With an annual maintenance cost of $600 and many issues that have persisted for years since they were recalled, the 2013 Dodge Dart isn’t exactly a lemon, but it may have you spending more time than you’d like at the shop.
Key Points
- The 2013 Dodge Dart holds one investigation, six recalls, and 1,239 complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- Almost half of the 2013 Dodge Dart’s reported issues are powertrain related, with failing shifter cable bushings being a leading complaint.
- Many drivers have reported their power brakes failing to engage, despite a recall to correct the problem.
- Fidgety electronics make up over 200 of the total complaints, with loose battery connections being a likely culprit in many reports.
- While the 2013 Dodge Dart is hardly the worst used car on the market today, the 2014 Dart starts at just $8,030 and has a fraction as many complaints on file.
Powertrain Issues Lead Complaints, With a Detached Shifter Cable Bushing Persisting Even After a Recall
The 2013 Dodge Dart has 1,239 complaints on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and nearly half of those complaints point to issues with the powertrain.
The car has already had three recalls for the powertrain.
First, a 2013 recall for engine stall in cold temperature, covering nearly 13,000 units, then a control module failure in over 23,000 units in 2015, and finally, a detached shifter cable bushing in over a quarter-million six-speed Darts in 2019.
The most recent complaints are largely comprised of drivers who are experiencing failure of the replacement shifter cable bushings installed in that last recall. One driver reports that his vehicle is currently undriveable due to the failure, despite the car only having around 50,000 miles on the odometer.
In 2022, another driver reported that her car was stalling out in cold weather, nearly a decade after the issue had been recalled. Reports like these suggest that, despite hundreds of thousands of units having been recalled for powertrain issues, there is still a lot of ground for the NHTSA and the automaker to cover.
Power Brakes May Go Out, Even After a Major Recall Was Issued for the Problem
With one recall, 266 complaints, and an investigation on file for service brakes, one of the 2013 Dodge Dart’s major issues is in the power braking assist. Drivers have been reporting that when pressing on the brake pedal, they’re getting a lot of resistance, as if the power brakes aren’t kicking in at all.
One driver reports that, when he presses the brakes, he hears a hissing sound, “like air is being pushed through.” These issues will typically be accompanied by a “Service Electric Braking System” warning on the dashboard.
After an investigation in 2015, a recall was launched for over 100,000 units when it was determined that a number of 2013-2014 Darts with 2.0L and 2.4L engines potentially suffered from brake booster contamination. That is, engine oil had possibly seeped into the brake booster.
The rate of incidence decreased following the recall, but the issue has not disappeared entirely, with the most recent complaint issued in the fall of 2021. Whether the newer complaints come from drivers unaware of the recall, we can’t say, but the fact is that complaints persist years since the investigation was closed.
Fidgety Electrical Systems May Point to Loose Battery Connections
Following powertrain and brake complaints, electrical issues take third place with 217 reports from drivers. Complaints here are all over the place, covering everything from exterior lights to dashboard malfunctions and random warning lights flashing on and off.
One driver reports that he cannot leave his car parked for more than a day without starting it, or else the battery will drain. He also reports that the seat belt warning chime will beep even when everyone is buckled up. One recent complaint points to the center console going out entirely.
While the symptoms are all over the place, collectively we may notice a pattern pointing to bad battery connections, with electronic features flickering on and off without rhyme or reason. One driver reported that his alternator tested just fine before the problems began, further pointing to loose connections.
Of course, that’s only a generalization. There has been no investigation into the vehicle’s fidgety electronics, nor has there been a recall. But loose battery connections are frequently the culprit in reports like these.
There are Worse Used Cars Than the 2013 Dodge Dart, But the 2014 Edition Costs About the Same With Fewer Problems
The 2013 Dodge Dart isn’t the worst car on the used market, but it has over a thousand complaints and six recalls.
And with KBB prices going up to $12,000, you might as well skip ahead to the 2014 model, which averages about a thousand bucks more but comes with just three recalls and a quarter as many NHTSA complaints.
Your biggest concern in a 2013 Dodge Dart is the simple fact that complaints for issues like engine stall and power brake failure just keep rolling in even after recalls have been issued.
This isn’t to say that a 2013 Dodge Dart isn’t worth it if you can get a fixer-upper price on it, and you don’t mind doing some fixer-upping. But if you’re after a reliable compact to get you to work and back, the 2013 Dart simply gives you too much to worry about.
Photos: Stellantis
