Dodge’s reimagining of its Challenger muscle car has made it one of the most powerful production cars available. While many applaud its power, reliability has come into question.
Launched in 2008, the new Dodge Challenger is a reincarnated muscle car. The long, sleek, retro coupe is one of the most iconic vehicles on the road today. To create its flagship car, Dodge shortened the Charger chassis, which itself boasted reliable, time-tested components.
It then wrapped it in a vintage Challenger body modified for modern aerodynamics. Driving enthusiasts love to relive the golden era of Detroit muscle in their modern Challengers.
The Challenger is not without its drawbacks. Cornering has never been this heavy car’s strong suit. In addition, the coupe’s unique shape detracts from visibility and accessibility. But with big brakes and legendary Hemi engines, every year of the third-generation Challenger has boasted incredible acceleration and stopping power. Quality components contribute to the Dodge’s dependability while opulent materials make it a status symbol.
The third-generation Challenger has slowly built upon its strong points. Incredibly, each new model year has sold better than the last. 2011 saw a major suspension upgrade. The 2015 year and onward enjoys a modernized, high-quality interior. 2017-present Challengers even feature an AWD option (for the V6 engine only). Some owners argue that the entry-level Challengers offer unrivaled style and speed at their price-point.
A comparatively small number of owners have complained of electrical issues, and these problems appear to have peaked in 2012. The past five years of Dodge Challengers are among the most reliable cars on the market.
Improving the Challenger
The iconic 1970s Dodge Challenger returned with the limited run 2008 Challenger SRT8, and then as a full lineup for 2009. Car and Driver raved about the modernized muscle car’s horsepower and vintage looks but admitted that it felt “positively huge” on the racetrack.
The publication also questioned how long a new muscle car could sell before it went the way of its predecessor—they obviously had no idea how much growing up the big car could still do.
For the 2011 model year, Dodge answered criticism with a major mechanical redesign: the geometry of the Challenger’s suspension components was re-engineered from the ground up and a brand-new engine, the 6.4-liter Hemi, which is available to this day, was added to the options list.
In 2015, an all-new Challenger lineup blew the doors off the competition. While the car’s sheet metal stayed the same, the coupe’s interior received a drastic upgrade. Car and Driver called the retro-futuristic interior of the 2015 Challenger a “revelation.”
The same year, Dodge’s SRT division unveiled the automaker’s first factory supercharged car: The Challenger Hellcat. The 707-horsepower beast shook the automotive world.
Another major mechanical upgrade arrived in 2017. Muscle Cars and Trucks reports that Dodge selected the transmission for the 2006 Charger and 2008 Challenger with hopes of releasing an all-wheel-drive (AWD) edition soon.
But the AWD Challenger did not launch until the 2017 model year and is only available with the V6 engine and an automatic transmission. Still, the AWD Challenger was a welcome option for drivers in northern regions.
Every new year of the third-generation Dodge Challenger has offered exciting new options. The Hellcat was followed by the ¼-mile stomping Demon and the track-ready Super Stock. Optional widebody kits offered wider tires and improved handling across an increasing number of trim levels.
Collectors could buy special editions for the Challenger’s 50th anniversary in 2020 and Dodge’s 100th anniversary in 2014. Every new model year of the Dodge Challenger has sold better than the year before—which is an incredible industry-first.
Increasing performance and trim options are partly responsible for steadily climbing Challenger sales. But in addition to options, Dodge has added reliability and longevity to its third-generation Challenger.
Over 13 years of improvement, Dodge engineers have redesigned, sorted, and fine-tuned every aspect of the Challenger. Experts and owners agree that recent models are the best Challengers to-date.
2011-2013 Challengers Have the Most Complaints
For their Vehicle Dependability Study, J.D. Power and Associates compiled 72 reliability reviews from the first third-generation Challenger (2008) through the most recent model. When considering thirteen years of Challengers, they gave the vehicle just three out of five stars for reliability—according to Motor Biscuit.
Car Complaints records site visitors’ complaints about their cars and compiles owner complaints from other sources, such as the NHTSA. The organization sorts all these complaints by year, vehicle system, and specific issue. The Dodge Challenger has received comparatively few complaints, but complaints spiked during the 2011, 2012, and 2013 model years—with the most in 2012.
The most common issue during all three of these years was the car’s alternator failing and needing to be replaced. This is a relatively simple issue, costing $700 to fix on average. Twenty-four Challenger owners reported their alternators failing; during the same years, 32 additional owners reported other electrical issues.
For the 2014 model year Dodge Challenger, the most commonly reported issue is the engine making a ticking noise: eight owners complained. The complaint filed most often for the 2015 and 2016 model years is the new 8-speed automatic transmission malfunctioning, with thirteen total owners reporting a problem. Though real issues, these are all relatively rare occurrences.
For comparison’s sake, the 2001 Honda Civic instigated 897 complaints due to a critical transmission issue that was never corrected through an official recall. All the 2014 and later Dodge Challengers are proving to be some of the more reliable coupes on the road.
2015-2021 Dodge Challengers are Very Reliable
Consumer Reports awarded the 2021 Dodge Challenger an incredible 91% predicted reliability rating. The organization’s experts analyze member feedback on recent cars to arrive at a predicted rating for brand new models.
After three years of real-world use, the 2018 Challenger has maintained a perfect Consumer Reports reliability score: five out of five stars.
Many reviewers here on Vehicle History agree that the Challenger is reliable. Lucia (with a 2020 Hellcat) says, “The reliability is good. I can trust that the car will not break down.” Betty N. (who owns a 2017 R/T) added, “I love my reliable ride and I use it daily for work.”
Adam (with a 2019 GT) wrote, “It’s an extremely reliable vehicle.” Candice (owner of a 2015 R/T Plus) admits, “Had my vehicle for years and haven’t really had any problems,” concluding, “very reliable car.”
Dodge Challengers Can Last a Long Time
Drivers interested in the Challenger have asked owners if the modern muscle car lasts for many miles on Quora, the Dodge page on Reddit, the Challenger Talk forum, and right here on Vehicle History. Owners and experts agree that there are few reasons a Challenger would not last for 100,000 miles or more.
Experts urge Challenger owners to maintain their cars, keeping up with oil and other fluid changes, swapping worn suspension and brake components, and finally replacing the timing belt before 100,000 miles or seven years.
Many also pointed out that vehicles driven aggressively, on poor road surfaces, or through road salt will wear out sooner. Several owners reported driving their Challengers for 200,000 miles.
Obviously, the occasional Challenger suffers from the issues listed on the Car Complaints website, but it appears that most examples continue to be reliable for many thousands of miles.
Secrets of the Bulletproof Challenger
There may be several reasons that the Dodge Challenger is so reliable for so many miles. Whenever a vehicle goes without a major redesign for many years, its manufacturer has ample opportunity to fine-tune every system.
Auto News believes that this continual improvement of tried-and-true models enabled Dodge to springboard ahead of Ford and Chevrolet in Consumer Report’s recent Reliability Survey.
The timeless style of the third-generation Challenger made it an instant favorite of American motorists and still drives its rising sales numbers today. With no pressure to do a major visual redesign, Dodge has been able to address every issue that once detracted from their flagship coupe’s reliability.
One of the reasons the Challenger’s formula has worked so well for over a decade is that it incorporated time-tested components from all over the world. Often, the most reliable engines are the ones that have gone unchanged the longest. The Dodge Hemi—named for its unique hemispherical combustion chambers—debuted in 1951.
Mopar has steadily improved its flagship engine; modern V8 Challengers are all powered by some variant of the third generation Hemi: a fuel-injected aluminum evolution of the timeless motor. This family of V8s has done duty in millions of Ram trucks and Dodge muscle cars.
The Challenger’s base-level engine—the Pentastar V6—has not been around as long but has proven itself, nonetheless. Launched in 2011, the six-cylinder engine has been available in every Stellantis offering from Ram trucks, to Chrysler cars, to Jeeps.
The engine was even selected for Volkswagens, Lancias, and Fiats. These engine options may not be the lightest or most fuel-efficient powerplants around, but they are time-tested and capable of some serious horsepower.
To develop the third-generation Challenger, Dodge shortened the Charger frame (the LX platform) and reinforced it for side-impact protection—according to Car and Driver. The resulting bulk of the two-ton coupe contributes to what Edmunds calls “cumbersome handling,” but it also contributes to chassis stiffness and longevity.
When Dodge first began to transform the aging LH-platform into the LX-platform that would carry the 2006 Charger and then the 2008 Challenger, the goal was an independent rear suspension. The engineers knew this would require a cutting-edge five-link system.
According to Muscle Cars and Trucks, parent company Daimler Chrysler told the Dodge engineers to visit the Mercedes Benz factory and borrow whatever components they needed.
The resulting LX-platform benefited from Mercedes W211 E-class 5-link rear suspension and W220 S-class control-arm front suspension.
When reviewers criticized the early third-generation Challenger’s handling, Dodge re-engineered the geometry of their borrowed suspension components and renamed the chassis the LD-platform for the 2011 model year. (Check out the 2021 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack in action in the Gold Pony YouTube video review, above.)
Though Dodge and Mercedes no longer share a parent company, a handful of well-engineered Mercedes components live on in current Challengers.
The Challenger leverages a unique collection of reliable components that Dodge has had over a decade to perfect. The result is a reliable, long-lasting vehicle.
For a closer look at one of the latest Challengers, check out Vehicle History‘s 2021 Dodger Challenger photo gallery, above.
Photos: Dodge, Evox Images
