Home › Cars › Dodge › Charger › 2021
2021 Dodge Charger problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
47% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2021 Dodge Charger are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Worse than 59% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 18 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 23%).
Does the 2021 Dodge Charger have transmission problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 8 of 17 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Dodge Charger concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (47%), and the largest group is filed under power train (5). For comparison, the 2020 scores 30%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2021 compares with other Dodge Charger years
Of the 13 Dodge Charger years with enough complaints to score, the 2021 is the 4th-worst on engine and transmission share (47%). The worst is the 2015 (52%), the best the 2018 (20%). By volume, the 2021 drew 35 complaints (8 drivetrain), against 57 for the 2020 and 16 for the 2022.
Dodge Charger years to avoid and best years →
2010 Charger problems · 2011 Charger problems · 2012 Charger problems · 2013 Charger problems · 2014 Charger problems · 2015 Charger problems · 2016 Charger problems · 2017 Charger problems · 2018 Charger problems · 2019 Charger problems · 2020 Charger problems · 2021 · 2023 Charger problems
The rest of the picture on the 2021 Dodge Charger
- What the repair costs. Typical transmission repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 8 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2021 Dodge Charger engine and transmission recalls
No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2021 Dodge Charger, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
2 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2021 Dodge Charger? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.Questions people ask about the 2021 Dodge Charger
Does the 2021 Dodge Charger have transmission problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 8 of 17 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Dodge Charger concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (47%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Dodge Charger?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2021 Dodge Charger is air bags: 16 of 35 complaints (46%) name it, followed by power train (5) and engine (3). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 47% of the relevant total.
Is the 2021 Dodge Charger reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 47% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (high signal). That is worse than 59% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 13 Dodge Charger years we score, it ranks 4th-worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2021 Dodge Charger?
No. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2021 Dodge Charger, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.
Which Dodge Charger years are better?
Among the Dodge Charger years we track, the 2018 (20%), the 2019 (28%) and the 2020 (30%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2021 (47%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/dodge-charger
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 3 body styles NHTSA files separately.