2018 Dodge Charger
2 things going for it, 3 to watch.
Cons
Official recall campaigns exist for this vehicle. See the Safety Recalls section for what failed and how it's fixed.
Why we say this — NHTSA — Safety Recalls
45 of 122 owner complaints are about the electrical system. Tap it in the heatmap to read the real reports.
Why we say this — NHTSA — Owner Complaints
5 complaint(s) involved a crash and 1 involved a fire.
Why we say this — NHTSA — Owner Complaints
Pros
Earned a strong overall government crash-test rating.
Why we say this — NHTSA — 5-Star Safety Ratings
122 complaints ranks #1 of 24 popular 2018 models we track (fewest first, snapshot 2026-07-10). Raw counts partly reflect how many were sold — see "How it compares" below.
Why we say this — NHTSA — Owner Complaints
Neutral
Official EPA fuel economy. We show this as a neutral fact — whether it's 'good' depends on the vehicle's class.
Why we say this — U.S. EPA / DOE — fueleconomy.gov
ℹ️ Recalls & complaints are reported per model — the same across every trim & engine. Fuel economy (and crash ratings by body style) can vary — use the pickers in those sections.
Safety Recalls
Official recall campaigns. Tap one to see the danger and the fix.
What is a recall, really?
A recall means the government made the manufacturer admit a safety defect — and the fix is free at any dealer, forever, even for used cars. Recalls range from a software update to "the steering wheel can detach," so read the danger line on each one. Buying used? Ask the seller for proof each recall was completed, or have a dealer run the VIN. Recalls also have a quieter cousin worth reading: technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Campaign 20V512000
What's wrong: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Dodge Charger Pursuit vehicles equipped with a "stealth mode." When stealth mode is selected, the backup camera rearview image will not display when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
The danger: The lack of a back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update body control module software to disable stealth mode when the vehicle is shifted into "Reverse", free of charge. The recall began October 22, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W62.
NHTSA Campaign 18V280000
What's wrong: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Dodge Charger, Durango and Challenger, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wrangler, Chrysler 300, and RAM 1500 vehicles. An incorrect transmission park lock rod may have been installed in the transmission.
The danger: If the incorrect park lock rod is installed, the transmission may not shift into 'PARK' and keep the vehicle from moving, increasing the risk of unintended vehicle movement and the risk of a crash.
The fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install the correct park lock rod, free of charge. The recall began June 28, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U43.
NHTSA Campaign 18V332000
What's wrong: 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.
The danger: If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
The fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.
NHTSA Campaign 18V281000
What's wrong: 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.
The danger: If the front driveshaft detaches from the vehicle it may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driveshaft, free of charge. The recall began June 27, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U37.
NHTSA Campaign 18V524000
What's wrong: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Renegade, Compass and Grand Cherokee, RAM 1500 and Promaster, Fiat 500x, Dodge Journey, Challenger, Charger and Durango and Chrysler 300x vehicles, 2017-2018 Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles and 2018-2019 Jeep Cherokee and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid vehicles. The powertrain control module may be equipped with a voltage regulator chip in the circuit board that may fail, causing a stall or a no start condition.
The danger: A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began October 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U87.
NHTSA Campaign 24V198000
What's wrong: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) (Stellantis) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 vehicles. The right and left side curtain air bag inflators may rupture due to a manufacturing defect.
The danger: An inflator rupture may result in sharp metal fragments striking occupants, resulting in injury or death.
The fix: Dealers will replace both side curtain air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning February 20, 2025. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 19B.
Source: NHTSA — Safety Recalls · re-checked about every 24 hours
Where Owners Report Problems
Where owners report the most trouble — based on 122 complaints (5 involved a crash, 1 a fire). Tap a part to read the real reports.
Raw count — best-sellers naturally log more complaints than rare cars, so judge it against the peer comparison below, not on its own.
Why don't we show complaints per vehicle sold?
Because no official source publishes sales counts per model — that data is sold by private firms, and the free numbers online are guesses. A rate built on a guessed denominator is a guess wearing a lab coat, so we refuse to show one. Instead we show comparisons where fleet size cancels out or is disclosed: the same model across its own years, the crash/fire severity mix, and the peer ranking below — each with its methodology attached.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 45):
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 33):
Of 19 reports about this part, 1 involved a crash and 0 a fire.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 19):
Of 11 reports about this part, 0 involved a crash and 1 a fire.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 11):
Of 10 reports about this part, 1 involved a crash and 0 a fire.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 10):
Of 6 reports about this part, 2 involved a crash and 0 a fire.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 6):
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 5):
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 5):
Of 5 reports about this part, 2 involved a crash and 0 a fire.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 5):
Of 5 reports about this part, 1 involved a crash and 0 a fire.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 5):
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 4 of 4):
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 4 of 4):
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 3 of 3):
Of 2 reports about this part, 1 involved a crash and 0 a fire.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 2 of 2):
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 2 of 2):
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 2 of 2):
Of 2 reports about this part, 1 involved a crash and 0 a fire.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 2 of 2):
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 1 of 1):
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 1 of 1):
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 1 of 1):
Color = how serious (crash/fire involvement) · number = how many (share of all this car's reports). Tap any part to read real owner complaints.
How it compares
Lower than most complaint volume — 122 complaints ranks #1 of 24 popular models from the same year (fewest first · median 609).
5% of its complaints involved a crash or fire, vs 5% typical for its year — this one is fair to compare directly, because it doesn't depend on how many were sold.
Why raw complaint counts can mislead (and how we correct for it)
A best-selling car naturally collects more complaints than a rare one simply because there are more of them on the road — so a raw count alone can make a popular, reliable car look worse than a troubled niche one. That's why we show the rank alongside the crash/fire percentage (which doesn't depend on sales volume) and the same model's other years. Read all three together.
Computed by us from NHTSA complaint records for 24 popular same-year models · snapshot 2026-07-10. This comparison set is a sample, not every car sold.
Source: NHTSA — Owner Complaints · re-checked about every 24 hours
Crash-Test Safety Ratings
Official U.S. government 5-star crash-test results.
How to read these stars
These come from the government physically crash-testing this vehicle — front, side, and rollover — and scoring it 1 to 5 stars. Ratings are per body style, so a sedan and its coupe twin can differ. If a vehicle shows no rating, it usually means the government never tested that exact configuration — untested is not the same as unsafe, and we'll never blur that line.
2018 Dodge Charger 4 DR RWD
Source: NHTSA — 5-Star Safety Ratings · re-checked about every 24 hours
Fuel Economy (MPG)
Official EPA estimates — the real numbers, not the brochure.
Across 6 official EPA configurations · Fuel: Regular, Gasoline or E85, Midgrade, Premium. Pick an engine/trim above for exact numbers.
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE — fueleconomy.gov · re-checked about every 24 hours