Home · 2016 Dodge Dart · Complaints

What 247 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Dodge Dart

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (247)Crash / fire / injury (17)Transmission & drivetrain (74)Engine (66)Electrical system (47)Brakes (26)Fuel system (13)Visibility & wipers (13)Speed control (10)Steering (10)Airbags (8)Suspension (6)

Newest first · 247 complaints · page 3 of 10

Dec 9, 2023

Emissions Recall U90 Catalyst Efficiency this recall was never addressed on my Dodge Dart.

NHTSA ODI 11559295

Nov 12, 2023Brakes

Brake booster

NHTSA ODI 11554719

Nov 6, 2023SteeringLightsEngine

The Dodge dart has a malfunction that might have contributed in many crashes this car has been involved in. The issue is that some darts will experience a malfunction where the lights inside the car will randomly flicker (should they be on), digital dash will also flicker and navigation screen will either restart or just shut off. The biggest problem in all of this is that the power steering will always temporarily shut off and make it extremely hard to steer the car for a few seconds and this can happen during turns. The reset can also happen many times in a row forcing the power steering to be shut down for multiple seconds longer than the avg like 5-8 seconds. within that reset all lights on the dash will flick on and off and if you have cruise control on, it will shut off permanently until you restart the car. Sometimes the reset doesn't successfully turn on and the navigation will remain off indefinitely and will blast hot air into your cabin forcing you to park and restart your car. If your dart slows down to a stop the power steering will shut off forcing you to attempt to park your car with an extremely stiff power steering or you can restart your car for a chance to regain some assitance from the PS. Sometimes putting the car in reverse shuts off the car. The issue that the car displays when these errors occur is "Service Power Steering" or "Service Electronic Braking System" weird request when the braking is just fine. Dealership cannot diagnose this issue because the codes seemingly clear themselves as if nothing has ever happened. I have found a few others with similar issues to mine on Reddit as well as The Dodge dart forums. This issue also happens at random. There isn't a trigger or requirement for it to happen. You can be sitting at a parking lot with the car on in park and it might just reset itself for no reason and give you a stiff wheel.

NHTSA ODI 11553891

Oct 25, 2023Brakes

The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Dart. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the brakes failed to stop the vehicle immediately. The vehicle proceeded forward while making a clunking sound before coming to a stop. The ABS failed to respond as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the brake booster was contaminated with oil. The contact was informed that the brake booster vacuum line and pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 42,000.

NHTSA ODI 11551755

Oct 9, 2023Fuel system

The car stinks like gas, check engine light has been on. Independent service center advised me that the fuel tank has a leak. Check engine code is also detecting a fuel leak. We have bad headaches due to gas smells inside the car. Even my kids compliant of having headaches due to the gas smell. Puddle of gas above the fuel pump. Thank Can catch on fire due to the leak and strong gas smell. The smell wasn’t to strong until year 2022

NHTSA ODI 11549097

Aug 22, 2023

Since my purchase of this vehicle over two years ago, I have consistently had problems with the card shutting off while driving. It has happened no less than six times, two within the last week. Each time I have been fortunate enough to get the car to the side of the road, restart it and then continue with no immediate shut down. My local dealer has tried without success, to pinpoint the problem, but since no codes show up, they are at a loss as to what the problem may be. My grandfather, who is writing this for me, has found a number of similar complaints with Darts of various years and models. The issue is never resolved by the dealerships and the manufacturer has no known service bulletins on file. We are not sure of any accidents, but a car shutting off without advanced notice and no viable reason for the loss of power looks like a serious safety issue just waiting to claim one or more lives. The insurance company was told, but they won't do anything. If I have an accident I will probably be at fault, especially if I am blocking another vehicle's right of way. I need guidance on what legal recourse, if any that I have. The vehicle does not qualify for the PA Lemon Laws since it was purchased as a new vehicle from the dealer. Please let us know what we can do short of junking an obvious safety hazard that I still owe $13,000 in a car loan. Thank you. [XXX] and [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11540134

Aug 21, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine

THE TRANSMISSION GEAR IS NOTB SHIFTINGB AND THE CAR IS CUTTING OFF OIN THE FREEWAY AND ALSO AT STOP SIGNS AND STOP LIGHTS. OIL CHANGES AND TRANSMISSION FLUIDS HAVE BEEN CHECKED AND CHANGED PROBLEM STILL HAPPENING.

NHTSA ODI 11539821

Aug 16, 2023Electrical system

Gear jumped into neutral and then reverse while driving and got stuck in reverse .

NHTSA ODI 11538970

Aug 13, 2023Transmission & drivetrain

I purchased a 2016 dodge dart 1.4l turbo with 6 speed manual transmission from carvana 2 years ago they gave me a carfax for the vehicle but I've been having multiple issues with the vehicle in the past year so I purchased my own carfax and while lookin it over I noticed there r several things that were replaced on the car the the original carfax didn't show but did show some maintenance done on the same day.on my new carfax it shows the clutch assembly was all replaced right before the previous owner sold the vehicle upon further research I've come to find out that the dart models with the c635 engine and transmission combo has a factory defects, there was only 38,000 miles on the car when the previous owner had these parts replaced and at the moment the car has 75,000 miles and the clutch system is not functioning again. I don't understand why this vehicle was not recalled with the others of its kind

NHTSA ODI 11538231

Aug 4, 2023BrakesCrash

This complaint is additional information for original complaint 11535053 7/28/2023 I have diagnosed the issue I have taken pictures of the entire brake booster that failed, and have held on to the parts for the investigation. The vehicle had the updated vacuum line. Still oil present in brake booster.

NHTSA ODI 11536555

Jul 28, 2023BrakesCrash

Was stopped, with foot on brake dropping kids off at school Heard a pop and hiss. Brake pedal became rock hard, and car rolled into kids crossing road for the school. I seen this issue is for 2013-2014 It should be extended to include 2015-2016 also. As they continued to install parts with known issues until the car was dissolved. I have attempted to source parts. All brake boosters for this car have been recalled, with no timeline for remedy. Part 77215 I have also tried the dealership, they said none available and don't offer a timeline. This car is still financed, and now unrepairable. How is that even a thing?

NHTSA ODI 11535053

May 29, 2023Brakes

Oil contamination was found it then take booster and check valve causing low brake pedal and the brake pedal to fall to the floor. The 2013 and 2014 dodge darts with a 2.4l engine had a recall. Recall number R63 / NHTSA 15V-800. “The brake booster on your vehicle may experience engine oil migration from the vacuum pump, through the vacuum supply tube, and into the brake booster. Prolonged brake booster diaphragm exposure to engine oil could cause the diaphragm to fail. This could lead to a loss of brake booster assist and/or an air leaking sound. A loss of brake booster assist could require the driver to apply additional brake pedal force to stop the vehicle. The lack of brake booster assist could change the braking characteristics of the vehicle and cause a crash without warning.” This recall needs to be extended to the 2016 models. I no longer feel safe driving this vehicle and there are no brake boosters available through the dealerships or after market.

NHTSA ODI 11524272

May 1, 2023Brakes

There was no accident in this case. We lost brakes with no warning and the brake pedal got hard to press. So we changed brake pads and calibers in rear because had not be but few months on front brakes. Still no brakes they was then bleed to be sure and had little brakes and drove it home and the abs code came up and brakes went to floor. I then took it to mechanic and they check code and was abs service and he check abs brake module and was fine he then replaced the vacuum pump and still a hard brake pedal with further investigation he says the master cylinder and brake booster needs to be replaced. In doing some research on the dodge dart there is a recall for 2012-2014 dodge darts brake system which involves the vacuum pump and master cylinder and brake booster. We was able to avoid a accident but what if there are other darts the same year as ours with same issues and aren’t as lucky.

NHTSA ODI 11519794

Apr 12, 2023Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Dart. The contact stated while at a stop light and shifting into drive(D), the vehicle failed to shift into gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who informed the contact that the vehicle needed to be inspected prior to completing the recall repair under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V293000 (Power Train). The contact related the failure to the recall. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11516772

Apr 11, 2023Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Dart. The contact stated that while shifting into reverse, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the engine revved; however, the vehicle failed to respond. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Tires Plus where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the clutch had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unavailable.

NHTSA ODI 11516562

Mar 28, 2023Electrical systemEngine

The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Dart. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH there was a loud abnormal banging sound before the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle went dark and there was no electrical power. The vehicle failed to restart. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer who could not duplicate the failure. The contact stated that the failure occurred two more times and the vehicle was driven to the dealer, who was able to diagnose the failure on the third visit. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the onboard computer needed to be reset as well as the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle had been repaired; however, the contact stated that the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,815. The VIN was unavailable.

NHTSA ODI 11514258

Mar 1, 2023Transmission & drivetrainEngineFuel system

When I start my car and depart the car feels like it is gonna die and when I accelerate the gears slip and the engine revs up when I am pressing on the brake and sometimes when I come to a complete stop after exiting the freeway my car dies and the battery light turns on and I have to put it in park and start the car again....

NHTSA ODI 11509627

Oct 3, 2022Engine & coolingEngine

The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Dart. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the engine temperature warning light illuminated on the instrument panel and the throttle warning light also illuminated on the instrument panel causing the vehicle to go into Limp Mode. The contact stated that the vehicle then started losing motive power. The vehicle was taken to Advance Auto and diagnosed with a faulty thermostat. The contact was informed that the thermostat needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed by an authorized dealer. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.

NHTSA ODI 11487687

Jun 29, 2022

After coming back from getting lunch, I pulled in the parking spot and started to park. I put the gear in park, but it was showing that the car was in neutral. I let my feet off the brake to see if it was an error, but it started moving backwards. The key would not come out of the ignition as well.

NHTSA ODI 11471480

Jun 20, 2022Electrical systemLane Departure

Blind Spot Detection says 'unavailable'. The first time this happened, it was followed by the radio & heater randomly turning off & on and all things electrical flashing off and on every few seconds. It was taken to the dealership & found the turn signal socket to show a high resistance when hot. After just over a month of everything working normally, it has now gone back to square one, starting with the blind spot sensors, just as before. Uploads are from when I had the car at the dealership in May. Blind spot sensors acting up once again on 6/20/22. Which is the date I put for when the incident occured.

NHTSA ODI 11470158

May 23, 2022Brakes

The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Dart. The contact stated while his friend driving approximately 60-70 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but emitted a loud popping sound. The contact's friend depressed the brake pedal all the way to the floorboard but the vehicle hesitated to respond, causing more than a 10-feet in stopping distance delay. The warning message "Braking System Failure" was displayed. The contact's friend was able to continue to drive the vehicle however, the failure reoccurred while driving to his residence. The contact who is a certified mechanic, diagnosed that the brake booster had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,300.

NHTSA ODI 11465825

Mar 9, 2022Electrical system

The car battery keeps dying even though it's a new battery. Alternator isn't the problem either. A bunch of blown fuses relating to the starting of the car. Around the time this issue started the computer also had an issue and we can no longer connect to Bluetooth and the odometer is blinking.

NHTSA ODI 11455947

Mar 7, 2022Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

Car not shifting gears correctly. Dodge Dart accelerating poorly to the point where driving can be extremely dangerous for everyone involved. Sometimes car will not go over 40mph which is extremely dangerous. Car jerks and surges forward. Constant Problems with Transmission and gears. Car looses horsepower going up hills to the point where it can back into cars behind me. Gas Mileage extremely high constant trips to gas stations to refuel car. Car has been to dealership shop multiple times for transmission and engine problems but the car still has the same issues nothing is getting fixed car is unfit to and is a safety hazard to all on roads. Dealership doesn’t care as long as they get their money. Engine light and slip light constant on. The car is dangerous to and dealer won’t issue me refund or any other car. I’m scared for my safety everytime I drive this car. Car will randomly cut off in middle of traffic. I will have to turn car on and off just to get it to come back on. I’m praying this car doesn’t kill me or someone else. Dealer doesn’t care multiple trips to dealer for repairs nothing gets fix’s just more problems after another

NHTSA ODI 11455495

Dec 15, 2021Engine

On December 13, 2021 my 2016 Dodge Dart shut down while driving and would not start back up. Had it towed to a repair shop, they could not duplicate the problem. I contacted Chrysler and the agent who helped me said there is no known issues with this particular vehicle. I found at that was a lie with a little google search. Picked my vehicle up and immediately took it to the Dodge dealership. They checked the oil level and it was so low that the tech said that if it would have been driven much longer it would have completely disabled the engine. No oil light, oil was changed recently, no reason for this to have happened. Found out there was a campaign to update software to the PCM module so that was completed along with an oil change. This created a COMPLETELY unsafe situation, luckily there was very little traffic on the roadway at the time. Vehicles with this issue should be recalled or the engine needs to be replaced.

NHTSA ODI 11443872

Oct 11, 2021Engine

Major oil leak at the Turbo

NHTSA ODI 11436305

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Working with the data? Download all 247 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 26, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2016 Dodge Dart verdict →