2009 Dodge Challenger problems
NHTSA has received 172 complaints about the 2009 Dodge Challenger, and 24% of them involve air bags. Next are engine (23%) and drivetrain & axles (13%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 172 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Air bags 24% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 12 and 7
- Injuries and deaths
- 10 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 31,000 miles 122 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 37 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 36 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 15 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 19 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 5 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 2 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 6 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 2 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 122 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 31,000 miles. For air bags specifically, the median reported mileage is about 34,000 miles (10 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 12 complaints mention a crash; 7 complaints mention a fire; 10 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2009 ranks 9th most-complained-about out of 14 model years of the Dodge Challenger with enough data (80 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 7 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Tl*the contact owns a 2009 dodge challenger. While driving approximately 20 MPH he crashed into a vehicle and the air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The driver in the other vehicle was injured. The vehicle was towed to a towing company but was not examined for the cause of failure or repaired. The failure and current mileages were 23,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 dodge challenger. The contact was attempting to brake from 30 MPH when the vehicle failed to respond. The contact attempted to avoid a preceding vehicle but was unsuccessful and the contact crashed into another vehicle, went off the roadway, and stuck a traffic sign. The contact sustained injuries to his wrist. A police report was filed. The dealer diagnosed the failure and determined that the cause of the crash was not a manufacturing defect.
Engine quit with no warning. Steering and brakes compromised. Shifted into neutral while in traffic.has been occurring more and more frequently. Dealer reports cannot replicate. Sounds just like the recalled gm's.
Steel brake lines rusted through and dumped all brake fluid resulting in total brake failure.... Was parking the vehicle when line failed thank god...