YearToAvoid

2018 Dodge Challenger Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Good The 2018 Dodge Challenger has a complaint index of 47 and ranks 9th worst out of 16 model years, earning a Good verdict. NHTSA lists 75 complaints, 3 recalls, and no do-not-drive orders, with the Electrical System the top problem area at 41% of complaints.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
47/100
#9 of 16 Challenger years
Verdict
Good
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
75
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
3
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
9
reported in complaints
Fires
2
Injuries
8
Top issue
Electrical System
Best nearby year
2020
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
18
15 city / 24 hwy
Injuries / deaths
8 / 0

Top 2018 Dodge Challenger problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA 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%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Headlights flash erratically while parked and, in one case, the passenger floorboard and seat edge began burning.
  • Uconnect radio system reboots every 30 seconds, which knocks out the backup camera display.
  • Power window switches act up, opening and closing on their own while driving.
  • Airbags failed to deploy in multiple moderate-to-severe front and rear collisions.
  • A front suspension axle broke during a low-speed turn tied to a Takata-related recall.
  • Brakes reportedly locked up at highway speed, disabling cruise control and preventing the car from stopping.
2018 Dodge Challenger complaints: complaints filed per quarter62018 Q12019 Q12020 Q22021 Q22022 Q22023 Q22024 Q32026 Q2
75 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2018 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2019 Q3 (6).

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)0255075100’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2016Caution5378118
2017Good3349318
2018Good4775318
2019Good4059318
2020Best1320117.5

All Dodge Challenger years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Dodge Challenger reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2018 model has a complaint index of 47, ranks 9th worst of 16 Challenger years, and carries a Good verdict relative to other Challenger years.
What problems does the 2018 Dodge Challenger have?
NHTSA complaints center on the Electrical System (41% of complaints), including flickering headlights, an unresponsive Uconnect radio that disables the backup camera, and erratic power windows. Suspension, transmission, and airbag non-deployment complaints also appear.
Does the 2018 Dodge Challenger have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for 2018: a powertrain control module replacement, a software flash for electrical/powertrain issues, and a fix for an incorrectly installed transmission park lock rod. None are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2018 Challenger compare to other years?
The 2018 model's complaint index of 47 is much lower than the worst years like 2010 (100) and 2012 (93), but higher than 2020-2022, which earn Best verdicts with indexes of 13, 20, and 7.
What is the median mileage for electrical failures in the 2018 Challenger?
NHTSA data shows a median mileage of 5,050 miles for Electrical System complaints, the largest problem area with 31 complaints.

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.