2016 Dodge Dart: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2016 Dodge Dart
On the 2016 Dodge Dart, the failure owners report most often is other engine problem, and the reports cluster around 47,500 miles. The earliest to appear is other powertrain problem, reported by a median of 40,000 miles. Overall it scores 72 out of 100, high risk for a 2016.
High risk for a 2016 — 131st riskiest of the 255 2016 vehicles we can rate. 366 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What breaks on the 2016 Dodge Dart
Owners have reported 56 named failure modes on the 2016 Dodge Dart, and the three most-reported carry 29% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Other engine problem leads with 43 reports, about 0.6 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 32k to 65,000 miles.
Other powertrain problem follows with 35 reports, usually reported between 32k to 60,000 miles.
Other electrical problem follows with 29 reports, usually reported between 40k to 65,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (82), transmission (51) and electrical (49).
The mileage the reports cluster at
208 of the reports on the 2016 Dodge Dart came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 46,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 61% by 50,000 miles, 95% by 100,000 miles and 99% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 40,000 and 50,000 miles, which alone holds 21% of the dated reports.
37% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.
In the order they tend to show up: other powertrain problem around 41k, no-start or intermittent start failure around 43k, excessive oil consumption around 48k and other engine problem around 48k.
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 56. 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 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
What happens when these parts fail
Across the named modes, 19 mention a crash, 9 a fire and 8 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 4.07, 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 engine problem at $300–$4,000, other powertrain problem at $400–$4,500, other electrical problem at $250–$2,000 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.
39% 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 engine problem | engine | 43 | 28 | 32k | 48k | 64k | 0.6 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 35 | 17 | 32k | 41k | 60k | 0.5 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 29 | 13 | 40k | 50k | 67k | 0.4 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 13 | 8 | 15k | 43k | 70k | 0.2 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Excessive oil consumption | engine | 9 | 8 | 41k | 48k | 57k | 0.1 | $900–$6,500 | High |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 9 | 7 | — | 14k | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 9 | 2 | — | 62k | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 9 | 4 | — | 43k | — | 0.1 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Shifter, linkage or stuck-in-park failure | transmission | 8 | 1 | — | 71k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,400 | High |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 8 | 6 | — | 19k | — | 0.1 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Audio or connectivity failure | infotainment | 8 | 5 | — | 20 | — | 0.1 | $150–$900 | Low |
| Master cylinder or brake booster failure | brakes | 8 | 5 | — | 48k | — | 0.1 | $450–$2,200 | Critical |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 8 | 5 | — | 54k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 8 | 4 | — | 36k | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Backup camera failure | infotainment | 7 | 6 | — | 2k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,200 | Moderate |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 7 | 6 | — | 75k | — | 0.1 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 6 | 5 | — | 500 | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 6 | 6 | — | 64k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure | suspension | 6 | 4 | — | 46k | — | 0.1 | $400–$2,200 | High |
| Misfire or rough idle | engine | 5 | 3 | — | 1k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Thermostat failure | cooling | 5 | 3 | — | 40k | — | 0.1 | $250–$900 | Moderate |
| Infotainment screen failure | infotainment | 5 | 5 | — | 26k | — | 0.1 | $400–$2,600 | Low |
| Wiper or washer failure | glass | 5 | 3 | — | 32k | — | 0.1 | $120–$800 | Moderate |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 5 | 2 | — | 19k | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| CV axle or driveshaft failure | drivetrain | 4 | 4 | — | 48k | — | 0.1 | $450–$2,200 | High |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 4 | 3 | — | 90k | — | 0.1 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 4 | 3 | — | 1 | — | 0.1 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Air conditioning failure | hvac | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $400–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 4 | 1 | — | 14k | — | 0.1 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 3 | 1 | — | 22k | — | 0.0 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Manual clutch or hydraulics failure | transmission | 3 | 3 | — | 53k | — | 0.0 | $900–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Alternator or charging system failure | electrical | 3 | 2 | — | 49k | — | 0.0 | $450–$1,600 | High |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 3 | 2 | — | 20k | — | 0.0 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 3 | 2 | — | 69k | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 3 | 1 | — | 55k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Complete engine failure or seizure | engine | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $4,500–$12,000 | Critical |
| Transmission will not engage a gear | transmission | 2 | 2 | — | 60k | — | 0.0 | $1,500–$6,000 | Critical |
| Parasitic battery drain | electrical | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Instrument cluster or gauge failure | infotainment | 2 | 1 | — | 66k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Lane keep or steering assist fault | adas | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,600 | High |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 2 | 2 | — | 48k | — | 0.0 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Catalytic converter failure | emissions | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $900–$3,500 | Moderate |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 2 | 1 | — | 6k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 2 | 1 | — | 40k | — | 0.0 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Oil leak | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$2,200 | Moderate |
| Overheating | cooling | 1 | 1 | — | 141k | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Differential or transfer case failure | drivetrain | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $900–$4,200 | High |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| Engine sensor failure | electrical | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $180–$900 | Moderate |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $200–$900 | High |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| Liftgate, tailgate or trunk failure | body | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,500 | Moderate |
| Software fault or failed update | software | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $0–$600 | Moderate |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 33 | 22 | 38k | 49k | 60k | 0.4 | — | 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 2016 Dodge Dart draws about 4.9 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 84th percentile of complaint rates among 2016 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 2016 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other engine problem
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 dodge dart. While driving 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled and the battery and service engine indicators illuminated. The failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine had no oil, which caused the failure. After adding oil, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 38,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 dodge dart. While driving 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning and the steering wheel seized. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drove away. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 26,841. The VIN was not available.
Other powertrain problem
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 dodge dart. While driving various speeds or while in stop and go traffic, the vehicle suddenly jerked. The contact stated that the vehicle was equipped with an auto stick option, which meant the vehicle could be driven in automatic or manual mode. When the vehicle was placed in automatic mode, it jerked and shifted gears as if it were in manual mode. When attempting to warm up the vehicle in cold weather, the vehicle would idle at 1,500 to 2,000 rpms for approximately 10-20 minutes. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who was not able to identify the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 1,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 dodge dart. When the contact started the vehicle and attempted to shift into reverse, the vehicle became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to mike smith chrysler jeep dodge ram (1945 I-10, beaumont, tx 77701, 409-840-3560) where it was diagnosed that the shift cable fractured. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 41,000.
Other electrical problem
While driving this car at multiple speeds, the car slows down and comes to a complete stop, I hear a noise and the gas pedal vibrates, the steering and gas pedal locks up. This event has happened 3 times within four days leaving from my garage, on the interstate and a city street. The car was taken to the dealership lakeland chrysler dodge jeep ram and I was told the car was driven by the technician 11 miles and there was no incident and at this point the car can no longer be driven due to a gash in the tire. However, a multi-point inspection, oil change and tire rotation was done on the vehicle 8/22/2017 and a gash in the tire was not noted on any paperwork nor was it reported as a problem.
I have been recently having issue with my 2016 dodge dart which I have only had for exactly a year this past oct. While driving in motion the car can just shut off. It has happened while on city streets as well as highways. I have torn my car to get testing where there is no code found and no lights come back on once the car starts up. I was told my battery was no good a couple months back replaced the battery and now car troubles again. I have been reading a lot of reviews where this is happening to a lot of people. This is extremely dangerous and I am in disbelief nothing has been done about this. Are we waiting for someone to die to take action ?????? *dt updated 11/29/18*jb *dt consumer stated since the oil change there hasn't been any problems. Updated 12/12/18*jb
Recalls on the 2016 model year
NHTSA has issued 5 recall campaigns covering the 2016 Dodge Dart, affecting an estimated 204,057 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, power train:automatic transmission, equipment and visibility:windshield wiper/washer. 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.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
298,439 vehicles 2019-04-11- Defect
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Dodge Dart vehicles equipped with 6-speed automatic transmissions. The shifter cable bushing may fail allowing the shift cable to detach from the transmission.
- Consequence
- If the shifter cable detaches from the transmission, the vehicle may not perform the shifts performed by the driver. Additionally, despite selecting PARK with the shifter, the vehicle may roll away. These scenarios may increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- This recall will be replaced by NHTSA recall number 25V674. Vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedy completed. Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transmission side shifter cable bushing, free of charge. The recall began September 5, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V34.
EQUIPMENT
61,791 vehicles 2017-12-21- Defect
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling various Dodge, Chrysler, and RAM vehicles equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. A list of the affected trailer models is available at: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17V824-0103.pdf. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the…
- Consequence
- If the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury in the event of a fire.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners instructing them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403 or Kidde customer service service toll-free at 1-855-262-3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information. Chrysler's number for this recall is T82.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
53,155 vehicles 2016-11-08- Defect
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2016 Dodge Dart vehicles manufactured April 13, 2015, to June 7, 2016. Due to voltage spikes caused by a problem within the windshield washer pump, the windshield wiper circuit may fail.
- Consequence
- Without functioning windshield wipers, the driver's visibility may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the windshield washer pumps, free of charge. The recall began on December 28, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S83.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
1,122 vehicles 2016-02-26- Defect
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2016 Dodge Dart vehicles manufactured July 25, 2015, to December 16, 2015 and equipped with a 2.0L engine and a manual transmission. Additionally included are certain 2015 Dodge Dart vehicles similarly equipped and brought in for dealer service between September 15, 2015 and January 12, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the powertrain control module that monitors the engine torque output may be missing a backup layer of software.
- Consequence
- Without a backup layer of software, the control module may fail to prevent an un-commanded torque event, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the Engine Control Module software, free of charge. The recall began on March 25, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S10.
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 2016 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
Better and worse years of the same car
High risk for a 2016 — 131st riskiest of the 255 2016 vehicles we can rate. The comparison is always within the same model year, so an older car is never penalised for having had longer to break.
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 2016 itself at 72.
If the model year is negotiable, 2013 scores lower than 2016 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
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 to look at before buying one
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: no-start or intermittent start failure from about 15k, other engine problem from about 32k, other powertrain problem from about 32k and other electrical problem from about 40k.
On a 2016 Dodge Dart with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether no-start or intermittent start 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
366 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 366 reports, 208 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 57% 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 2016 Dodge Dart?
The most-reported failures are other engine problem (43 reports, median 47,500 miles), other powertrain problem (35 reports, median 40,000 miles) and other electrical problem (29 reports, median 50,000 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 2016 Dodge Dart problems start?
Other powertrain problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 40,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 30,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 46,000 miles.
Is the 2016 Dodge Dart reliable?
It scores 72 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 131st riskiest of the 255 2016 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2016 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