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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)

3 of 247 complaints match · Engine · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Jan 28, 2026Electrical systemEngineFuel systemFire

I came home from work, (drove 18 miles) and parked, walked towards my building and I heard a noise, as if something turned on under the hood. Like a electrical motor spinning. And it was not the fan because that one had already turned off. I walk back to the car and pop the hood, white smoke starts coming out and in less than 2 minutes a huge flame comes straight out from the passenger side of the hood. Called the fire department. Fire was on for 4 minutes, neighbor mechanics came running with fire extinguishers and put out the fire before the firefighters arrived. Too many parts melted and damaged. So far estimate is at $4,000. I do not have the estimate on paper, since at the moment I did not have budget to fix my car. My car was perfectly fine, services got done regularly. Never had issues other than wear and tear. I've had that car for almost 10 years.

NHTSA ODI 11713968

Sep 23, 2019EngineFuel systemFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 DODGE DART. WHILE THE CONTACT'S SON WAS DRIVING 10 MPH, THE MOTORISTS IN THE REAR NOTICED AN UNKNOWN LIQUID POURING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY BURST INTO FLAMES. THE DRIVER MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INJURIES. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT DRIVER STATED IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING HAD FELL FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS WERE AT THE SCENE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000.

NHTSA ODI 11257496

Apr 17, 2019EngineFire

MY SON PARKED THE VEHICLE AFTER DRIVING IT APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES. HE WENT INTO HIS DORM ROOM AND WAS INFORMED SHORTLY AFTER THAT HIS CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE ENGINE HAD IGNITED.

NHTSA ODI 11196921

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 →