U.S. public vehicle records

2011 Dodge CHARGER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

694 owner complaints analyzed

11 distinct recall campaigns

59,750 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 576 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 362 of 694 complaints (52.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	331	47.7%
Braking behavior	153	22.0%
Steering behavior	79	11.4%
Engine operation	73	10.5%
Fuel system concerns	66	9.5%
Transmission and shifting	16	2.3%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Electrical System

362

Exterior Lighting

143

Fuel/Propulsion System

Engine

Air Bags

Service Brakes

Electronic Stability Control (Esc)

Steering

Electrical System: 362; Exterior Lighting: 143; Fuel/Propulsion System: 79; Engine: 77; Air Bags: 51; Service Brakes: 40; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 39; Steering: 38

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

155

50,000 to 74,999

214

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 37; 25,000 to 49,999: 155; 50,000 to 74,999: 214; 75,000 to 99,999: 97; 100,000 to 149,999: 60; 150,000 and above: 13

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (214). 118 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2011

2012

2013

2014

213

2015

116

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2011: 10; 2012: 24; 2013: 60; 2014: 213; 2015: 116; 2016: 96; 2017: 55; 2018: 37; 2019: 39; 2020: 17; 2021: 7; 2022: 7; 2023: 6; 2024: 1; 2025: 2; 2026: 4

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 331 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 153 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 79 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10439197 · 2011-12-09 (December 9, 2011)

CAR HAS STALLED AND SHUT OFF WHEN DRIVING. CAR LOCKS YOU OUT AND WILL NOT OPEN UNLESS YOU USE THE KEY. ELECTRICAL MODULE THAT CONTROLS CAR IS LIKE 'HAL FROM 2001 SPACE ODYSSEY, IT DOES WHAT IT WANTS AND THE DEALER HAS TO REPROGRAM IT TWICE A MONTH. TURNS THE AC ON BY ITSELF IN FREEZING WEATHER. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10439197 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10443490 · 2012-01-11 (January 11, 2012)

WHILE OPERATING MY 2011 DODGE CHARGER WITH PASSENGERS, THE AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE. THE FAULT WAS TRACED TO A WIRING HARNESS IN THE PASSENGERS SEAT. WHILE THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WOULD NOT DEPLOY. THE PERSON IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS A ADULT FEMALE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10443490 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10415464 · 2011-07-28 (July 28, 2011)

ABS SYSTEM FAILED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10415464 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10450840 · 2012-03-09 (March 9, 2012)

THE FIRST WEEK I GOT MY CAR THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING. MY CAR WAS ORDERED FOR ME AND TOOK A LITTLE OVER TWO MONTHS TO BE DELIVERED. THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON, FLASHES AND THEN GOES OFF AT UNPREDICTABLE TIMES. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES BUT THEY NEVER PUT THAT COMPLAINT ON MY SHEET. THEY KEEP SAYING THE COMPUTER ISN'T SHOWING ANYTHING WRONG. I ALSO HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR KEYLESS ENTRIES NOT WORKING, THEY REPLACED THE DOOR HANDLES AND NOW THEY WORK. THE CAR HAS ALSO LOCKED ME OUT ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. ONCE W…

Owner-reported narrative. 350 miles reported. Look up ODI 10450840 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10436544 · 2011-11-21 (November 21, 2011)

U-CONNECT (HANDS FREES PHONE) DISCONNECTS AND WILL NOT RECONNECT, UNTIL CAR IS RESTARTED. HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP THREE TIMES. CHRYSLER GROUP HAS BEEN CONTACTED, STATED THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. STATED THEY WOULD BE SENDING A UPDATE CD WITH INSTRUCTIONS, NEVER ARRIVED STEERING ALIGNMENT: CAMBER PROBLEM HAS WORE 5/32 OF TREAD ON THE FRONT TIRES IN 7600 MILES. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1,024 miles reported. Look up ODI 10436544 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10443763 · 2012-01-13 (January 13, 2012)

WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT A CONTINUOUS SPEED OF 70+ MILES PER HOURS, THE CAR DRIFTS IN THE LANE. I CAN HOLD THE STEERING STRAIGHT AND THE CAR CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY AND I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THE CAR. WE ARE CONSTANTLY GETTING CAR SICK AND THAT'S JUST NOT NORMAL I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN A FEW TIMES TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. I HAVE REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO DODGE, BUT I HAVE TO TAKE IT IN TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY ARE CLOSE TO THE HIGHWAY . I…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10443763 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10447467 · 2012-02-10 (February 10, 2012)

WHILE DRIVING IN SOME RAIN ENGINE 5.7HEMI STALLED ,CRANKED IT BACK UP BUT ENGINE HAD A NOISE .PULLED IN TO STORE PARKING LOT CALLED WRECKER TO TAKE BACK TO DODGE DEALER (UNDER WARRANTY) THEY TELL ME IT HAS A BAD CONNECTING ROD AND THE WARRANTY NOR THE EXT WARRANTY COVERS THAT ,IT WILL TAKE 8K DOLLARS TO FIX ,LETS SAY I NO LONGER HAVE OR WILL DRIVE OR BUY ONE EITHER A DODGE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 33,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10447467 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10421701 · 2011-08-27 (August 27, 2011)

A VERY STRONG EXHAUST OR GAS SMELL INSIDE THE VEHICLE CABIN OF THE 2011 DODGE CHARGER POLICE VEHICLES. USUSALLY AFTER THE ENGINE HAS IDLED FOR A WHILE AND WHEN THE A/C IS ON. SWITCHING BETWEEN FRESH OR RECIRCULATED AIR DOES NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. DRIVING AROUND DOES NOT CLEAR THE PROBLEM. MANY OTHER FLEET VEHICLES ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. NATIONAL BLOGS SEEM TO REPORT THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM IN SEVERAL DODGES. *TT

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10421701 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10435930 · 2011-11-17 (November 17, 2011)

2011 DODGE CHARGER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO L10 COOLANT RESERVOIR RECALL *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE RECALLS RECTIFIED, ONE INVOLVING A COMPUTER SYSTEM ISSUE TO PREVENT A POTENTIAL SAFETY OPERATIONAL HAZARD, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. A DIAGNOSIS REVEALED THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB UPDATED 11/22/11. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10435930 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10406011 · 2011-06-12 (June 12, 2011)

THE DODGE CHARGER IS THE VEHICLE THAT HAS ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. SO FAR I HAVE COME CLOSE TO THREE ACCIDENTS DUE TO LACK OF ACCELERATION. THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME AND NOTICEABLE WHEN YOU NEED TO ACCELERATE. I HAVE GONE TO A DEALER TO REPAIR THIS BUT THEY CANNOT FIX IT SINCE THIS IS AN INHERENT PROBLEM IN THE VEHICLE AND THEY DO NOT WANT TO FIX IT. IT HAS TO DO WITH THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT AND TRANSMISSION PROGRAMMING. I CANNOT AFFORD FOR THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN OR CUT OUT ON ME WHEN I NEED TO GET IN TRAFFIC OR ACCELERATE TO GET OUT OF …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10406011 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10438308 · 2011-12-01 (December 1, 2011)

2011 DODGE CHARGER. CONSUMER EXPRESSES DISCONTENT CONCERNING CHRYSLER CORPORATION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND CHRYSLER WAS AWARE THERE WAS AN ISSUE AND NEVER INFORMED HIM. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE HAS A TERRIBLE BLIND SPOT, WHICH WAS RESTRICTIVE, AS HIS BODY TRANSGRESSED HIGHER TOWARDS THE BACK MAKING IT DIFFICULT SEEING LOW HOODS. ALSO, THE REAR WINDOW VIEW WAS HIGHER, APPARENTLY TO ALLOW MORE TRUNK SPACE, WHICH BLOCKED THE CONSUMER FROM SEEING, THE HOOD WHEN BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACES. THE CONSUME…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10438308 at NHTSA ↗