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.

Key Problem Findings
  • Total NHTSA Complaints: 256 reports
  • #1 Reported Problem Area: Powertrain & Transmission (82 reports • 32% of submitted complaints)
  • Secondary Problem Areas: Engine & Cooling (57), Electrical System (48)
  • Crash-Citing Complaints: 14 filings
  • Fire-Citing Complaints: 4 filings
  • Complaints Reporting Injuries / Fatalities: 7 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
256
Submitted to NHTSA ODI
Crash-Citing Complaints
14
Filings citing a collision
Fire-Citing Complaints
4
Filings citing smoke or fire
Complaints Reporting Injuries
7
Filings citing one or more injuries
Complaints Reporting Fatalities
0
Consumer filings citing fatalities

Most Reported Problems for 2016 Dodge Dart

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

#1 Problem Area 32% of complaints

Powertrain & Transmission

82 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
⚠️ NHTSA Recall Context

NHTSA records list 2 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.
⚠️ 2 crash reports
#2 Problem Area 22.3% of complaints

Engine & Cooling

57 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
🔥 1 fire report
#3 Problem Area 18.8% of complaints

Electrical System

48 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 🔥 1 fire report 🩹 3 injury report entries
#4 Problem Area 12.1% of complaints

Brakes & Traction Control

31 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
⚠️ 5 crash reports 🩹 4 injury report entries
#5 Problem Area 5.5% of complaints

Visibility, Wipers & Glass

14 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
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 Dart

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.

Powertrain & Transmission 2.7% of complaints

Loss of Motive Power While Driving

7 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 Dart

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

Steering System NHTSA ODI ID: #11759900
Filed: 08/27/2026

"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..."

Incident Date: 08/13/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: STEERING,POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Visibility, Wipers & Glass NHTSA ODI ID: #11759725
Filed: 08/26/2026

"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..."

Incident Date: 08/10/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: VISIBILITY
Powertrain & Transmission NHTSA ODI ID: #11758728
Filed: 08/22/2026

"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..."

Incident Date: 08/15/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: POWER TRAIN
Powertrain & Transmission NHTSA ODI ID: #11757686
Filed: 08/18/2026

"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..."

Incident Date: 08/17/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: POWER TRAIN
Powertrain & Transmission NHTSA ODI ID: #11757387
Filed: 08/17/2026

"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..."

Incident Date: 06/01/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: POWER TRAIN
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 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
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 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 Reported Injury Entries Reported 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
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 (256). 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 CLOSED

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.
CLOSED Recall Query (RQ) ODI Action #RQ25002
Opened: 2025-06-30 • Closed: 2025-12-12

Recall 19V-293 Post Remedy Failures

Affected Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT

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 Ch...

✓ Resulted in Safety Recall Campaign: 25V674 Official NHTSA File →
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.