2013 Dodge Dart: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2013 Dodge Dart
On the 2013 Dodge Dart, the failure owners report most often is other powertrain problem, and the reports cluster around 75,000 miles. The earliest to appear is control arm, ball joint or bushing failure, reported by a median of 75,000 miles. Overall it scores 65 out of 100, high risk for a 2013.
High risk for a 2013 — 248th riskiest of the 284 2013 vehicles we can rate. 427 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
The failures owners actually file about
Owners have reported 57 named failure modes on the 2013 Dodge Dart, and the three most-reported carry 24% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Other powertrain problem leads with 43 reports, about 0.6 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 69k to 105,000 miles.
Other engine problem follows with 30 reports, usually reported between 68k to 95,000 miles.
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure follows with 28 reports, usually reported between 71k to 100,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into transmission (88), engine (81) and electrical (59).
When these failures get reported
183 of the reports on the 2013 Dodge Dart came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 81,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 18% by 50,000 miles, 73% by 100,000 miles and 93% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 2 filed above the top of the chart.
The busiest stretch is between 80,000 and 90,000 miles, which alone holds 17% of the dated reports.
13% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.
In the order they tend to show up: control arm, ball joint or bushing failure around 75k, other powertrain problem around 76k, other electrical problem around 84k and other engine problem around 85k.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 57. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 2 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
How bad it is when it goes
Across the named modes, 10 mention a crash and 7 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 3.72, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other powertrain problem at $400–$4,500, other engine problem at $300–$4,000, control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure at $700–$3,000 and no-start or intermittent start failure at $200–$1,800. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
41% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 43 | 22 | 69k | 76k | 103k | 0.6 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other engine problem | engine | 30 | 10 | 68k | 85k | 94k | 0.4 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 28 | 19 | 71k | 86k | 100k | 0.4 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 24 | 7 | — | 53k | — | 0.3 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Shifter, linkage or stuck-in-park failure | transmission | 24 | 13 | 71k | 86k | 130k | 0.3 | $250–$1,400 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 22 | 8 | 78k | 84k | 97k | 0.3 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure | suspension | 20 | 8 | 53k | 75k | 106k | 0.3 | $400–$2,200 | High |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 12 | 8 | 82k | 90k | 95k | 0.2 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 12 | 5 | — | 87k | — | 0.2 | $200–$900 | High |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 11 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| Backup camera failure | infotainment | 10 | 3 | — | 79k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 10 | 3 | — | 63k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 9 | 7 | — | 75k | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 9 | 7 | — | 79k | — | 0.1 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Misfire or rough idle | engine | 7 | 3 | — | 100k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Manual clutch or hydraulics failure | transmission | 7 | 3 | — | 45k | — | 0.1 | $900–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 7 | 5 | — | 90k | — | 0.1 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 7 | 3 | — | 61k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 7 | 2 | — | 74k | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 6 | 5 | — | 69k | — | 0.1 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 6 | 3 | — | 118k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Wiper or washer failure | glass | 5 | 4 | — | 62k | — | 0.1 | $120–$800 | Moderate |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 5 | 2 | — | 74k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 5 | 1 | — | 21k | — | 0.1 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure | engine | 4 | 1 | — | 119k | — | 0.1 | $1,200–$4,500 | Critical |
| Excessive oil consumption | engine | 4 | 3 | — | 10k | — | 0.1 | $900–$6,500 | High |
| Overheating | cooling | 4 | 3 | — | 92k | — | 0.1 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Audio or connectivity failure | infotainment | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $150–$900 | Low |
| Master cylinder or brake booster failure | brakes | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $450–$2,200 | Critical |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Radiator or coolant leak | cooling | 3 | 2 | — | 130k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,900 | High |
| Transmission will not engage a gear | transmission | 3 | 1 | — | 31k | — | 0.0 | $1,500–$6,000 | Critical |
| Dual-clutch or clutch-pack failure | transmission | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $1,800–$5,500 | High |
| Infotainment screen failure | infotainment | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $400–$2,600 | Low |
| Premature brake pad or rotor wear | brakes | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 3 | 2 | — | 64k | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Torque converter failure | transmission | 2 | 1 | — | 180k | — | 0.0 | $1,100–$3,200 | High |
| Alternator or charging system failure | electrical | 2 | 2 | — | 108k | — | 0.0 | $450–$1,600 | High |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 2 | 1 | — | 245k | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Lane keep or steering assist fault | adas | 2 | 1 | — | 30 | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,600 | High |
| Tire pressure monitor failure | wheels | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $80–$600 | Low |
| Paint peeling or clear coat failure | body | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $600–$6,000 | Low |
| Other steering problem | steering | 2 | 2 | — | 101k | — | 0.0 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 2 | 2 | — | 48k | — | 0.0 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Complete engine failure or seizure | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $4,500–$12,000 | Critical |
| Engine knock or bearing noise | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 90k | — | 0.0 | $2,500–$9,000 | High |
| Turbocharger or supercharger failure | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $1,500–$4,500 | High |
| CV axle or driveshaft failure | drivetrain | 1 | 1 | — | 105k | — | 0.0 | $450–$2,200 | High |
| Fuel injector failure | fuel | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $450–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Wiring harness or short circuit | electrical | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Instrument cluster or gauge failure | infotainment | 1 | 1 | — | 73k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Strut, shock or spring failure | suspension | 1 | 1 | — | 7k | — | 0.0 | $500–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 1 | 1 | — | 79k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Unclassified problem | other | 24 | 6 | — | 84k | — | 0.3 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2013 Dodge Dart draws about 5.7 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 86th percentile of complaint rates among 2013 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 74,609 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2013 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
Recalls on the 2013 model year
NHTSA has issued 1 recall campaign covering the 2013 Dodge Dart, affecting an estimated 74,609 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:floor s. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
298,439 vehicles 2025-10-09- Defect
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Dodge Dart vehicles. The shifter cable may detach from the transmission, preventing the vehicle from shifting into the park (P) position and causing a loss of park function.
- Consequence
- A loss of park function may allow the vehicle to rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Vehicles that were previously repaired under recall 19V293 will need to have the new remedy completed. The remedy is currently under development. Interim notification letters, explaining the safety risk, were mailed November 6, 2025. A second notice will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is A0C. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 16, 2025.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2013 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
How 2013 compares with the other years
High risk for a 2013 — 248th riskiest of the 284 2013 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.
Across the 5 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2013 comes out best at 65 and 2012 worst at 78, with 2013 itself at 65.
No other year of this model scores meaningfully better than 2013, so if this generation is what you want, the year is not the lever.
Within the 2012–2016 generation specifically, 2013 is the strongest year at 65 and 2012 the weakest at 78.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2012-2016 generation, 2013 Dodge Dart scores best at 65 and 2012 Dodge Dart worst at 78.
What the numbers say to check
The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: control arm, ball joint or bushing failure from about 53k, other engine problem from about 68k, other powertrain problem from about 69k and shifter, linkage or stuck-in-park failure from about 71k.
On a 2013 Dodge Dart with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether control arm, ball joint or bushing failure has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.
None of this is a diagnosis. It is a list of what other owners of the same model year reported, ordered by when they reported it, which is a good place to point an inspection and a poor place to stop.
The limits of complaint data
427 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 427 reports, 183 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 43% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Dodge Dart?
The most-reported failures are other powertrain problem (43 reports, median 75,000 miles), other engine problem (30 reports, median 85,000 miles) and control module (ecm/pcm/bcm) failure (28 reports, median 85,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
At what mileage do 2013 Dodge Dart problems start?
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 75,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 55,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 81,000 miles.
Is the 2013 Dodge Dart reliable?
It scores 65 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 248th riskiest of the 284 2013 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2013 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Dodge Dart is best?
Within the 2012–2016 generation, 2013 scores best at 65 out of 100 and 2012 worst at 78. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed