YearToAvoid

2016 Dodge Charger Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 33 engine complaints for the 2016 Dodge Charger, 18% of its 182 total complaints for the year. There are no related engine recalls on file, and the median mileage at failure is 37,088 miles.

Engine complaints
33
18% of 182
Crashes reported
2
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
3
Median mileage
37,088 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Engine caught fire while the vehicle was parked, with the fire department tracing the cause to the engine bay.
  • Engine stalls immediately after refueling with premium gas, cutting power steering and requiring a restart.
  • Engine makes a heavy thunking sound before failing, later diagnosed by two separate garages as a dropped valve with cylinder damage requiring engine replacement.
  • Oil sprayed under the hood and onto the body panels after highway driving, with the dipstick reading zero oil afterward.
  • Vehicle unexpectedly shuts down while cruise control is engaged at highway speed, forcing the driver to shift to neutral and pull over before it restarts on its own.
  • RPM gauge jumps to 5000 during acceleration to pass other vehicles, accompanied by unusual engine behavior.

When 2016 Dodge Charger engine complaints were filed

First complaint May 5, 2016, latest May 4, 2026.

2016 Dodge Charger engine complaints: complaints filed per month2May 2016Apr 2017Jul 2018Feb 2020Jan 2021Feb 2022Jan 2024May 2026
33 complaints filed with NHTSA from May 2016 to May 2026; peak Jan 2017 (2).

Engine recalls for the 2016 Dodge Charger

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Charger model year

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

  1. 201070 (30%)
  2. 201197 (14%)
  3. 2012113 (17%)
  4. 201373 (20%)
  5. 201484 (24%)
  6. 201533 (24%)
  7. 201633 (18%)
  8. 201721 (16%)
  9. 201812 (10%)
  10. 201911 (9%)
  11. 20206 (11%)
  12. 20213 (9%)
  13. 20223 (19%)
  14. 20238 (31%)
  15. 20240 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does the 2016 Dodge Charger have?
NHTSA lists 33 engine complaints for the 2016 Charger, which is 18% of all 182 complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2016 Dodge Charger engine?
No. The data shows no related recalls tied to the engine problem area for the 2016 Charger.
At what mileage do 2016 Charger engine problems usually show up?
The median mileage at failure across engine complaints is 37,088 miles.
Did any 2016 Charger engine complaints involve fire or injuries?
Yes. NHTSA records show 1 fire, 2 crashes, and 3 injuries linked to complaints in this dataset, including one case where the engine caught fire while parked.
How does 2016 compare to other Charger model years for engine complaints?
The 18% share for 2016 is lower than years like 2010 (30%), 2013 (20%), and 2014 (24%), but higher than 2018 (10%) and 2019 (9%).

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.