2021 Dodge Challenger reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 19 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Dodge Challenger over 6 years — 3 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Challenger years here — under the median of the other years, which is 11. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Instrument cluster and Windshield.

2012 Dodge Challenger — Photo by Pierre André Leclercq, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (4 of 19), then Electrical system (4) and Engine (3). Those filings include 4 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 2 that report an injury.

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 Challenger has 20 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2022 has 9 complaints, 2 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2021 Dodge Challenger. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (2)

Recall electrical system, instrument cluster 2021-08-26 · NHTSA campaign 21V664000

Summary Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Dodge Challenger vehicles. The affected vehicles do not illuminate their safety system status indicators sufficiently in both daylight and nighttime driving conditions. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Control and Displays."

Remedy Dealers will re-program instrument clusters with the correct software version, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 5, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1-800-853-140. FCA US LLC's number for this recall is Y58.

Recall visibility, windshield 2021-07-08 · NHTSA campaign 21V516000

Summary Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, and Chrysler 300 vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 212, "Windshield Mounting."

Remedy Dealers will remove and replace the front windshield urethane sealant, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 31, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US LLC's number for this recall is Y47.

Complaints by component (19 total)

Air bags

Electrical system

Engine

Powertrain

Steering

Structure

Back-over prevention

Exterior lighting

Forward collision avoidance

Fuel and propulsion system

Seat belts

Seats

Speed control

Suspension

Show 6 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"While operating my vehicle at road speed the electric steering rack failed. This rendered the steering inoperative. It was impossible to steer the vehicle. Not only is this situation extremely dangerous and deadly,…"
Steering, Electrical system · filed 2026-07-16
"The contact owns a 2021 Dodge Challenger. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30-35 MPH on a local roadway, the steering suddenly became inoperative, and the steering wheel locked without warning. The…"
Steering · filed 2026-06-22
"mileage 61113 . car moves forward 15 feet an goes into neutral .When pulling into traffic this is a serious safety problem . A major accident which could be loss of life might occur . Enterprise car sales will not…"
Powertrain · filed 2025-07-03
"My seatbelt seemed a bit faulty when I purchased the car. It was slow to retract and at some points wouldn’t retract unless I played with the seatbelt. Three years in to owning the car it still won’t retract fully and…"
Electrical system, Seat belts · filed 2025-06-21
"I purchased this vehicle from Vroom, who is also my lender under United Auto Credit. The car was sold with a washed title and undisclosed prior structural and mechanical damage. I have documentation confirming the…"
Suspension, Powertrain, Structure · filed 2025-06-12

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
Challenger	5.7L, 8-cyl	Manual 6-speed	Rear-wheel drive	15	23	18 MPG	$4450
Challenger	6.4L, 8-cyl	Manual 6-speed	Rear-wheel drive	14	23	17 MPG	$4700
Challenger	3.6L, 6-cyl	Automatic 8-speed	Rear-wheel drive	19	30	23 MPG	$2800
Challenger	5.7L, 8-cyl	Automatic 8-speed	Rear-wheel drive	16	25	19 MPG	$3900
Challenger	6.4L, 8-cyl	Automatic 8-speed	Rear-wheel drive	15	24	18 MPG	$4450
Challenger all-wheel drive	3.6L, 6-cyl	Automatic 8-speed	All-wheel drive	18	27	21 MPG	$3100
Challenger SRT	6.2L, 8-cyl	Manual 6-speed	Rear-wheel drive	13	21	16 MPG	$5000
Challenger SRT	6.2L, 8-cyl	Automatic 8-speed	Rear-wheel drive	13	22	16 MPG	$5000
Challenger SRT Widebody	6.2L, 8-cyl	Automatic 8-speed	Rear-wheel drive	13	21	15 MPG	$5300
Challenger SRT Widebody	6.2L, 8-cyl	Manual 6-speed	Rear-wheel drive	13	21	16 MPG	$5000
Challenger Widebody	6.4L, 8-cyl	Automatic 8-speed	Rear-wheel drive	15	24	18 MPG	$4450
Challenger Widebody	6.4L, 8-cyl	Manual 6-speed	Rear-wheel drive	14	23	17 MPG	$4700

Specs and fitment

LC generation (3rd gen), 2012–2023

Body styles Coupe

Oil 5W-20 full synthetic (3.6L V6; Hemi V8 uses 5W-20 or 0W-40 per manual) , 7 qt capacity

Tire size 245/45R20 (many trims); staggered setups on wide-body and Hellcat models front / 245/45R20 (many trims); wider rear tires on staggered Hellcat and wide-body trims rear

Known issues for this generation

Recall 18V-280 covers certain 2018 Dodge Challenger, Charger, and Durango, Chrysler 300, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wrangler, and Ram 1500 vehicles: an incorrect transmission park lock rod may allow the vehicle to move even when the shifter indicates Park. Dealers inspect and replace the park lock rod if needed. Recall 19V-203 covers certain 2019 Dodge Challenger, Charger, and Chrysler 300 vehicles whose instrument cluster may not properly illuminate driver warnings; dealers update the instrument cluster software.

Compare

Previous year 2020 Dodge Challenger Next year 2022 Dodge Challenger See every Dodge Challenger model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Dodge Challenger reliable?

What are common problems with a 2021 Dodge Challenger?

Is the 2021 Dodge Challenger more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2020 Challenger has 20 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2022 has 9 complaints, 2 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

Has the 2021 Dodge Challenger been recalled?

The 2021 Dodge Challenger has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2021 Dodge Challenger?

Owners have filed 19 complaints about the 2021 Dodge Challenger with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Dodge Challenger get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Dodge Challenger is 17.8 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

When did Dodge stop making the Challenger?

The LC Challenger was built through the 2023 model year for the US market.

What oil does a Dodge Challenger with the 3.6L V6 take?

US notes list 5W-20 full synthetic for the 3.6L V6; Hemi V8 grades can differ (5W-20 or 0W-40 per the manual).

What tire sizes does a Dodge Challenger use?

Many trims list 245/45R20; wide-body and Hellcat models use staggered setups that differ front to rear.