Problems · NHTSA complaints
2010 Dodge Challenger problems
Owners filed 299 complaints about the 2010 Dodge Challenger with NHTSA between Feb 2010 and Sep 2026. The most-cited component is engine (75).
Complaints
299
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
10
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
13
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine75
- Air bags75
- Electrical system68
- Power train36
- Steering33
- Engine and engine cooling31
- Service brakes25
- Fuel/propulsion system14
- Suspension7
- Vehicle speed control7
- Structure6
- Electronic stability control (esc)5
- Wheels5
- Visibility4
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
24
31
18
30
18
59
30
26
25
14
7
6
1
2
6
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 24 |
| 2011 | 31 |
| 2012 | 18 |
| 2013 | 30 |
| 2014 | 18 |
| 2015 | 59 |
| 2016 | 30 |
| 2017 | 26 |
| 2018 | 25 |
| 2019 | 14 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 6 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine
75 reports
“Was driving and a tick was present then over heated sat on side of road until cooled down added coolant drove home . The next day car was drivable. Drove to school and car was sounding funny so took it to a repair shop and they told me the particular engine in the vehicle has a fuel efficient component where it shuts down the cylinders on the freeway, and the lifters are supposed to open, but our lifter did not open. It got stuck and grind the camshaft in the motor. Needless to say I had to have the car towed home. It’s just sitting in my parking lot. I tried calling Dodge. They wouldn’t help me. I tried calling multiple agencies to help. I looked up on the Internet and there is multiple complaints about the same problem it’s called the hemi lift so hopefully one day this can be recalled because I’m still paying on the car. I had a year and a half. No one will help me. My kids were driving the car. What if the thing blew up on them on the freeway and somebody hit them because Car wouldn’t move anymore . Or if they were taking the car through the desert and there is no phone calls and no one around. If they were going around corners of a mountain and just…”
Air bags
75 reports8 crashes4 related recalls
“The contact owns a 2010 Dodge Challenger. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound coming from the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the instrument panel was damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact stated that the battery was replaced. The contact had received notification on NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V352000 (AIR BAGS). The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was 185,000. Parts distribution disconnect.”
Electrical system
68 reports1 crash3 fires1 related recall
“I need to address a serious issue regarding the car I purchased in 2020 from a private vendor. Upon taking the car to Crown Dodge Dealership in Ventura County for repair, I had to pay roughly $700 out of pocket for the service and rented a car from Hertz for the days I was without my car. However, upon receiving the car back, it still had unresolved issues with the electrical components and dashboard noise. It is unacceptable that the manager at the dealership did not prioritize my safety or the quality of the car I purchased. Since this car is my sole mode of transportation, I demand a prompt resolution to this matter. I expect immediate assistance in addressing these concerns. Thank you.”
Power train
36 reports1 crash1 fire
“The Gen III hemi has an inherent design flaw in which the rollers making contact with the camshaft will fail, causing damage to the camshaft and causing the engine to misfire. This is due to the camshaft being moved away from the crankshaft as it causes oil starvation. After extensive research it appears to affect cars of various miles and workload. There is no single cause that makes this happen other than a grievous design flaw. The main complaint is that you experience total power loss at higher revs, making it dangerous to drive on the interstate or attempting to merge into traffics as the engine begins to shudder and lose most power. Whether it’s 40K miles or 110K miles, the flaw does not discriminate. After numerous attempts to reach Chrysler technical service on how to prevent this, I’ve been ignored and case numbers deleted. Now this is very important. This causes a misfire which not only destroys catalytic converters, but arrives with no notice. It’s very possible someone may be attempting to pass someone on the interstate and suddenly lose power. My mechanic inspected it and confirmed that the rollers failed, causing causing lifters to not make proper…”
Steering
33 reports1 related recall
“Was driving normally going 65 mph on the highway when white smoke was emitting from inside the steering wheel. Between the dashboard and steering wheel. Engine was fine and no warning lights came on. Everything ran great except for the white smoke. I don’t know what it could be. Luckily it didn’t catch on fire”
Engine and engine cooling
31 reports
“I HAVE A 2010 DODGE CHALLENGER R/T. WHEN I CAME TO A STOP AT A RED LIGHT IN BETWEEN ME RELEASING THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATING MY OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND MY ENGINE STOPPED. THE CAR BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER AND THE BRAKES WERE DIFFICULT TO USE. THE A/C AND RADIO WERE STILL FUNCTIONAL. WHEN I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE THE OIL LIGHT NO LONGER APPEARED AND I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING. THIS HAS OCCURRED TWICE THIS SUMMER 2015 AND ONCE LAST SUMMER 2014. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND NO CODES WERE FOUND ON ALL OCCASIONS. I HAVE A LIFETIME MOPAR WARRANTY HOWEVER THE DEALERSHIP IS UNABLE TO RECREATE THE ISSUE, THEREFORE THEY ARE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE ROOT CAUSE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ALSO COMPLETED OIL CONSUMPTION TESTING AND FOUND NO ISSUES. I WAS ABLE TO USE MY CELL PHONE TO RECORD THE OIL LIGHT SHOWING THE LAST TIME THE ISSUE OCCURRED. I HAVE ALSO FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH DODGE. DODGE SUGGESTED THAT THERE COULD POSSIBLY BE ELECTRICAL ISSUES.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.