2019 Dodge Charger Problems

What owners report

Most owner complaints for this model year centre on air bags: many are from owners who received a side-curtain inflator recall notice but could not get the repair because parts were unavailable, and a few describe air bags failing to deploy in a crash. A second cluster involves exterior lighting that dims, fails or overheats, and a third concerns rear brake pads that do not fully contact the rotors. Several issues show up early, with some lighting and brake reports under 1,500 miles.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Side curtain air bag recall repair parts unavailable

   • 38 complaints (32%)
   • median 79,989 mi at 5.8 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2024–2025

   Owners say they received a recall notice for the side curtain inflator but were told by dealers that the replacement part was not yet available. Some mention the repair had been pending for many months and that the air bag warning light would come on intermittently while waiting. A few report new warning lights or electrical faults after the recall work was eventually performed. Reported across a wide mileage range, often on vehicles with moderate to high mileage, whenever parts were unavailable.

   Recall 24V1980001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether recall 24V198000 has actually been completed and get written confirmation, rather than relying on the notice alone. Check that the air bag warning light behaves normally on start-up and does not flicker while driving.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I own a 2019 Dodge Charger, and it has an open recall for the airbag inflator, which poses a serious safety risk. Despite the recall being issued over six months ago, replacement parts are still unavailable. Due to this safety concern, I am unable to drive my vehicle far from home, significantly impacting my usage. Additionally, I used to rent this vehicle on Turo to generate income, but it has been delisted from the platform because of the unresolved recall. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11622179, filed 2024-10

   “The contact owns a 2019 Dodge Charger. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V198000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact was concerned because while driving the air bag warning light had momentarily illuminated. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11648038, filed 2025-03, 60,000 miles
2. 2
   Exterior lighting

   Headlights dim, fail or connectors overheat

   • 12 complaints (10%)
   • median 39,000 mi at 3.0 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2019–2025

   Owners describe headlights that go dim or fail outright, sometimes repeatedly even after bulb replacement, and difficulty seeing at night. Several report melted connectors, a burnt 20-amp fuse, a damaged underhood fuse box or heat damage inside the headlight housing; one describes it happening more than once across a group of police vehicles. Dealers were reported to replace bulbs or connectors without the problem going away. Reported from a few thousand miles up to roughly 99,000 miles, often with the lights left in the automatic setting.

   Recall 19V2030001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Inspect both headlight connectors and the underhood fuse box for darkening, melting or burnt smells, and test the lights in the automatic setting. Ask whether bulbs, connectors or the fuse box have already been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While I was driving today all of a sudden the lights went so dim (it's always on the auto setting) then I switched it to the position to the right of it and lights became bright, but when I put it back to auto I couldn't hardly see the speedometer hardly at all the radio screen went dim as well and none of my lights work that all on my mirror above my visors work and the lights don't work in the center top either when you push the buttons. Actually those haven't worked for a really long time. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11341037, filed 2020-07, 6,470 miles

   “To whom ot may concern my 2019 dodge charger headlight went out on driver side after replacement light it still didn't work and replacement of box during the process of taking bub out bulb silver housing box was extremely hot…so hot it burned his hand and then he ask me to feel the light and also it was extremely hot after inspection of the car for hour in a half the hornest was melting I looked up the recall on those vehicle and seeing there was same recall of this issue on older models there is no way that hornest would burn unless it was …”

   NHTSA complaint #11688668, filed 2025-09
3. 3
   Brakes

   Rear brake pads don't cover the full rotor

   • 9 complaints (8%)
   • median 1,100 mi at 1.3 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2019–2026

   Owners of cars with the Brembo brake package report the rear pads contact only part of the rotor surface, leaving an untouched ring at the outer edge. Some also describe a front-end shimmy when braking above about 30 mph, and one reports the parking brake engaging on its own at low speed. Dealers were reported to label the wear normal or to decline the work. Mostly reported in the first few thousand miles, often noticed visually with the car stationary.

   Recall 19V7580003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Look at the rear rotors for an unworn outer edge and check for scoring. Ask whether the front wheel and brake package recall 19V758000 applies and has been completed, and test braking for vibration at highway speed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I purchased a new 2019 Dodge Charger scatpack. It was purchased as a leisure car for weekend use. I've had the vehicle for a year and a half and has 13000 miles. The vehicle began to shimmy from the front brakes. The front vibration began very light but has continued to increase. At first I believe that it was probably caused by the fact that it was not driven to often and there was probably a rust buildup of some kind. However, in researching the internet it appears to be a common problem with this vehicle. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11364007, filed 2020-10, 20 miles

   “While driving the parking brake engaged itself. There was no light on instrument cluster. An the parking brake had to be engaged an disengaged to continue driving. Speeds were slow. City road. Possibly dangerous if at a faster speed.”

   NHTSA complaint #11252691, filed 2019-09, 1,040 miles

Buying note. Check whether the outstanding side curtain air bag recall has actually been performed and get documentation, since many owners reported waiting on parts. Also inspect the headlight connectors and rear rotors before purchase, as both appear in complaints on low-mileage cars.

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.