As I was accelerating out of a stop light on the morning of 7/24/2026, my check engine light came on seemingly out of nowhere. I was able to take the vehicle to an independent repair shop who identified the issue as the plastic oil cooler assembly on the vehicle being broken. My car's oil was completely empty and it would have been but minutes until the engine completely seized up. The oil had spilled into the motor and all other nearby parts of the engine. This puts my safety and others safety at risk because the car showed no other signs of an issue other than the light coming on. Had i not checked it in time, the engine could have seized up at high speeds causing a catastrophic accident. The problem has been observed by the independent repair shop who expresses that they regularly replace these components so frequently they keep a supply in-stock, and are surprised they have not been subject to a recall.
Dodge Charger engine failure problems
144 of the 5,741 owner complaints about the Dodge Charger describe engine failure, most of them for the 2006 model year.
- owner complaints
- 144
- worst model year
- 2006
- typical repair cost reported
- $5,500
- typical mileage
- 85,300
By model year
Often reported together
Stalling 25Won't start 19Check engine light 18Steering lock-up 17Loss of power 12Power steering loss 9Knocking 9Overheating 7
Trouble codes mentioned
P0471 1P0128 1
What owners say
On January 6, 2025, Countryside CDJR in Georgia performed internal engine repairs on my 2019 Dodge Charger R/T, including lifter and internal engine work. Only months later, the engine suffered a catastrophic failure while driving. The vehicle became disabled and had to be towed. This raises serious concerns of improper repair or a safety-related engine defect. The dealership denies responsibility and blames a single missed oil change. A single missed oil change does not cause sudden catastrophic engine failure so soon after dealership-performed internal work. This could be related to known 5.7L HEMI lifter/camshaft issues. I am requesting that the federal safety agency review this failure for potential safety defect or incorrect repair contributing to engine failure.
The engine seizes up if you look at 2010 dodge chargers almost every one that has a problem is the engine seized up on them.
Had catastrophic engine failure at 100k miles doing 70mph. I believe it was timing chain failure. Replaced the engine with a refurbished engine and now have the exact same problem. It seems like the MDS system is the main cause for this to keep happening so why isn’t this a recall issue. These engines are not cheap to replace
My car begin to run hot. I bought my car into the dealer the next day. There is oil mix with the coolant. No warning light came on. According to the mechanic, I need a new engine.
The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the engine seized. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who replaced the engine. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the federal safety agency hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Charger. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a ticking sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced bucking, surging, hesitation, loss of power, and an engine misfire. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the failure was due to premature wear of internal components within the engine and that the rocker arms, lifters, and camshaft were faulty. The contact was informed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The engine was replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 125,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Dodge Charger. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a ticking sound coming from the engine. Additionally, the vehicle was bucking, surging, hesitating, lost motive power, and had an engine misfire. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the failure was due to premature wear of internal components within the engine. Additionally, the rocker arms, lifters, and camshaft were faulty. The contact was informed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The engine was replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 206,000.
Having lifter failure on 2012 Dodge Charger srt8 6.4 mds hemi Loud ticking noise coming from passenger side head, can be heard in the engine bay but even more so from passenger side wheel well. Complete loss of power or bucking with any real kind of acceleration. No misfires also still idles smooth. Threw back pressure sensor code P0471. Was told by dodge it was warped exhaust manifold. Had full exhaust system replaced including all sensors just to be safe (3g$). Got car back still ticking but even louder now. Took car to non dealership and the mechanic said immediately that’s lifter noise. VVT was pulled and checked for metal (it was present). Was told it’s suggested to replace entire motor and with absolutely no help from dodge. The shop that found the lifter issue said he’s had multiple 5.7 and 6.4 hemis all in the shop all with the same problem and dodge will do nothing to fix it and I was also told don’t just throw parts at it cause it will just keep failing and costing money it needs to be replaced completely with better parts to avoid continued problems. It will cost nothing short of 10g$ to do this repair and losing my only means of transportation for however long not to mention it putting my life and others at risk when the car decides to just cut power or turn off completely. I’ve already limited my driving due to this problem and worries of complete engine Failure and now I won’t even let my family ride In the vehicle for fear of it shutting down especially at highway speeds. Dodge needs to address this problem ASAP!!
I have multiple Dodge Chargers ranging from 2011 to 2016 and for some reason the fans broke on all of them placing a hole in all the radiators. The fan broke on one car more than once. As a result, the cars begin to overheat. Countless of money has been spent buying these parts. I believe there is a defect in the fans on these vehicles. I have been left on the side of the road with my children a few times because of my car overheating. My 2016 may need a new engine due to fan breaking. Please look into conducting a recall on the Dodge Chargers cooling fan from the year 2011 to 2017.
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: engine
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017 Dodge Challenger and Charger vehicles equipped with Hellcat engines. The engine oil cooler (EOC) hoses may fail resulting in a rapid loss of engine oil.
- Risk
- If an EOC line fails, oil may spray onto the windshield or contact a hot surface, impairing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash or fire.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EOC lines, free of charge. The recall began October 3, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T48.
Recall number 17V496000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2012 chrysler vehicles, including 200 and town and country models, dodge vehicles, including charger, durango, grand caravan and journey models and jeep grand cherokee vehicles manufactured from august 31, 2011, through september 13, 2011, that are equipped with 3.6l engines. These engines may experience connecting rod bearing failure due to debris inside the engine block.
- Risk
- Connecting rod failure may lead to engine seizure which may increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners and replace the engine free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about november 18, 2011. Owners may contact chrysler at 1‑800‑853‑1403.
Recall number 11V487000 · Recall details
Questions about the Dodge Charger engine failure
Which Dodge Charger years have engine failure problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2006 (53 complaints), 2011 (21 complaints) and 2012 (17 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix engine failure on the Dodge Charger?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $5,500 (median of 16 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used Dodge Charger?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history