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Research · Large Cars · 2 NHTSA variants

2016 Dodge ChargerRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls and 182 owner complaints for the 2016 Dodge Charger. Most complaints involve structure (53) and fuel/propulsion system (25). The EPA rates it 16–23 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
16–23mpg
EPA · 8 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
6campaigns
Latest Jul 2018
Owner complaints
182
Top: structure
Fuel cost / yr
$2,800est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

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

Power train: control module (tcm

Free remedy

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain Mopar Stage 1 Kit Performance Packages Powertrain Control Modules (PCM) Part Numbers P5160023, P5160025, and Demon Crate PCM Part Number 68412287AA. The PCMs are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.

Power trainReported Jul 12, 2018NHTSA 18E053000

Electrical system: wiring

Free remedy

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.

Electrical systemReported May 17, 2018NHTSA 18V332000

Power train: driveshaft

Free remedy

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Dodge Charger pursuit police vehicles equipped with all-wheel drive and V8 engines. The front driveshaft universal joint may seize or fracture causing the shaft to detach from the vehicle.

Power trainReported May 1, 2018NHTSA 18V281000
See all 6 recalls with remedies
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

182 complaints filed with NHTSA · Jan 2016 – May 2026
  1. Structure53
  2. Fuel/propulsion system25
  3. Power train25
  4. Engine25
  5. Electrical system25
  6. Steering17
  7. Air bags9
  8. Service brakes8
  9. Exterior lighting8

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 Charger model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
20061,294
2007570
2008624
2009175
2010238
2011695
2012648
2013360
2014343
2015136
2016182
2017128
2018122
2019120
202058
202135
202216
202326
20250
Crashes reported
7
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
15
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Structure

53 reports1 crash
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 6, 2026StructureODI 11709193

Fuel/propulsion system

25 reports
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 2, 2025Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11658598

Power train

25 reports1 crash
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 14, 2026Power trainODI 11737747
All 2016 Charger problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

8 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Large Cars
Engines
3.6L 6-cyl · 5.7L 8-cyl · 6.4L 8-cyl · 6.2L 8-cyl supercharged
Transmissions
Automatic 8-spd
Drive
Rear-Wheel Drive · All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline · Midgrade Gasoline · Premium 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 Nov 3, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Charger
Auto 8-spd, 6 cyl, 3.6 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
193023$2,800389
Charger
Auto 8-spd, 6 cyl, 3.6 L, FFV · Rear-Wheel Drive
193023$2,800389
Charger AWD
Auto 8-spd, 6 cyl, 3.6 L · All-Wheel Drive
182721$3,050415
Charger AWD
Auto 8-spd, 6 cyl, 3.6 L, FFV · All-Wheel Drive
182721$3,050415
Charger
Auto 8-spd, 8 cyl, 5.7 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
162519$3,900466
Charger
Auto 8-spd, 8 cyl, 6.4 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
152518$4,400486
Charger SRT8
Auto 8-spd, 8 cyl, 6.4 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
152518$4,400486
Charger SRT8
Auto 8-spd, 8 cyl, 6.2 L, Sup Charg · Rear-Wheel Drive
132216$5,000546
  • Charger
    Auto 8-spd, 6 cyl, 3.6 L
    19 city · 30 hwy · $2,800/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
  • Charger
    Auto 8-spd, 6 cyl, 3.6 L, FFV
    19 city · 30 hwy · $2,800/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
  • Charger AWD
    Auto 8-spd, 6 cyl, 3.6 L
    18 city · 27 hwy · $3,050/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • Charger AWD
    Auto 8-spd, 6 cyl, 3.6 L, FFV
    18 city · 27 hwy · $3,050/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • Charger
    Auto 8-spd, 8 cyl, 5.7 L
    16 city · 25 hwy · $3,900/yr
    19
    mpg comb.
  • Charger
    Auto 8-spd, 8 cyl, 6.4 L
    15 city · 25 hwy · $4,400/yr
    18
    mpg comb.
  • Charger SRT8
    Auto 8-spd, 8 cyl, 6.4 L
    15 city · 25 hwy · $4,400/yr
    18
    mpg comb.
  • Charger SRT8
    Auto 8-spd, 8 cyl, 6.2 L, Sup Charg
    13 city · 22 hwy · $5,000/yr
    16
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

3 tested variants
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
Dodge Charger 4 DR RWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
5 of 5
Rollover risk
10.1%
Overall
5 / 5
Dodge Charger 4 DR AWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
5 of 5
Rollover risk
10.1%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 3, 2026Vehicle 10146Vehicle 10145Vehicle 10404
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

2016 Charger questions

How many recalls does the 2016 Dodge Charger have?

6 safety recalls as of Nov 3, 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 2016 Dodge Charger problems?

Owners filed 182 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are structure (53), fuel/propulsion system (25), power train (25). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2016 Dodge Charger get?

The EPA rates the 2016 Dodge Charger at 16–23 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (8 versions rated).

How safe is the 2016 Dodge Charger?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2016 Dodge Charger 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 3, 2026