2021 Dodge Charger: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
33 NHTSA owner complaints · 2 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The seventh-generation Charger launched for 2011, and its first two years carry the highest counts in the nameplate's run — the Totally Integrated Power Module and alternator failures shared with the Grand Cherokee and Durango of the same years, plus the five-speed automatic. From 2015, with the eight-speed automatic and the revised electrical system, the record is quiet: the 2020–2023 years score between 88 and 92, which is unusual for a large performance saloon. 2021 specifically: a year the record favours — 33 complaints, score 90/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Dodge Charger, Challenger and Chrysler 300: the years to avoid, including 2021 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 33 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 6.6
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
While parked in my driveway, the passenger rear side curtain airbag inflated on its own with noone in the car. The car cranks and operates correctly with no indication of a problem with the airbag system. This airbag had been replaced in September of 2025 due to a recall issued by Mopar. I have contacted Mopar and been assigned a case number.
The contact owns a 2021 Dodge Charger. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V198000 (Air Bags) and 21V516000 (Visibility). The dealer was contacted to perform the recall repairs; however, the dealer refused to complete the recall repairs. The contact stated that the sound was audible through the window, which the contact associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V516000 (Visibility). The ve…
Rear doors cannot be opened from the inside when the child proof locks are in the open position, or the locked position. They can only be opened for the inside when unlocked from the drivers unlock panel.
Recalls: 2 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 21V516000 | Visibility:Windshield | Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, and Chrysler 300 vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash. |
| 24V198000 | Air Bags:Side/Window:Curtain:Inflator | Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) (Stellantis) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 vehicles. The right and left side curtain air bag inflators may rupture due to a manufacturing defect. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a full-size car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 19 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,700
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Air Bags15 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Unknown Or Other5 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Power Train5 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Engine3 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Visibility2 complaints · typical job: Glass, wiper or defogger repair (2.5 h labour + parts)$490–$1,200
- Exterior Lighting2 complaints · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$1,380
Other Dodge Charger years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Dodge Charger?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Air Bags (15 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2021 Dodge Charger a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 90/100, computed from 33 NHTSA complaints and 2 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2021 Dodge Charger's most common problem?
15 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2021 Dodge Charger sit in the Air Bags group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement: about 2.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $600–$1,700 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2021 Dodge Charger cost to run per year?
About $5,195 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $25,975 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2021 Dodge Charger have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for the 2021 Dodge Charger, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 08/07/2021. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other fullsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2021 Dodge Charger really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 33 complaints, 2 recalls on record
- 33 NHTSA complaints on record (6.6/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (15.2/yr)
- 2 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality