2018 Dodge Challenger Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2018 Dodge Challenger most often report problems with the Uconnect 8.4" touchscreen, which many describe as delaminating and registering touches on its own, along with a mix of instrument cluster, window switch and battery complaints. Reports on mileage are wide-ranging, with some electrical and infotainment symptoms appearing within the first few thousand miles and other issues reported later in the car's life.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   Uconnect 8.4" touchscreen delamination and ghost touches

   • 16 complaints (21%)
   • median 49,000 mi at 4.1 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2020–2026

   Complaints describe bubbles or an air pocket forming under the glass at the corners or top edge of the 8.4-inch Uconnect screen, after which the system starts making selections nobody asked for. Owners say the display switches screens, changes volume and climate settings, activates the backup camera while driving, and in some cases places calls or triggers the SOS button. Many report the behavior began intermittently and became constant, and several say a dealer confirmed the unit needed replacement. Reported from roughly 5,000 to 50,000 miles, frequently after the car has spent years in hot or humid conditions.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Look closely at the screen edges for bubbles or lifting, and test every on-screen function with the car running to see whether inputs register without a touch. Ask whether the radio had any software updates or screen replacement.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Uconnect screen is delaminating. It’s causing safety hazards due to driver distraction because of the radio volume randomly going full blast ( scaring me half to death) , heat turns itself up all the way full blast ( that’s very dangerous especially when you have little kids in the car), it will switch to the back up cam while driving ( scaring the crap out me me at times) randomly placing calls when Bluetooth is active, the list can go on. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11440555, filed 2021-11

   “The uConnect 8.4 Display in my car has begun to delaminate. There is a large air pocket under the top portion of my display. This morning while waiting for the car to warm up so the heat would function on the climate control system, I used the display to set the defrost to on. After removing the initial frost from my windshield and I was able to see clearly, I left the house and headed to work. While on my way to work I begun to hear confirmation beeps from my display, as if I was touching the onscreen controls. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11434057, filed 2021-09
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission hard shifts, park rollaway and clutch failure

   • 10 complaints (13%)
   • median 24,000 mi at 1.9 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Complaints describe harsh or delayed shifts, a car that rolls after being placed in park, and abnormal noises when shifting into gear. Some owners of manual-transmission cars report the shifter sticking in gear followed by a loud bang and complete loss of drive, which one owner said required a transmission replacement. Dealers in several accounts could not duplicate the concern or reported that the vehicle was operating as designed. Reported from a few hundred miles up to about 100,000 miles, with the manual-gearbox failures clustered around 19,000 to 25,000 miles.

   Recall 18V2800006 related service bulletins

   What to check: Confirm whether the park lock rod recall was performed for the VIN, and drive the car through several gear changes including reverse. On manual cars, listen for noise when selecting gears and check whether the clutch has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “In motion 40mph on surface streets the car made a big bang then following super load chattering and vibration feel from the transmission due to the clutch completely breaking apart not allowing to the car to go into any gear only 25000miles on the car.”

   NHTSA complaint #11389561, filed 2021-01, 25,000 miles

   “Manual transmission gear shifter gets stuck in gear and will not shift out of gear while making gear shift change started happening at 19000 miles then at 25000 miles the clutch shattered into a 100 pieces makeing a loud bang and none stop chattering while driving in 3rd gear at 40mph on city street causing complete clutch failure an unable to shift into any gear after the clutch failure only leaving neutral available. Causing me to have to quickly coast and pull over 3 lanes and park before getting stuck in a moving lane. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11389347, filed 2021-01, 25,000 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Instrument panel and display going dark or rebooting

   • 10 complaints (13%)
   • median 25,000 mi at 1.8 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2018–2025

   Owners describe the gauge cluster, screens and sometimes headlights cutting out or flickering while driving, occasionally with the windows cracking open as if a door had been opened. In several accounts power returns after a few seconds or after the car is restarted, and some owners link the symptom to a known condition on other model years. Complaints also mention the radio rebooting repeatedly, which knocks out the backup camera. Reported from very low mileage up to about 40,000 miles, often described as random and intermittent while driving.

   Recall 18V332000Recall 18V5240004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the powertrain control module and radio software updates from the related service actions were applied, and watch for flickering or dropouts during a test drive, including the backup camera.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “This condition matches NHTSA 19v-203 which is for 2019 Dodge challengers. However I have a 2018 Dodge Challenger exhibiting the same symptom. While the car is in motion, and at random times every day, the entire instrument panel cluster will go dark. By dark I mean all illuminated feature on the instrument panel are invisible. The car does not stall, and it can still be operated, but I can not see my speed, rpms, or any operational data, thereby creating a safety hazard, especially at night. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11233564, filed 2019-07, 30,000 miles

   “My radio screen constantly keeps rebooting or going on and off. Every time I hit a bump in the street or on the highway it goes off, then I hit another small bump and it comes back on. Sometimes I don't have to do a anything, just be sitting parked, and it goes out, which in turn, I can not use my backup screen cause it's not there! That makes it dangerous cause I can not see cars or pedestrians behind me. As you know, my radio screen is key to other features that I can not use because of the constant rebooting or going off and on.”

   NHTSA complaint #11089670, filed 2018-04, 2,000 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   False or erratic warning chimes and windows moving on their

   • 10 complaints (13%)
   • median 24,603 mi at 2.5 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2019–2026

   Complaints describe door windows rolling up and down without input, a turn signal reported as out while the indicator flashes erratically, and a battery that repeatedly went flat on a lightly used car. One owner said a dealer replaced the battery and reset the battery sensor, while another was told the window repair would not be covered. Some accounts tie the window behavior to the same screen and body-control faults noted in other complaints. Spread from very low mileage up to around 48,000 miles, often described as occasional rather than constant.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Cycle each window up and down several times, check all exterior bulbs and signals, and ask whether any battery or body-control module work has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Bought my car on may 7, 2018 brand new. It has 3206 miles, I really dont use it because it is used for pleasure/show but when I do the battery is discharged. I have had to call a total of 4 times-june, july, september,, october 2018 the battery discharged without any valid reason. In 2019 april, may the battery died again. The dealer took two weeks and finally changed the battery and reset the ibs. Hopefully this works but I needed to report it to someone. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11219223, filed 2019-06, 3,206 miles

   “I have had an issue like the 30 other complaints on here with my window going up and down and faulty switch!!! Went to dodge and the lady stated no open recalls on the vehicle so I was probably looking at $2500 to fix . How is dodge not being held accountable for this and being liable to create a recall!!! I’m driving and the window started opening and shutting in the middle of a hurricane and I almost crashed, hit a divider & swirled ! Had to pull over and wait 1 hour for it to stop!!! …”

   NHTSA complaint #11610678, filed 2024-08
5. 5
   Wheels

   Rims cracking and losing tire pressure

   • 7 complaints (9%)
   • median 27,071 mi at 2.0 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2018–2026

   Owners report cracks developing on the inside edges of the wheels, which lets tires lose air slowly and, in one account, led to a wheel detaching while driving. Several say the cracks appeared after ordinary driving over bumps or uneven pavement, and one owner was told there was no related recall for the vehicle. Repairs described in the complaints involved replacing the affected rims. Mostly reported between about 27,000 and 40,000 miles, with one case at around 75,000 miles.

   What to check: Have the wheels inspected from the inside edges for hairline cracks, and check tire pressures over a few days for slow leaks before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My front driver side tire keeps losing air so I try to get my tire fixed, come to find out that my rim has a small crack. I've never experienced a cracked rim on a less than 2 year old car. It picks and chooses when it wants to keep air which is not safe and these rims cost way too much. Also my driver seat has a squeaking noise which is irritating, it happened when I was driving on the highway around 60 when I came across a dip in the road which caused me to bounce up slightly. It periodically squeaks.”

   NHTSA complaint #11280853, filed 2019-11, 27,000 miles

   “The contact's son owns a 2018 Dodge Challenger. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, the driver's side wheel detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 27,071.”

   NHTSA complaint #11320319, filed 2020-04, 27,071 miles

Buying note. Check the infotainment screen and every electrical function carefully on a test drive, since those complaints dominate this model year, and have the wheels and transmission checked. Also confirm which of the open recalls tied to this VIN have already been completed.

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.