YearToAvoid

2016 Dodge Challenger Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

46/100

#8 most-complained of 14 Challenger years

The 2016 Dodge Challenger has 78 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 46, and 1 recall, ranking 8th worst out of 14 model years with a "Good" verdict relative to other Challenger years.

Complaints
78
Recalls
1
Crashes / fires
10 / 2
Injuries / deaths
10 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
18
15 city / 23 hwy

Top 2016 Dodge Challenger problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System18 (23%)
  2. Transmission & Powertrain16 (21%)
  3. Engine14 (18%)
  4. Airbags11 (14%)
  5. Other11 (14%)
  6. Steering9 (12%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires9 (12%)
  8. Brakes5 (6%)
  9. Seat Belts4 (5%)
  10. Structure & Body3 (4%)

What owners report

  • Airbags failed to deploy during crashes at speeds like 30 mph, 70 mph, and 25 mph, even in front and rear-end collisions.
  • A front driver-side seat belt reportedly failed to secure a driver during a rollover crash at approximately 54 mph.
  • Owners describe a brake pedal that was slow to respond or did not fully engage at highway speeds.
  • An electrical fire started in the trunk area, with owners suspecting the wiring harness or battery.
  • A driveline clunk noise was reported in the rear of the vehicle when slowing to a stop between 3 and 6 mph.
  • The engine reportedly stalled during a low-speed turn after water entered the engine manifold through the cold air intake.
2016 Dodge Challenger complaints: complaints filed per quarter72016 Q22017 Q32018 Q42020 Q12021 Q42023 Q12024 Q32026 Q2
104 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2016 Q2 to 2026 Q2; peak 2017 Q1 (7).

2016 Dodge Challenger recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 18V332000May 17, 2018Electrical System4,815,661 vehicles

    Electrical system:wiring

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.

    Risk: If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.

2016 Dodge Challenger fuel economy and fuel cost

City
15 MPG
Highway
23 MPG
Combined
18 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,450
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2016 compared with other Challenger years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2014Avoid851494 !18
2015Caution62126518
2016Good4678118
2017Good3149318
2018Caution5475318

All Dodge Challenger years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Dodge Challenger reliable?
NHTSA lists 78 complaints and a complaint index of 46 for the 2016 Challenger, giving it a "Good" verdict compared to other Challenger model years, ranking 8th worst out of 14 years tracked.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Dodge Challenger?
Electrical System complaints lead at 23% of all reports, followed by Transmission & Powertrain at 21% and Engine issues at 18%, according to NHTSA data.
Does the 2016 Dodge Challenger have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2016 Challenger, campaign 18V332000, covering the Electrical System with a software flash remedy for the engine or powertrain control module.
How does the 2016 Challenger compare to other model years?
The 2016 model's complaint index of 46 is lower than 2010 (100), 2012 (92), and 2013 (77), but higher than newer years like 2020 (8) and 2022 (0), placing it in the better half of Challenger years.
What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Dodge Challenger?
The 2016 Challenger gets an EPA-rated 18 mpg combined (15 city / 23 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,450.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.