YearToAvoid

2018 Dodge Challenger Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

54/100

#7 most-complained of 14 Challenger years

The 2018 Dodge Challenger has 75 NHTSA complaints and a Complaint Index of 54, ranking 7th worst out of 14 model years — a "Caution" year. Electrical System issues dominate at 41% of complaints, with three recalls on file.

Complaints
75
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
9 / 2
Injuries / deaths
8 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
18
15 city / 24 hwy

Top 2018 Dodge Challenger problems

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

  1. Electrical System31 (41%)
  2. Other29 (39%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires10 (13%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain8 (11%)
  5. Engine7 (9%)
  6. Brakes6 (8%)
  7. Steering6 (8%)
  8. Airbags5 (7%)
  9. Structure & Body4 (5%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers4 (5%)

What owners report

  • Uconnect radio and backup camera reboot repeatedly, cutting out the rear camera view while driving.
  • Power window switches malfunction, causing windows to open and close on their own.
  • Front airbags failed to deploy in multiple crashes, including a high-speed rear-end collision.
  • Front suspension or axle components broke during low-speed turns, in one case tied to a Takata recall.
  • Brakes reportedly locked up at highway speed and failed to slow the vehicle before a collision.
  • Engine wobble and wheel detachment occurred while driving on cruise control at highway speed.
2018 Dodge Challenger complaints: complaints filed per quarter102018 Q12019 Q12020 Q22021 Q22022 Q22023 Q22024 Q32026 Q2
112 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2018 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2019 Q2 (10).

2018 Dodge Challenger recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 18V524000Aug 9, 2018Electrical System12,779 vehicles

    Electrical system:wiring:front underhood

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Renegade, Compass and Grand Cherokee, RAM 1500 and Promaster, Fiat 500x, Dodge Journey, Challenger, Charger and Durango and Chrysler 300x vehicles, 2017-2018 Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles and 2018-2019 Jeep Cherokee and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid vehicles. The powertrain control module may be equipped with a voltage regulator chip in the circuit board that may fail, causing a stall or a no start condition.

    Risk: A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began October 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U87.

  2. 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.

  3. NHTSA 18V280000May 1, 2018Transmission & Powertrain71 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Dodge Charger, Durango and Challenger, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wrangler, Chrysler 300, and RAM 1500 vehicles. An incorrect transmission park lock rod may have been installed in the transmission.

    Risk: If the incorrect park lock rod is installed, the transmission may not shift into 'PARK' and keep the vehicle from moving, increasing the risk of unintended vehicle movement and the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install the correct park lock rod, free of charge. The recall began June 28, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U43.

2018 Dodge Challenger fuel economy and fuel cost

City
15 MPG
Highway
24 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.

2018 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
2016Good4678118
2017Good3149318
2018Caution5475318
2019Good3859318
2020Best820117.5

All Dodge Challenger years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Dodge Challenger reliable?
NHTSA logs 75 complaints and a Complaint Index of 54 for the 2018 Challenger, placing it 7th worst of 14 model years, which earns a "Caution" rating relative to other Challenger years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2018 Dodge Challenger?
Electrical System complaints are the largest category, making up 41% of all complaints (31 of 75), with a median failure mileage of 5,050 miles.
Does the 2018 Dodge Challenger have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists three recalls for the 2018 Challenger, covering the electrical system (powertrain control module replacement, software flash) and an incorrect transmission park lock rod.
How does the 2018 Challenger compare to other years?
With a Complaint Index of 54, the 2018 model is worse than 2016 (46), 2017 (31), 2019 (38), and 2020-2023, but better than 2010 through 2015, all of which rank as Avoid or Caution.

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.