIS CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN THAT THE DRIVER COULD INADVERTENTLY ROLL INTO AN INTERSECTION WHERE THEY DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY, ANOTHER VEHICLE, PEDESTRIAN OR BUILDING. THE VEHICLE WILL "CREEP" ON FLAT GROUND IF IT IS NOT PLACED IN NEUTRAL AND THE BRAKE IS RELEASED. USING OUR FRIEND GOOGLE I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND IT APPEARS FROM DISCUSSION ON MULTIPLE FORUMS THAT IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR MY AND OTHER MODEL YEARS. TWO CASE NUMBERS FROM THE MANUFACTURER SEEM TO INDICATE THAT THERE IS A PROCEDURE FOR CORRECTING THIS ISSUE. CASE NUMBERS ARE K38556860 AND S1021000004. THE CASE NUMBERS ARE NOT RECALLS AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE BY THE MANUFACTURER. I HAVE ATTACHED A FILE WITH THE TWO CASES THAT EXPLAIN AN INSPECTION AND REMEDY PROCEDURE. 11/14/2019 IS NOT THE CORRECT DATE OF THE OCCURRENCE, IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. BEST GUESS IS THIS ISSUE STARTED SOMETIME IN 2016, EXACT DATE UNKNOWN,…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 16, 2019Power trainODI 11280474
“MY CAR LOST COMPLETE POWER WHILE TURNING IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. THE VEHICLE IS DEAD AND WILL NOT START. THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WITH NO WARNING. THIS HAS HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES. THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER HAD IT 2 WEEKS AN COULD NOT DETERMINE WHY”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 7, 2017Power train, EngineODI 11013493

Showing 6 of 27 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Power train: park

Free remedy

CHRYSLER IS RECALLING 6,636 MY 2008-2009 DODGE CHALLENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS AND "KEYLESS GO" OPTION. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 114, "THEFT PREVENTION." IF THE STOP/START BUTTON IS PRESSED AND HELD AND THE ENGINE TURNS OFF, THE ELECTRONIC KEY CODE IS REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE. SINCE THIS CAN OCCUR IN A TRANSMISSION OR GEAR SELECTOR POSITION OTHER THAN "PARK," AND THE TRANSMISSION OR GEAR SELECTOR DOES NOT BECOME LOCKED IN "PARK" AS A DIRECT RESULT OF KEY REMOVAL, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A NONCOMPLIANCE MAY EXIST.

Power trainReported Sep 10, 2008NHTSA 08V458000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 30, 2026

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

Other 2009 Challenger problem areas