YearToAvoid

2011 Dodge Charger Electrical System Problems

NHTSA lists 481 electrical system complaints for the 2011 Dodge Charger, 69% of all complaints filed for this year, including 57 fires. Five related recalls cover headlamp wiring, alternator, and ABS/ESC fuse issues.

Electrical System complaints
481
69% of 695
Crashes reported
6
Fires reported
57
Injuries reported
4
Median mileage
57,617 mi
Related recalls
5

Typical electrical symptoms owners report

  • Headlight bulb harness connectors overheat and melt, often on the passenger side low beam, sometimes producing smoke or a burning odor.
  • Wiring harness damage spreads from a failed headlight connector to the surrounding wiring, requiring full harness replacement.
  • Dashboard and instrument panel lights flicker along with smoke while braking, in one case followed by a rear-end crash.
  • Speedometer readings become inaccurate while the air conditioner cycles on and off and the radio plays continuously, described as an intermittent computer system issue.
  • A burning wire smell and cabin smoke were reported on a police-package Charger, followed by a fire that spread through the vehicle.

When 2011 Dodge Charger electrical complaints were filed

First complaint Nov 21, 2011, latest May 13, 2026.

2011 Dodge Charger electrical system complaints: complaints filed per quarter882011 Q42013 Q22014 Q42016 Q22017 Q42019 Q32021 Q22023 Q2
481 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2011 Q4 to 2026 Q2; peak 2014 Q3 (88).

Electrical System recalls for the 2011 Dodge Charger

  1. NHTSA 17V435000Jul 10, 2017Electrical System442,214 vehicles

    Electrical system:alternator/generator/regulator

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300, Dodge Durango, and 2012-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles. The affected vehicles have electro-hydraulic power steering (EHPS) and are equipped with a 5.7L or a 3.6L engine and a 160, 180 or 220 amp alternator. In the affected vehicles, the alternator may suddenly fail.

    Risk: If the alternator fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash. There is also the possibility that the alternator may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the alternator and depending on the part number, will replace the alternator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T36.

  2. NHTSA 14V634000Oct 8, 2014Electrical System435,081 vehicles

    Electrical system:alternator/generator/regulator

    Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Challenger, and Durango; and 2012-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured April 22, 2010, to January 2, 2014, and equipped with a 3.6L engine and a 160 amp alternator. In the affected vehicles, the alternator may suddenly fail.

    Risk: If the alternator fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will replace the alternator, free of charge. The recall began on February 27, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P60.

  3. NHTSA 14V101000Mar 4, 2014Electrical System43,431 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:headlights

    Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Dodge Charger vehicles manufactured May 20, 2010, through November 8, 2011, and equipped with halogen headlamps. In the affected vehicles, a sub-harness for the headlights may overheat and cause the low beam headlights to go out.

    Risk: Loss of headlights reduces the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headlamp jumper harnesses and bulbs, or the headlamp assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 2, 2014. Owners may contract Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number associated with this recall is P08. This recall concerns non-police vehicles. A separate campaign was launched in 2012 to address police vehicles. See NHTSA recall 12V-042.

  4. NHTSA 12V197000May 2, 2012Electrical System119,072 vehicles

    Electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers

    Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2011 and 2012 300 and dodge charger vehicles. These vehicles may lose ABS/esc system function due to an overheated power distribution center.

    Risk: This could lead to loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will relocate the ABS/esc system fuse, free of charge. The safety recall began on may 18, 2012. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

  5. NHTSA 12V042000Feb 7, 2012Electrical System9,137 vehicles

    Electrical system:wiring

    Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2011 and 2012 dodge charger police vehicles. The low beam headlamps of some vehicles could fail due to an overheated bulb harness connector. Other vehicles may lose ABS/esc system function due to an overheated power distribution center.

    Risk: This could lead to loss of visibility and/or braking ability, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners and dealers will replace the headlamp jumper harnesses and relocate the ABS/esc system fuse within the power distribution center, free of charge. The safety recall began on april 2, 2012. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

Electrical System complaints by Charger model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201074 (32%)
  2. 2011481 (69%)
  3. 2012391 (60%)
  4. 2013169 (47%)
  5. 2014115 (34%)
  6. 201529 (21%)
  7. 201630 (16%)
  8. 201750 (39%)
  9. 201847 (39%)
  10. 201928 (23%)
  11. 20208 (14%)
  12. 20213 (9%)
  13. 20225 (31%)
  14. 202310 (38%)
  15. 20241 (100%)

Frequently asked questions

How many electrical complaints does the 2011 Dodge Charger have?
NHTSA lists 481 electrical system complaints for the 2011 Dodge Charger, which is 69% of all 695 complaints filed for this model year.
Is there a recall for the 2011 Dodge Charger electrical system?
Yes. NHTSA lists five electrical system recalls covering the 2011 Dodge Charger, including headlamp jumper harness and bulb replacement (12V042000, 14V101000), an ABS/ESC fuse relocation for overheating power distribution centers (12V197000), and alternator replacement (14V634000, 17V435000).
Did the electrical problems cause fires?
NHTSA complaint data shows 57 fires and 6 crashes reported alongside electrical system complaints for the 2011 Dodge Charger, with 4 injuries reported.
At what mileage do electrical problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure for electrical system complaints on the 2011 Dodge Charger is 57,617 miles, based on NHTSA complaint data.
How does 2011 compare to other Charger model years for electrical complaints?
The 2011 Charger has the highest electrical complaint share among model years tracked, at 69%, compared to 60% in 2012, 47% in 2013, and lower percentages in later years.

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.