1978 DODGE CHARGER

1 recalls, 0 complaints

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

Defect Description

THE COLUMNS MAY CONTAIN STEERING SHAFTS IN WHICH THE STEERING COLUMN COUPLING ROLL PIN RETAINING NOTCH WAS MACHINED TOO DEEP. THIS MAY CAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL SHAFT TO BECOME DISENGAGED FROM THE REST OF THE STEERING ASSEMBLY.

Remedy

DEALER WILL INSTALL A COTTER PIN THROUGH THE ROLL PIN TO ENSURE RETENTION, AT NO COST TO OWNER.

22,000 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: CHRYSLER CORPORATION

No complaints found for this vehicle.

NHTSA Safety Investigations, DODGE CHARGER

Investigations opened by NHTSA into potential safety defects. These are separate from recalls and may or may not result in a recall.

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2011

Alternator failure

On July 22, 2014, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-022 to investigate 14 complaints (VOQs) alleging incidents of alternator failure resulting in engine stall while driving in model year (MY) 2011 through 2012 Dodge Charger vehicles.The MY 2011 through 2012 Dodge Charger vehicles... were sold with three different engine options:1) 3.6L V6 (VIN8 = G), 88,766 vehicles; 2) 5.7L V8 (VIN8 = T), 38,615 vehicles; and 3) 6.4L V8 (VIN8 = J), 2,406 MY 2012 vehicles.The 14 VOQs identified in the PE14-022 opening resume involve 13 vehicles with 3.6L V6 engines and 1 vehicle with unknown engine (no VIN provided).In an October 7, 2014 letter to NHTSA, Chrysler described a safety defect condition that could result in rapid alternator failure having limited or no detection in approximately 434,581 MY 2011 through 2014 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Dodge Challenger, Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with 3.6L engines and 160 amp alternators (NHTSA Recall No. 14V-634, Chrysler P60).The subject alternators are used in vehicles equipped with 3.6L V6 engines and without towing packages.According to Chrysler, the silicone diodes in the alternator rectifier bridge may experience thermal fatigue due to cyclic loading from the Electric Hydraulic Power Steering (EHPS) system, eventually resulting in no output, reduced output, or a fully shorted to ground condition.These failure modes vary in their time to failure and warning to the driver.Depending on the failure mode and timing, system voltage may drop to critically low levels, disabling systems such as the Anti-lock Brake System/Electronic Stability Control, Engine Control Module/Central Body Controller, or a total vehicle electrical system shut down (in the event of a short to ground failure mode).Analysis of complaints to ODI and Chrysler identified a total of 146 incidents of alternator failure resulting in engine stall while driving in MY 2011 through 2012 Dodge Charger vehicles, including 142 involving vehicles equipped with the 3.6L V6 engines (1.6 IPTV) that were included in 14V-634 and 4 involving vehicles with 5.7L V8 engines (0.1 IPTV), which are equipped with different alternators.Analysis of all alternator failure complaints found that approximately 48 percent of VOQs and 21 percent of Chrysler complaints involved allegations of engine stall.Many (98) complaints reported fire and/or smoke, but analysis of these determined that they involved thermal damage to the alternator diode and did not identify any incidents involving damage beyond the alternator assembly.One VOQ identified in the opening resume for PE14-022 alleged a crash, but further evaluation determined that this involved a minor rear-end impact with slight bumper damage.This investigation is closed based on Chrysler's decision to conduct a safety recall.The VOQs associated with this investigation are:10641479,10641366,10641349,10642017,10640770,10640687,10640553,10639692,10638810,10638356,10638175,10638143,10637460,10633806,10633304,10632943,10632006,10631704,10631613,10631420,10631088,10630991,10630854,10630844,10630108,10629623,10629603,10628228,10628150,10627941,10627342,10626452,10626254,10625962,10622385,10622340,10621603,10620961,10619481,10618950,10618948,10618539,10618476,10618334,10618081,10618107,10616834,10616461,10616456,10615754,10615719,10606580,10605090,10604958,10597295,10592085,10588675,10587141,10562463,10559730,10511407Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2007

PRNDL MISALIGNMENT

IN A NOVEMBER 5, 2008 LETTER, CHRYSLER SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT DESCRIBING A DEFECT CONDITION THAT COULD RESULT IN PRNDL MISALIGNMENT (I.E., INCORRECT GEAR INDICATION) IN APPROXIMATELY 20,300 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2006 THROUGH 2009 DODGE CHARGER AND MAGNUM POLICE VEHICLES BUILT FROM MAY 17, 2... Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 1987

FUEL RESERVOIR LEAKS

There is no summary currently available

PE, Closed , Model Year: 1986

REAR SUSPENSION SEPARATION

There is no summary currently available

DODGE CHARGER - All Years Overview

Complete safety history for the DODGE CHARGER across all model years (1966, 2025).

157 Total Recalls

8,211 Total Complaints

4 Investigations

355 Reported Crashes

316 Reported Fires

10 Reported Deaths

DODGE CHARGER - Year by Year

Compare recalls and complaints across model years. Click any year to see full details.

Year	Recalls	Complaints
2026	0	7	View
2025	2	43	View
2024	2	19	View
2023	2	46	View
2022	3	19	View
2021	2	40	View
2020	3	74	View
2019	5	161	View
2018	6	167	View
2017	4	194	View
2016	6	264	View
2015	8	197	View
2014	10	529	View
2013	8	489	View
2012	14	957	View
2011	11	1,037	View
2010	6	303	View
2009	6	229	View
2008	5	835	View
2007	5	678	View
2006	5	1,904	View
2001	0	4	View
1987	2	0	View
1986	3	0	View
1985	3	13	View
1984	2	1	View
1983	1	0	View
1978 (current)	1	0
1977	2	0	View
1976	2	0	View
1975	2	0	View
1974	1	0	View
1973	7	0	View
1972	2	0	View
1971	5	0	View
1970	1	1	View
1968	5	0	View
1967	3	0	View
1966	2	0	View

Other DODGE Models

Model	Recalls	Complaints
DURANGO	234	19,190	View
CARAVAN	213	14,304	View
GRAND CARAVAN	203	18,754	View
RAM	176	5,521	View
DAKOTA	153	9,250	View
CHALLENGER	102	2,357	View
STRATUS	94	3,621	View
RAM 3500	91	3,817	View

Vehicle Safety

Consumer Safety

Infrastructure

Public Health

1978 DODGE CHARGER

NHTSA Safety Investigations, DODGE CHARGER

DODGE CHARGER - All Years Overview

DODGE CHARGER - Year by Year

Other DODGE Models