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Dodge ChallengerModel year report

2009 Dodge Challenger Problems

Compared with other Dodge Challenger years

More complaints than typical for this model

70/100 1.6× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with a typical complaint level and no open NHTSA investigation: 2011

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
133filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
30,152miles, 89 complaints with mileage
Recalls
73 do-not-drive
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
19 mpgcombined, 5.7L 8-cyl RWD · 16 city / 25 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2009 Dodge Challenger (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2009 Dodge Challenger most often describe the engine shutting off unexpectedly while driving or slowing to a stop, along with hard shifting or getting stuck in gear on manual-transmission cars. Air bag recalls and warning lights also come up repeatedly in the sample, and complaints span very low to high mileage, so condition matters more than age here.

  1. Engine

    Engine stalls or shuts off while driving

    • 37 complaints (28%)
    • median 30,000 mi at 3.3 yrs old (34 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2009–2023

    Complaints describe the engine cutting out without warning at speed, while slowing for a turn, or when coming to a stop, sometimes with all instrument lights flashing; drivers say steering and braking assist go away until the car is put in neutral and restarted. Several owners report multiple trips to the dealer where the problem could not be reproduced, and some mention a PCM reflash that did not resolve it. A few describe stalling after routine service or a software update. Reported from under 2,000 miles up to about 80,000 miles, at both low and highway speeds.

    Recall 08V4580004 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for service records showing whether the PCM was reflashed and whether stalling was ever diagnosed; a test drive that includes slowing to a stop and idling in traffic is worth doing.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Sudden engine stall at stop sign, at idle and also while on highway at speed. Oil light comes on intermittent no codes , oil level checked , gas was good . Many on every Challenger forums are having this issue stalling , even brand new cars right off the lot. Dodge rejects there's an issue, from dealers to the top. Please help! We don't trust our cars!”

    NHTSA complaint #10925449, filed 2016-11, 41,000 miles

    “Vehicle stalls randomly while coming to a stop. Oil light illuminates car losses all power steering and breaking. This happens while driving straight or turning as well. Primarily while turning. This has happened to me on a city intersection and in my residential neighborhood. I am scared that I am going to wreck because of this and hurt myself or others.”

    NHTSA complaint #11327485, filed 2020-06, 51,000 miles
  2. Transmission and drivetrain

    Hard shifting or stuck in gear (manual transmission)

    • 14 complaints (11%)
    • median 42,000 mi at 7.5 yrs old (13 state mileage)
    • filed 2012–2021

    Owners of six-speed manual cars describe difficulty shifting in and out of gear, grinding on shifts, the car creeping with the clutch pedal fully pressed, and gears that stick when parked or backing up. Several complaints point to grease on the input shaft splines that becomes gummy when hot, with the pilot and throwout bearing fusing to the shaft, and owners say a dealer or technical bulletin described the same repair. Some automatic-transmission owners separately report the car staying in a high gear and requiring a restart to drive normally. Mostly reported between roughly 26,000 and 80,000 miles, often worse after stop-and-go driving.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: On a manual car, ask whether the input shaft splines and clutch bearings were serviced and whether any shifter-bushing bulletin was applied; drive it warm through several gears and check for grind or creeping at a stop.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I am having same issues as everyone else. I recently started having issues where my automatic transmission is sticking in gear and doesn't shift like it needs to. I also, have to either pull over and shut the car off or shift it into manual transmission. This is a huge problem the manufacture needs to deal with.”

    NHTSA complaint #10874605, filed 2016-06, 54,000 miles

    “My 2009 Dodge Challenger r/t equipped with the automatic transmission started experiencing problems downshifting when approaching a stop. You wouldn't know until you press the gas to proceed down the road and barely move as the vehicle would be stuck in the highest gear. I would have to pull over, turn the vehicle off, and restart it to drive the vehicle. Luckily this didn't happen when trying to pull out into traffic as it would have a high tendency to create a collision. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10871878, filed 2016-06, 64,500 miles
  3. Air bags

    Air bag warning light and recalls

    • 40 complaints (30%)
    • median 23,000 mi at 6.9 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
    • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2009–2022

    Complaints describe the air bag warning light staying on or flashing, a deformed area on the dash where the passenger air bag deploys, and owners saying parts for the inflator recalls were unavailable. Some owners mention crash or low-speed impact situations where they expected deployment and report it did not occur, and several complaints reference the air bag campaigns by number. Reported from about 3,000 to 104,000 miles, with several complaints filed years after the recall notices.

    Recall 15V444000 · DO NOT DRIVERecall 18V021000 · DO NOT DRIVE

    What to check: Check the VIN with a dealer for open air bag recalls and confirm the inflators were actually replaced, not just ordered; verify the air bag light goes out after startup.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I brought my car 8 months ago and the delalership never told me about any of the four recalls I never received any papers in the mail concerning the recalls and that puts me and my children at risk everyday it's a scary feeling I also hit a tree that was in the middle of the street my steering g wheel was hard to control and my breaks as well”

    NHTSA complaint #11297547, filed 2020-01, 138,000 miles

    “There is a defect on the dash where the passenger air bag deploys. This causes the area to look depressed and deformed. Chrysler / Dodge was contacted, and are refusing to repair. In talking with other owners some are choosing to cover the dash with dash mats or covers. This raises the question with me as to how this may effect the deployment of the airbags?”

    NHTSA complaint #10392633, filed 2011-03, 14,000 miles
  4. Vehicle speed control

    Throttle lag or delayed acceleration

    • 14 complaints (11%)
    • median 25,367 mi at 2.4 yrs old (13 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2009–2023

    Owners describe pressing the accelerator and waiting a half-second or more before the car responds, most often in the higher gears, with a surge once power arrives; some link it to a powertrain software update performed at the dealer. Several complaints mention the car holding speed after the pedal is released, and one describes unexpected acceleration to high speed. Reported from about 5,000 to 35,000 miles, typically on 5.7L cars.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the PCM has the latest calibration and test the pedal response on a steady 50-60 mph pull in a higher gear; ask about any unintended-acceleration complaints from prior owners.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The dealership flashed the PCM as detailed in service bulletin 18-021-09 rev. A. Immediately after that I noticed an intermittent throttle lag. When pressing the gas pedal, the car will wait 1/2 to 3/4 second, then the engine will respond and the car will go. Merging into highway traffic is now dangerous as the car will not always respond to the pedal input. When it finally does respond the car will surge forward (since I'm pushing down more on the pedal trying to get the car to move). …”

    NHTSA complaint #10394926, filed 2011-04, 15,539 miles

    “Overview: my 2009 Dodge Challenger r/t, with the 5.7l hemi engine and manual 6-speed transmission, has an excessive delay between pressing the throttle and achieving engine response. This occurs only in gears 4-6, and is the result of a powertrain control module (PCM) update. Background: this vehicle has an electronic throttle ( drive by wire ) system, where throttle response is controlled by the PCM and not via a throttle cable. History: on october 14, 2011, I brought my vehicle to my local Dodge/chrysler dealership due to a rough engine idle. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10449347, filed 2012-02, 15,481 miles
  5. Steering

    Power steering leaks and lost assist

    • 7 complaints (5%)
    • median 13,550 mi at 3.4 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2011–2014

    Complaints describe a power steering leak found during routine inspection with low mileage, leading to rack-and-pinion replacement quotes, and difficulty turning the wheel when the engine shuts off while moving. In the stalls reported by owners, the loss of steering and brake assist at the same moment is what they describe as the main difficulty. Leak reports are from about 12,000 to 15,000 miles; loss-of-assist reports follow stalling at various mileages.

    What to check: Look for wet or low power steering fluid and seepage at the rack and hoses, and ask if the rack or hoses have been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Ordered new tires for vehicle, I was told that the rack and pinion was leaking and it would cost $ 585.00 to fix it. I drive this vehicle summers only. I have only 15000 miles on the car. I do not believe this should happen this early. The car has never been in any kind of mishap.”

    NHTSA complaint #10574450, filed 2014-03, 15,200 miles

    “I took my car in to the local Dodge dealer for a scheduled inspection of the drive train. The inspection was good, but a shop note indicated there was a leak in the power steering system. The tech filled the power steering fluid reservoir and the service department rep indicated she would call me later when I asked about the cost to repair the leak situation. When the service department later called, I was told that the repairs would require replacing the rack and pinion unit and connecting hoses, etc. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10567822, filed 2014-03, 11,900 miles

Buying note. Look for a car with documented transmission and PCM servicing, confirm open recalls were completed, and check steering and air bag systems on a test drive; the complaints show the same symptoms recurring across a wide mileage range, so maintenance history is the strongest signal.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 133 consumer complaints for the 2009 Dodge Challenger. 89 of the complaints include a mileage, and 65% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 30,152 miles. Of all complaints, 8 involved a crash, 4 a fire, 6 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns (3 marked do-not-drive) and 46 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 11 Dodge Challenger model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 70 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Body and structure (3), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (2), Equipment (1), Suspension (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “I have experienced numerous breathing difficulties, I suspect have been caused by the air blowing out the vehicles ventilation system... I regularly develop chest pain in my breast area and migraine headaches after being in the vehicle for an extended period. I have reason to believe that the vehicle had been tampered with prior to my purchase . I've recently discovered false information related to the ownership of the car, through a carfax search”

NHTSA complaint #11306836, filed 2020-02, 60,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “I was driving normal at about 70mph and was exiting highway and the car just died. I pulled over and tried to crank it and nothing. Called a wrecker and they took me to the parts house to get a code checked and it said camshaft position sensor. I bought one and took it home and replaced it and still nothing. You could see that the timing chain had broke through the hole where the sensor went. …”

NHTSA complaint #10558495, filed 2014-01, 70,000 miles

Engine: “When driving and slowing to make a right turn apply pressure to the break the car just stalls I have all dash lights put the car in park and it restarts back up this has happened six times now that I owned the car has 65.0000 miles on it need info on what to do the dealer said they never heard of this going on this takes place at any speed slow or fast turns”

NHTSA complaint #11114466, filed 2018-07, 65,000 miles

Electrical system: “I took car into dealership because it didn't sound right. It was determined that is was the alternator and therefore the battery. This car had less than 40,000 on it and the alternator should not have gone out. After some research I found that later model Dodge vehicles had recalls because of the alternator and I feel the recall should go back to my model.”

NHTSA complaint #10668316, filed 2014-12, 39,573 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

65% of the 89 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 15,200 and 61,300 miles.

19%0–1018%10–2528%25–5021%50–756%75–1008%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (89 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 30,152 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’10’12’1424’16’18’20’22’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2009 Dodge Challenger. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Challenger · coupe RWDnot rated5 / 5———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2009 Dodge Challenger version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Challenger RWD3.5L 6-cyl4-speed automatic172520$3,350
Challenger RWD3.5L 6-cyl5-speed automatic172520$3,350
Challenger RWD5.7L 8-cyl6-speed manual162519$3,550
Challenger RWD5.7L 8-cyl5-speed automatic162519$3,550
Challenger RWD6.1L 8-cyl6-speed manual142216$4,200
Challenger RWD6.1L 8-cyl5-speed automatic131915$4,450

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

See all 7 recalls for the 2009 Dodge Challenger → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 46 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 46 bulletins →

Other model years of the Dodge Challenger

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20234329,85125173 · FewerToo new
2022910,0002517—Not enough data
20211917,1602517—Rising
2020202851517—Rising
2019594,884351820 · FewerStable
20187522,012351824 · FewerFalling
20174932,00035180 · FewerStable
20167816,000151810 · FewerFalling
201512731,250551851 · TypicalFalling
201414936,000451849 · TypicalFalling
201317950,000551864 · TypicalFalling
201225353,0006—1882 · MoreFalling
201119355,0006—1851 · TypicalFalling
201029935,0967—1894 · MoreFalling
200913330,1527—1970 · MoreFalling
20081039,0003—15—Not enough data

All Dodge Challenger model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Dodge Challenger?

Owners of the 2009 Dodge Challenger most often describe the engine shutting off unexpectedly while driving or slowing to a stop, along with hard shifting or getting stuck in gear on manual-transmission cars. The issues reported most often: Engine stalls or shuts off while driving; Hard shifting or stuck in gear (manual transmission); Air bag warning light and recalls.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2009 Dodge Challenger have?

NHTSA recorded 133 consumer complaints for the 2009 Dodge Challenger as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2009 Dodge Challenger is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 41 complaints (31% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 27.

Has the 2009 Dodge Challenger been recalled?

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for this model year, 3 of them with a do-not-drive advisory. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2009 Dodge Challenger get?

The EPA rates the 2009 Dodge Challenger (Challenger, 5.7L 8-cyl) at 19 mpg combined, 16 city and 25 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2009 Dodge Challenger reported?

Among the 89 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 30,152 miles and the middle half falls between 15,200 and 61,300 miles; 65% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.