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Total NHTSA Complaints
256
Owner filings recorded
#1 Reported Problem
Powertrain & Transmission
82 reports (32%)
Crash Incident Reports
14
Filings citing a crash
Fire & Injury Reports
11
4 fire • 7 injury filings
Defect Investigation Analysis

Executive Problem Findings

AutoUtility currently tracks 256 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2016 Dodge Dart. Powertrain & Transmission issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 82 complaints (32% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 14 filings cite a crash, 4 cite a fire, 7 report one or more injuries.

Methodology Notice: Consumer complaints are unverified voluntary submissions to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Filings are not normalized for sales volume or vehicle mileage and do not constitute an audited component failure rate.
Incident & Severity Profile
  • • Total Owner Reports: 256 complaints submitted under federal penalty.
  • • Primary Subsystem: Powertrain & Transmission accounts for 32% of submissions (82 reports).
  • • Secondary Systems: Engine & Cooling (57), Electrical System (48).
  • • Crash Incidents: 14 filings cite an impact or collision.
  • • Thermal Incidents: 4 filings cite smoke or fire.
  • • Reported Casualties: 7 injury filings • 0 fatality filings.
Category Distribution

Reported Defect Categories for 2016 Dodge Dart

Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records

Powertrain & Transmission
82
32%
Engine & Cooling
57
22.3%
Electrical System
48
18.8%
Brakes & Traction Control
31
12.1%
Visibility, Wipers & Glass
14
5.5%
#1 32% SHARE

Powertrain & Transmission

82 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

⚠️ 2 Crash
⚠️ 2 Associated Recall Campaigns
#2 22.3% SHARE

Engine & Cooling

57 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

🔥 1 Fire
#3 18.8% SHARE

Electrical System

48 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

⚠️ 1 Crash 🔥 1 Fire 🩹 3 Injury
⚠️ 1 Associated Recall Campaign
#4 12.1% SHARE

Brakes & Traction Control

31 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

⚠️ 5 Crash 🩹 4 Injury
Deterministic Text Analysis

Recurring Symptoms Identified in Owner Reports

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

Powertrain & Transmission 2.7%

Loss of Motive Power While Driving

7 complaint narratives describe this symptom.

NHTSA Narrative Match
Federal Oversight

Official NHTSA Defect Investigations (1)

Formal engineering analyses and preliminary evaluations opened by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

ODI Action #RQ25002 CLOSED Recall Query (RQ)
Opened: 2025-06-30 • Closed: 2025-12-12
Subject / Subsystem
Recall 19V-293 Post Remedy Failures
Affected Component
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
Recall Linkage
On June 30, 2025, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened RQ25002 to investigate and review the effectiveness of Recall 19V-293. This recall was intended to address deterioration and detachment of shifter cable bushings by replacing them with an improved bushing that is less susceptible to deterioration from chemicals, oils, and solvents in MY2013-2016 Dodge Dart vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and manufactured by Fiat Chrysler Automotive US LLC (FCA US). If the shifter cable becomes detached from the transmission, the transmission gear position may not match the driver’s intended gear selection. This mismatch could result in unintended vehicle movement or rollaway when the driver believes the transmission is in PARK, increasing the risk of a crash and/or injury. ODI has received sixty-three (63) Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ) alleging worn or misadjusted shifter cables and/or shifter cable detachments in subject vehicles that had already received the remedy for Recall 19V-293. Complainants reported incidents of bushing deterioration and detachment, resulting in gear-selection mismatch despite the prior recall repair, raising concerns regarding the effectiveness and durability of the implemented remedy and the adequacy of the recall. ODI’s investigation sought to determine whether the remedy used in recall 19V-293 adequately addressed the cause of the failure and whether other vehicles using the same bushing design might be affected. In response, FCA US and Dura Automotive Systems Inc. (Dura) determined that the repair for Recall 19V-293 did not sufficiently address the issue, and therefore, a safety defect exists in the subject vehicle population. As a result, FCA US and Dura initiated the following recall actions: ·         Recall 25V-674 (FCA US) is intended to address MY 2013–2016 Dodge Dart vehicles repaired under 19V-293 or otherwise equipped with suspect service parts. Remedy is under development. ·         Recall 25E-065 (Dura) is intended to address the defect at the equipment level by recalling affected gearshift control cable assemblies distributed as service components. Remedy is under development. The recalls initiated by FCA US (25V-674), and Dura Automotive Systems Inc. (25E-065) were received prior to ODI sending an Information Request (IR) letter to FCA. These two recalls seem to resolve the concerns that prompted investigation RQ25002 by replacing the previously recalled and service-supplied shifter cable assembly with an improved design, currently under development. The vehicle scope concern identified in this query was addressed by the new recalls including all Model Year 2013–2016 Dodge Dart vehicles produced and equipped with the affected shifter cable assembly. Accordingly, ODI is closing Investigation RQ25002. The agency will continue to monitor field performance and recall completion data to evaluate the effectiveness of the new remedy. ODI reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Consumer Filings

Recent NHTSA Owner Reports for 2016 Dodge Dart

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

Steering System ODI #11759900
Filed: 08/27/2026
Defect Report

"On August 13, 2026, the vehicle was taken to an authorized Dodge dealership for an electrical-system problem at approximately 105,111 miles. The vehicle required a jump start and the battery failed a load test. The dealer replaced the battery, calibrated the electronic steering sensor, cleared all..."

Visibility, Wipers & Glass ODI #11759725
Filed: 08/26/2026
Defect Report

"The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Dart. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V813000 (Visibility). The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH in inclement weather, the windshield wipers became inoperable. The contact observed an active recall via the internet..."

Powertrain & Transmission ODI #11758728
Filed: 08/22/2026
Defect Report

"Shifter went out at HEB had it towed to Dodge and nobody is able to get the part because it doesn’t exist. How did a car get built in 2016 and has a bad shifter and the recall came out 10/2025 and were in 2026 still no remedy. I’m left with no vehicle, no explanation, I have 2 jobs and nobody is..."

Powertrain & Transmission ODI #11757686
Filed: 08/18/2026
Defect Report

"The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Dart. The contact stated that while reversing, the transmission became stuck in reverse(R). The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact disconnected the battery to correct the failure. Upon research, the contact discovered that the VIN was included in..."

Powertrain & Transmission ODI #11757387
Filed: 08/17/2026
Defect Report

"The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Dart. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V674000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The..."

Multi-Year Trend

Complaint History for Dodge Dart

Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2016)

Model Year NHTSA Complaints Crash Reports Safety Recalls Detailed Report
2015 Dodge Dart 520 32 6 View 2015 Problems →
2016 Dodge Dart Current Page 256 14 5 Current
Exhaustive System Audit

Detailed NHTSA Component Breakdown for 2016 Dodge Dart

Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 67 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications

Vehicle Component / System Total Complaints Crash Reports Fire Reports Injury Entries Fatality Entries
Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN 59 1 0 0 0
Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER 37 0 0 0 0
Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE 29 0 1 0 0
Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 15 0 0 0 0
Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES 13 2 0 0 0
Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER 8 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 5 0 0 0 0
Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS 4 3 0 3 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 4 0 0 0 0
Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 4 1 0 1 0
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 3 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 3 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 3 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 3 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 0 1 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 0 0 0 0
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 0 1 0 0
Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 2 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 0 0 0 0
Steering NHTSA category: STEERING 2 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES 2 0 0 0 0
Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION 2 1 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE 2 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 2 0 0 0 0
Wheels & Hubs NHTSA category: WHEELS 2 0 0 0 0
AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE 1 1 0 1 0
AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE,WHEELS 1 1 1 0 0
BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES 1 1 0 3 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 0 0 0 0
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
ENGINE,VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 0 0 0 0
PARKING BRAKE 1 1 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 0 0 0 0
Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,SUSPENSION 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,WHEELS,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 1 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES 1 1 0 1 0
Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY 1 0 0 0 0
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Common Problems & Reliability Questions for the 2016 Dodge Dart

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2016 Dodge Dart

What are the most common reported problems with the 2016 Dodge Dart?

In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2016 Dodge Dart is Powertrain & Transmission, appearing in 82 records (32% of submitted filings).

Secondary reported categories include Engine & Cooling (57) and Electrical System (48).

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Is the 2016 Dodge Dart a reliable vehicle?

AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 256 consumer defect complaints and 5 safety recall campaigns for the 2016 Dodge Dart.

Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.

Source: NHTSA ODI & Safety Recalls Databases

Are there crash, fire, or injury reports associated with the 2016 Dodge Dart?

Among consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2016 Dodge Dart, 14 filings cite a crash, 4 cite smoke or fire, and 7 report one or more injuries.

Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Consumer Logs

Has NHTSA formally investigated defects on the 2016 Dodge Dart?

NHTSA ODI records list 1 formal defect investigation involving the 2016 Dodge Dart (all closed).

Federal defect investigations are formal engineering evaluations opened when safety defect trends emerge, and do not by themselves establish a confirmed defect or mandatory recall.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Registry
Official US Government Data Provenance

The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.

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