AutoUtility currently tracks 182 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2016 Dodge Charger. Body & Structure issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 53 complaints (29.1% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 7 filings cite a crash, 2 cite a fire, 8 report one or more injuries.

Key Problem Findings
  • • Total NHTSA Complaints: 182 reports
  • • #1 Reported Problem Area: Body & Structure (53 reports • 29.1% of submitted complaints)
  • • Secondary Problem Areas: Fuel & Propulsion System (26), Powertrain & Transmission (25)
  • • Crash-Citing Complaints: 7 filings
  • • Fire-Citing Complaints: 2 filings
  • • Complaints Reporting Injuries / Fatalities: 8 injury filings • 0 fatality filings
Reporting Methodology: Statistics describe unverified consumer submissions voluntarily filed with NHTSA. Complaint volume is not normalized for vehicle sales volume or miles driven. Multiple components can be cited within a single owner complaint submission.
Total Complaints
182
Submitted to NHTSA ODI
Crash-Citing Complaints
7
Filings citing a collision
Fire-Citing Complaints
2
Filings citing smoke or fire
Complaints Reporting Injuries
8
Filings citing one or more injuries
Complaints Reporting Fatalities
0
Consumer filings citing fatalities

Most Reported Problems for 2016 Dodge Charger

Top automotive subsystem defect categories ranked by unique owner complaint volume in federal records

#1 Problem Area 29.1% of complaints

Body & Structure

53 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
⚠️ NHTSA Recall Context

NHTSA records list 1 official safety recall campaign for this model year involving the same broad component area:

*Component overlap means an official recall exists for the same broad vehicle system. It does not establish that an individual owner complaint was caused by, covered by, or resolved through that recall.
⚠️ 1 crash report 🩹 3 injury report entries
#2 Problem Area 14.3% of complaints

Fuel & Propulsion System

26 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
✓ 0 crashes or fires cited
#3 Problem Area 13.7% of complaints

Powertrain & Transmission

25 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
⚠️ NHTSA Recall Context

NHTSA records list 3 official safety recall campaigns for this model year involving the same broad component area:

*Component overlap means an official recall exists for the same broad vehicle system. It does not establish that an individual owner complaint was caused by, covered by, or resolved through that recall.
⚠️ 1 crash report 🩹 1 injury report entry
#4 Problem Area 13.7% of complaints

Electrical System

25 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
⚠️ NHTSA Recall Context

NHTSA records list 1 official safety recall campaign for this model year involving the same broad component area:

*Component overlap means an official recall exists for the same broad vehicle system. It does not establish that an individual owner complaint was caused by, covered by, or resolved through that recall.
✓ 0 crashes or fires cited
#5 Problem Area 13.2% of complaints

Engine & Cooling

24 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
⚠️ 1 crash report 🔥 1 fire report 🩹 2 injury report entries
Domain Share Note: Share percentage represents the proportion of unique complaint filings referencing each vehicle system. Because single complaints may cite multiple systems (such as engine and electrical simultaneously), domain percentages represent individual category incidence and may sum to over 100%.

Symptoms Mentioned in NHTSA Owner Reports for 2016 Dodge Charger

Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis

AutoUtility uses deterministic phrase matching to identify recurring symptom descriptions within consumer-submitted NHTSA complaint narratives.

Fuel & Propulsion System 2.2% of complaints

Fuel Pump Failure / Fuel Leak & Odor

4 complaint narratives describe this symptom
Symptom Identification Method: A complaint may describe more than one symptom, so percentages may sum to more than 100%. Symptom identification reflects text contained in consumer-submitted complaint records and does not establish a confirmed mechanical diagnosis.

Recent NHTSA Owner Reports for 2016 Dodge Charger

Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA ODI ID: #11738256
Filed: 05/16/2026

"I am starting to smell fuel inside of my car everytime I fill up my vehicle."

Incident Date: 05/01/2025 • Raw NHTSA Component: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Powertrain & Transmission NHTSA ODI ID: #11737747
Filed: 05/14/2026

"The contract owns a 2016 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that while driving approximately 38 MPH, the vehicle began cranking. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road, where they called a relative. Once the relative arrived and inspected the vehicle, they noticed the drive shaft had..."

Incident Date: 05/04/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: POWER TRAIN
Engine & Cooling NHTSA ODI ID: #11735553
Filed: 05/04/2026

"The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Charger. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed oil cooler. The contact was informed that all the oil had spilled into the coolant reservoir...."

Incident Date: 04/24/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Engine & Cooling NHTSA ODI ID: #11721420
Filed: 03/02/2026

"Dodge Charger, 2016, won't turn on a list. Key is in the cup holder. On the driver's side also there are many videos showing this same issue with many dodge, twenty sixteen chargers."

Incident Date: 02/01/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE
Other / Miscellaneous NHTSA ODI ID: #11718257
Filed: 02/16/2026

"I am the original owner of a 2016 Dodge Charger SXT AWD (VIN: [XXX] ). On February 3, 2026, while driving at highway speeds, the vehicle suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure. I heard a loud metallic grinding noise from underneath, followed by an immediate loss of power and "Service..."

Incident Date: 02/03/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Consumer Narrative Notice: Excerpts are sanitized text descriptions submitted by vehicle owners to the federal ODI database. They reflect the reporting consumer's observations at the time of filing and have not been independently confirmed by vehicle manufacturers or government investigators.

Complaint History for Dodge Charger

Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)

Model Year NHTSA Complaints Crash Reports Safety Recalls Detailed Report
2015 Dodge Charger 135 10 8 View 2015 Problems →
2016 Dodge Charger Current Page 182 7 6 Current
2017 Dodge Charger 128 3 4 View 2017 Problems →
2018 Dodge Charger 122 5 6 View 2018 Problems →
2019 Dodge Charger 120 7 5 View 2019 Problems →
2020 Dodge Charger 57 10 3 View 2020 Problems →
2021 Dodge Charger 32 2 2 View 2021 Problems →
2022 Dodge Charger 13 3 3 View 2022 Problems →
2023 Dodge Charger 26 3 2 View 2023 Problems →
2024 Dodge Charger 1 0 0 View 2024 Problems →
2025 Dodge Charger 0 0 0 View 2025 Problems →
2026 Dodge Charger 0 0 1 View 2026 Problems →
Comparative Disclaimer: Complaint totals are unadjusted historical counts and are not normalized for vehicles sold, active fleet size, or total road mileage. Newer model years naturally have had less calendar exposure time to accumulate owner filings.

Detailed NHTSA Component Breakdown for 2016 Dodge Charger

Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 62 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications

Vehicle Component / System Total Complaints Crash Reports Fire Reports Reported Injury Entries Reported Fatality Entries
Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE 40 0 0 0 0
Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 18 0 0 0 0
Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER 18 0 1 0 0
Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN 14 0 0 0 0
Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE 8 0 1 0 0
Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 6 0 0 0 0
Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS 4 3 0 1 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 3 0 0 0 0
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 3 0 0 0 0
Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES 3 0 0 0 0
Steering NHTSA category: STEERING 3 1 0 1 0
STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 3 0 0 0 0
AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2 0 0 0 0
Engine & Cooling NHTSA category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 2 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,STRUCTURE 2 0 0 0 0
Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS 2 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2 0 0 0 0
STEERING,SUSPENSION 2 1 0 6 0
Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER 2 0 0 0 0
Wheels & Hubs NHTSA category: WHEELS 2 0 0 0 0
AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS 1 0 0 0 0
AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEATS 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEATS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 1 0
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
EQUIPMENT,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
EXTERIOR LIGHTING,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ENGINE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,STRUCTURE,ENGINE 1 1 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,STRUCTURE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS 1 0 0 1 0
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,STRUCTURE 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,SUSPENSION,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,SUSPENSION,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,WHEELS,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
STRUCTURE,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
STRUCTURE,OTHER/UNKNOWN 1 0 0 3 0
STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 1 0 0 1 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES 1 1 0 1 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 0 0 0 0
Data Attribution & Reporting Methodology: Complaints are unverified voluntary submissions to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Because multiple vehicle components can be cited within a single owner complaint submission, component-level rollups may sum to more than the unique complaint count (182). Injury and fatality entries in the detailed table reflect raw values entered by reporting consumers across individual submissions; they are not deduplicated casualty statistics and may include duplicate or unverified entries. Complaint volume is not normalized for sales volume or vehicle mileage and does not represent an audited component failure rate.

Official NHTSA Defect Investigations (1)

1 OPEN

Formal safety defect inquiries and engineering analyses opened by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Official Federal Inquiries: NHTSA opens a defect investigation when safety screening or consumer defect trends indicate a potential unreasonable safety risk. An open investigation is a formal inquiry and does not by itself confirm a defect or result in a mandatory recall.
OPEN Engineering Analysis (EA) ODI Action #EA21002
Opened: 2021-09-17 • Currently Active

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

Affected Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious...

Active federal investigation. Official NHTSA File →

Related Official Reports for 2016 Dodge Charger

Cross-reference safety recalls, crash test safety ratings, and EPA fuel economy for this model year

Official US Government Data Provenance

The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.