What years should I avoid for the Dodge Magnum?

Avoid the 2005 and 2006 Dodge Magnum. They rank worst with complaint indexes of 100 and 75, driven by Fuel System, Engine, and Airbag complaints.

Which Dodge Magnum year is best?

No Magnum year earns a Good or Best verdict because every model year is capped by recall campaigns. The 2007 and 2008 years have the lowest complaint indexes (50 and 25) and are the lowest-risk choices.

Is the 2008 Dodge Magnum reliable?

The 2008 Magnum has the lowest complaint index of the lineup at 25, but its verdict is capped to Caution because of a do-not-drive or park-outside recall.

What is the most common problem across all Dodge Magnum years?

Engine issues are the top problem area overall, accounting for 24% of the 1,161 total complaints, followed by Fuel System at 22% and Transmission & Powertrain at 20%.

Does the Dodge Magnum have airbag recalls?

Yes. Multiple recall campaigns, including 16V352000 and 15V313000, cover airbag inflator issues on 2005-2009 Magnums, with some campaigns marked do-not-drive.

Dodge Magnum Best and Worst Years (2005–2009)

The 2005 and 2006 Dodge Magnum are the years to avoid, with complaint indexes of 100 and 75, the highest in the lineup. No Magnum year earns a Good or Best verdict because every year carries recall campaigns; 2007 and 2008 are the lowest-risk choices, both rated Caution.

Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls per model-year, ranked within this model — not a reliability rating. Methodology.

Avoid 2005 Avoid 2006Lowest-risk years:Caution 2007 Caution 2008

Model years: 5; 2005–2009
NHTSA complaints: 1,161
Recall campaigns: 13
Crashes reported: 47
Fires reported: 14
Top problem area: Engine

Magnum Complaint Index by year

Higher = more complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and Do-Not-Drive recalls per year on the road, relative to other years of this model.

Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best

Dodge Magnum problems and recalls by year

Year	Verdict	Index	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Recalls	Top issue	MPG	NCAP
2005	Avoid	100	638	22	9	7 !	Fuel System	18	—
2006	Avoid	75	321	16	2	5 !	Fuel System	18	—
2007	Caution	50	108	7	3	5 !	Transmission & Powertrain	18	—
2008	Caution	25	93	2	0	5 !	Electrical System	18	—
2009	No verdict	0	1	0	0	1	Transmission & Powertrain	—	—

Magnum years to avoid: what went wrong

2005 Dodge Magnum Index 100 · 638 complaints · 7 recalls

The 2005 Magnum logged 638 complaints, the most of any year, with a complaint index of 100 and 7 recalls, including 2 do-not-drive campaigns. Fuel System issues led at 22% of complaints (140 cases, median 80,000 miles), followed by Airbags (131 complaints, 88,000 miles) and Engine problems (125 complaints, 86,000 miles). Owners described airbags failing to deploy in crashes and unexpected acceleration issues. NHTSA recorded 22 crashes, 9 fires, 36 injuries, and 1 death tied to this year, making it the highest-risk Magnum model year.

2005 fuel system problems →2005 airbags problems →2005 engine problems →

2006 Dodge Magnum Index 75 · 321 complaints · 5 recalls

The 2006 Magnum had 321 complaints and a complaint index of 75, with 5 recalls including 2 do-not-drive campaigns. Fuel System complaints made up 35% of reports (112 cases, median 82,089 miles), and Engine problems followed closely at 34% (109 complaints, 80,214 miles). Owners reported engines failing well before expected and overheating issues that dealers could not diagnose. Transmission and Airbag complaints were also common, with airbags reported at a median 99,062 miles. NHTSA logged 16 crashes, 2 fires, 14 injuries, and 1 death for this year.

2006 fuel system problems →2006 engine problems →2006 transmission & powertrain problems →

Most common Dodge Magnum problems (all years)

Share of NHTSA complaints by component group across all model years.

Engine275 (24%)
Fuel System261 (22%)
Transmission & Powertrain234 (20%)
Airbags221 (19%)
Electrical System172 (15%)
Suspension, Wheels & Tires114 (10%)
Steering78 (7%)
Other55 (5%)
Structure & Body45 (4%)
Brakes43 (4%)

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

Frequently asked questions

What years should I avoid for the Dodge Magnum?: Avoid the 2005 and 2006 Dodge Magnum. They rank worst with complaint indexes of 100 and 75, driven by Fuel System, Engine, and Airbag complaints.
Which Dodge Magnum year is best?: No Magnum year earns a Good or Best verdict because every model year is capped by recall campaigns. The 2007 and 2008 years have the lowest complaint indexes (50 and 25) and are the lowest-risk choices.
Is the 2008 Dodge Magnum reliable?: The 2008 Magnum has the lowest complaint index of the lineup at 25, but its verdict is capped to Caution because of a do-not-drive or park-outside recall.
What is the most common problem across all Dodge Magnum years?: Engine issues are the top problem area overall, accounting for 24% of the 1,161 total complaints, followed by Fuel System at 22% and Transmission & Powertrain at 20%.
Does the Dodge Magnum have airbag recalls?: Yes. Multiple recall campaigns, including 16V352000 and 15V313000, cover airbag inflator issues on 2005-2009 Magnums, with some campaigns marked do-not-drive.