2008 Dodge Charger — Known Issues & Recalls

While driving on the highway at 45 mph, your Charger suddenly lost all power and shut down completely. When you tried to restart it, the engine wouldn't turn over at all. The dashboard displayed unusual warning lights including the battery light and a lightning bolt, along with strange symbols around the gear shift indicator. Even after replacing the battery and the throttle body and pedal, the car still won't start and a diagnostic scanner won't connect to the vehicle. The issue likely involves a serious electrical or engine control problem that requires professional diagnosis.

Your car randomly loses all power while driving on the freeway, in traffic, or even on short trips — the engine shuts down immediately without warning, your speed drops to zero, you lose power steering, and all lights go off. You have to restart the car to get it moving again. This problem started after the dealership replaced your key fob and reset the ignition switch in 2014, and it's happened multiple times in dangerous situations. The fix will likely involve diagnosing and repairing the electrical connection between the ignition switch, key fob receiver, or related electrical components that control engine power.

Your car is having trouble starting and makes an unusual cranking noise from the engine when you try to turn it on. It takes multiple attempts to get the engine to start. Your dealer has refused to repair this issue, and the manufacturer hasn't provided a solution. The problem started appearing around 250,000 miles on your odometer. Fixing this will likely involve diagnosing the starter motor, battery, or electrical connections that control engine ignition.

Your 2008 Dodge Charger started briefly but then shut off, and an unknown warning light came on. After that, the vehicle wouldn't start again. Your car is covered by a recall (NHTSA Campaign 14V567000) for electrical system issues, but the dealer refused to repair it under warranty, claiming the vehicle was too old — even though it wasn't actually over 10 years old at the time. The problem remains unfixed.

Your ignition switch and key fob have stopped working completely, preventing the vehicle from starting. The car remains parked and non-functional due to a complete loss of electrical connectivity in the starting system. The fix will likely involve diagnosing and replacing either the ignition switch, key fob battery, or related electrical connections.

Your ignition switch is getting stuck when you try to start the car, and the engine won't crank or turn over at all. Your lights and other electrical components work fine, but nothing happens when you turn the key to start. The issue likely involves the ignition switch mechanism or starter motor needing inspection and possible replacement.

Your engine stalled while driving and you had to coast off the road. After restarting, the car ran poorly and stalled again, with multiple warning lights appearing on the dashboard. A mechanic found problems with the PCM (engine computer) and ignition switch. The vehicle was towed but not repaired at that time.

Your key got stuck in the ignition switch while the engine was running, which drained your battery. At the same time, your gear shifter wouldn't move out of Park. The manufacturer said your vehicle wasn't covered by any recall for this issue. Fixing this will likely involve replacing the ignition switch and possibly the shifter interlock mechanism.

While driving at 65 MPH, your engine suddenly lost power and multiple warning lights came on, including the check engine light and traction control light. You were able to restart the vehicle and drive home, but the dealer refused to diagnose the problem without charging you for diagnostics. The underlying cause was never identified or fixed.

Your car hesitates when you try to start it. The engine may not turn over smoothly right away.

Your fuel pump leaked gasoline, and you noticed smoke coming from the back seat area behind the driver's seat. You believe the issue was caused by the negative and positive wires on the fuel pump being placed too close together, which could cause a fire hazard. You reported this to two Dodge dealerships, but say they did not take your concerns seriously. The repair will likely require inspection and rewiring of the fuel pump electrical connections, and possibly fuel pump replacement.

Your fuel gauge isn't reading accurately — it showed 1/8 tank remaining, but your car suddenly died on the highway without warning. When the engine shut off, your lights went out and power steering stopped working, leaving you stranded on the road.

Your car's security system is malfunctioning, requiring you to hold down both the door lock and key fob simultaneously just to get the engine to start — and sometimes it won't start at all. The security light frequently comes on before starting, and your car has shut down completely while driving in traffic, creating a dangerous situation. Fixing this will likely involve reprogramming or replacing the key fob and checking the vehicle's security/immobilizer system.

Your airbags failed to deploy when your car crashed into a wall at an unknown speed, even though the vehicle was part of an airbag safety recall (Campaign 16V352000). Your passengers sustained serious injuries including neck, hip, and back trauma and required ambulance transport to hospitals, while the driver escaped injury. The vehicle was totaled in the crash. Resolving this would require a manufacturer investigation into why the airbag system didn't trigger on impact.

Your car's frame is rusting severely due to poor winterization, which has caused structural deterioration and rust-out of suspension components. The frame damage has become so severe that it's affecting the structural integrity of your vehicle. Addressing this will likely require professional frame inspection, rust treatment, and replacement of corroded suspension and structural components.

When you turn the ignition key, your car won't start and has no electrical power. This suggests a battery or electrical connection issue preventing the engine from starting.

Your air bag warning light is illuminated, and your engine is idling too high. You've already replaced the MAP sensor, throttle body, and fuel pump, but the car is still running poorly. The mechanic should diagnose why the air bag light is on and investigate whether these recent replacements were installed correctly or if there's an underlying engine control issue causing the high idle and poor performance.

Your car won't start, and a solid red warning light has appeared below the fuel gauge. This indicator typically signals a serious engine or fuel system problem that's preventing the vehicle from cranking. The issue will require diagnostic testing to identify whether it's a fuel system failure, electrical problem, or engine issue.

Your dashboard warning lights for ESP (Electronic Stability Program), traction control, and brakes keep turning on. You had a mechanic replace the rear wheel speed sensor and rear axle, which fixed the brake light issue, but the ESP and traction control lights still come on intermittently. The mechanic hasn't been able to identify the underlying cause. This likely requires diagnostic scanning to find remaining sensor or electrical issues in the stability control system.

Since 2015, the clear coat on the driver's side of your car has been peeling and bubbling, and it's now spreading to the back bumper and around the entire vehicle. You have to be careful when washing it and can't use a standard car wash without risking further damage. Fixing this will likely require professional repainting of the affected areas or a complete clear coat restoration.