10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 5
Injuries / Deaths:
8 / 1
Average Mileage:
83,878 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2006 Dodge Charger electrical problems

electrical problem

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2006 Dodge Charger Owner Comments (Page 6 of 8)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #41

May 042013

Charger 6-cyl

  • 86,262 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving on the highway going 60mph in the center lane during busy traffic and it was dark, the vehicle just shut completely off. I also had a my 14 month baby in the car. There was lost of power, steering was lost. I had to shift it in neutral and glide to the shoulder lane almost being hit by a truck. I turned the key off and tried to restart the car, after a few attempts the car started, when I shifted it in drive and proceeded to try and get back on the road it shut off again. The engine, ABS, traction control & electrical light was on. I tried restarting it and it started and drove like nothing had happened, even the lights were no longer on. I took it to the shop and they ran diagnostics and tried to duplicate the problem, they couldn't help me and says that until it happens again they can't do anything. I called the dealership and they said the same thing, they said that they have never heard of this happening. They said they would keep my vehicle and try to figure out what is going on, if they don't find anything than they would keep it and try to duplicate the problem and I could be without my car until they figure it out. Since the first incident it has happened at lease 10 more times. I researched it online and there are multiple cases of this happening with Chrysler vehicles. There is now an investigation ongoing but until then many owners have to deal with this problem or go without their vehicle. Many have said that it happened after refueling their car, for me it has happened a couple of times after refueling, but multiple times while it was at 1/2 and 1/4 tank. A really bad accident to include serious injuries and or death to the driver can happen and what will happen then? before this occurs something needs to be done immediately and the company should pay for the repairs to correct his issue. A recall needs to be issued immediately!

- Waipahu, HI, USA

problem #40

Sep 012012

Charger 8-cyl

  • 70,000 miles
At least three times my 5.7 liter hemi has stalled while driving. It has always stalled at low speeds (I.e. under 35 mph) and sometimes as slow as 15. Every time is has occurred while driving from stoplight to stoplight with a light throttle application. It has occurred at least once after filling up. I also don't know if this is related, but probably between 6-10 times now while driving at highway speeds (50-70 mph) the entire dashboard (I.e. tach, speedometer, engine temp, and fuel gage) all die. What happens is they all seem to lose power, all needles fall to 0, or their turned off position, then once they hit the stops they all power back up again, swing back to where they were, all the warning lights come on, and then extinguish after a couple of seconds. This entire time there is not change in speed, or the engine, when I am in cruise control, this does not seem to affect the cruise control.

- Middletown, RI, USA

problem #39

May 152013

Charger 8-cyl

  • 99,818 miles
I purchased this 2006 Dodge Charger R/T from a dealership in woodland, ca immediately after leaving the lot I drove approx. 20 miles on my way home the car started stalling while I was driving on the freeway, I will be driving along and it will suddenly jerk and lose all power for a split second (if someone was riding my bumper it would have been an accident for sure) as it lost power the RPM gauge went all the way down and jumped back up as if the car died completely and restarted itself, it chimed even as if I had just started the car. I have researched this issue online and see its a very common problem to no avail. I took my car to the dealership in my hometown and they could not find the problem, said it was spark plugs etc I ended up spending $550 and its still stalling sometimes up to 15-20 times a day its very dangerous unfortunately the car is out of warranty and I cant afford to keep dishing money out to Dodge. I seriously believe this is a common issue with Dodge and Chrysler vehicles as I've seen online very many people having this same problem but there's no solution as far as I can find! im kinda scared to drive the car like this but its my only means of transportation so this needs to be looked into!! its dangerous!

- Modesto, CA, USA

problem #38

Apr 232013

Charger 8-cyl

  • 91,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I have a 2006 Dodge Charger R/T with the 5.7. at least once per day (and often much more often), during acceleration, car will go into "limp" mode, where the engine or transmission will stop producing power to the wheels. Engine light will "ding" and RPM will drop from acceleration RPM down to about 2000 RPM and cause the car to hesitate, creating an especially dangerous situation on highway merging. Car will come back on line after about 1-2 seconds, and run normally. The more I push the acceleration, the more likely to occur. Also, car will simply stall at low speeds or while in idle. I bought the car about 30 days ago, and reported to the dealership immediately, and they duplicated the issue. They thought it could be a short, but after 3 hours labor (they covered this cost), did not correct it. They do not know what it is, and are next looking into a torque converter possibility, and also looking at the throttle body. Not sure at this time if they will come good for the fix in the long term. This stalling loss of power and going into "limp mode" seems to be excessively common on these cars, according to blogs and Dodge sites online. While the local dealership has been extremely helpful and great work with so far, this should fall on Dodge itself, not the dealer, to make good for, as it seems to be a prevalent and dangerous issue. Very dangerous situation, and Dodge/Chrysler should make this right for everyone.

- Brewer, ME, USA

problem #37

May 152012

Charger 8-cyl

  • 54,810 miles
I was driving the car at 60mph on the expressway when the engine quit with no warning causing the car to lose all power in heavy traffic. My car was nearly hit several times by other cars as I tried to change lanes in order to reach the emergency lane on the right side of the expressway. I restarted the car with no problems. The car engine has quit for no reason several other times with no warning in the last year while driving at different speeds. The manufacturer needs issue a recall, or be liable for any lawsuits resulting from accidents caused by defective fuel systems in these vehicles.

- Denham Springs, LA, USA

problem #36

Mar 132013

Charger

  • 78,467 miles
Took car to the dealership for tune-up;and transmission service on march13, 2013; on April 17, 2013 the car totally shutdown as I turned into the gas station. I got it started, it jerked as if it was choking, I managed to get to the dealership and it shut down again, just before I made it up to the service lane at the dealership. I was told that the rear axle seals were leaking, which I had repaired, also that an updated memory chip should have been installed in March, so that was done. Pickup my car on April 18, 2013 and while sitting in traffic, the car was shaking and felt as though it was about to cutoff. I put in park while at the traffic light and pressed on the gas to raise the engine;as I turned into my driveway, it stalled again. I took it back to the dealership, they initially said there was a coil that was misfiring but the diagnostic machine could not detect it. I picked my car up on April 25, 2013 only to have something electrically draining my battery down to 4 or 5 volts every other day. Took it back to the dealership, technician said their diagnostic machine couldn't find any problems with the battery, alternator nor any of electrical parts. I had no problems with my car prior to having the above services done. After speaking with a mechanic, I was told that I am not the only person having these type of problems, especially after a new software chip has been installed. Perhaps this and other issues need to really be addressed with Chrysler.

- Sunrise, FL, USA

problem #35

Apr 022013

Charger

  • 83,475 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Shortly after filling the vehicle with fuel one day, it began to stall out when stopped. While traveling at highway speeds it seems to momentarily lose electrical and mechanical power, then a warning sound will chime and everything returns to normal... temporarily. However, while on a road trip and traveling at speeds over 70mph with cruise control on, we didn't experience any of these symptoms until we had to reduce our speed when approaching towns. Also, the cruise control will shut off if it is being used when "power surge" happens and has to be manually reset.

- Floral City , FL, USA

problem #34

Dec 202012

Charger 8-cyl

  • 75,000 miles
When traveling at hwy. Speed the car loses power and shuts off and back on by itself. If im stopped at a red light and it does it I have to put it in park and crank it back up but then it takes a 10-15 seconds before it will go into gear. The problem use to happen once or twice in a day and then it may be 2 weeks before it would happen again. Now the car is not drivable as it does this constant. I got a new front control module and drove it about 20 miles and it started again.

- Opelika, AL, USA

problem #33

Aug 172012

Charger 8-cyl

  • miles
I was driving my vehicle and it started smoking I pulled over. Called mechanic had it towed to the shop where he later told me the motor was blown. Second incident there's a beeping sound and all my gauges keeping going crazy on me.third incident that pink piece inside the gear shift actual was stuck and came lose so it was removed and the car is able to be put into gear.

- Brooklyn , NY, USA

problem #32

Feb 102013

Charger

  • 105,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that after turning the key in the ignition, he heard a loud abnormal noise. The contact inspected the vehicle and saw that the battery had exploded without warning. The contact unhooked the faulty battery and replaced it with a new one. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure and current mileages were approximately 105,000.

- Corona, CA, USA

problem #31

Oct 302012

Charger 8-cyl

  • 67,753 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving in traffic at 55 mph engine would shut off and restart without turning the key. Took to dealership could not find anything. While driving off the lot vehicle stalled and started back up again without turning the key. Dealership had it for two weeks. Felt that after market starter was causing the issue. Doing it again 3 months later while driving would shut off but now you must pull over and physically turn the key to restart. Will do it at any speed.

- Racine, WI, USA

problem #30

Oct 162012

Charger 6-cyl

  • 52,000 miles
I turned my key over and the battery exploded. Both caps were blown against the fiberglass lid in the trunk. Battery was split across the front and side. Battery acid covered the underside of the trunk area. White odorless smoke came out of the trunk area.

- Munford, TN, USA

problem #29

Jul 232012

Charger

  • 43,500 miles
I turned my ignition key to start the vehicle and heard an explosion in the rear of the vehicle. I opened my trunk with the key because the vehicle lost all electrical power. I discovered that the battery had exploded and sprayed battery acid in the trunk area. The trunk was filled with white smoke and smelled like chemicals. My property inside the passenger compartment also had a strong chemical odor to it. After looking at the battery, it appeared to have exploded from the rear and the main thing that kept it from sending acid soaked debris was the nylon strap that holds the battery in place. I am worried that the entire interior of my vehicle is now coated with acid fumes/powder from the explosion. I spoke with huntington beach Dodge and they said I was responsible for all costs of repairs because the battery only has a 12 month/12K mile warranty. I understand that a battery goes dead, but I do not understand a battery exploding! my 2 children were not in the back seat at the time of the explosion, but what could have been the injury to my kids if they were there" battery acid in the face and eyes, acid soaked debris striking them or hearing loss from the explosion" I don't feel comfortable with driving the vehicle or having my children in it. Mcpeek Dodge in anaheim replaced the battery and cleaned the trunk at a cost of $250 (20% discount they said), but stated that they were unable to determine the reason for the incident.

- Anaheim, CA, USA

problem #28

Jul 182012

Charger

  • 91,000 miles
I got off work started car put on seat belt. Put foot on brake and tried to move gear shift it wouldnt move out of park. There are so many complaints of this issue.

- Princess Anne , MD, USA

problem #27

Mar 082012

Charger 6-cyl

  • 155,000 miles
The ABS, brake and traction control lights came on. Then when you hit the brakes you would feel a vibration. The brakes do not vibrate any more but all the lights are still on. There was a recall for the 2007 Charger for this but not the 2006.

- Newport News, VA, USA

problem #26

Apr 042011

Charger 8-cyl

  • 80,000 miles
About 1 year ago as I was driving along interstate 95 the instrument needles all went to 0 or far left then went back to normal immediately. As time went on this occurred more frequently. About six months later as I was driving at night the needles dropped off and the head lights went off and stayed off until I switched from the auto position to the manual on position. The next time it happened I was at a stop light and the car cut off in the middle of the road. I called a police officer because I thought I might get rear-ended. After about 5 minutes the car started but ran rough. Just this past weekend while driving at night in a parking lot the needles dropped off, the headlights went out, and the brakes malfunctioned.

- Richmond, VA, USA

problem #25

Apr 212011

Charger 6-cyl

  • 96,000 miles
In July 2011 I brought my 2006 Charger SXT to the dealer for a rear harness (the one from the fuse block to the brain box) replacement due to a gator aid incident (another story) it was replaced due to the instrument cluster gauges going to zero while driving and all the dummie lights coming on with acceleration diminishing. Now the problem is back. I really don't want it to happen while I'm on the freeway and a semi coming down on me. While researching this issue it seems that I'm not the only one with this problem. Is Dodge going to wait on a few major accidents to happen before this issue is cleared or is big money more important than saving somebody's life.

- Newport News, VA, USA

problem #24

Nov 012011

Charger 8-cyl

  • 57,000 miles
While attempting to accelerate the car will fail hesitate in the 5.7L hemi. Also the check engine light flashes and the notification sounds beeps. Check engine light does not remain on. Failure to accelerate in any circumstances can result in collision including serious bodily injury or death. Upon doing research (you can google this easily) this is a common problem associated with the powertrain control module which Dodge has refused to acknowledge. This defective part/programming is most definitely not general wear and tear and should be a mandated recall prior to injury/death.

- Loxahatchee, FL, USA

problem #23

Oct 272011

Charger 6-cyl

  • 81,000 miles
Recently I started having an issue with my Charger. Upon entering a high way and attempting to merge with traffic during morning rush hour, my car lost all power upon acceleration. The engine did not stall but the tachometer dropped to near zero, the engine light and power light flashed briefly and then returned to normal. I attempted to accelerate again and same thing happened. Fortunately I was able to avoid a pretty significant accident with the cars behind me and the ones I was merging on to the highway with. The symptoms disappeared for a few weeks and then started again and progressively became worse. I brought the car to the dealer that investigated and found it to be the power control module which turned out to be quite expensive. I did some research on a forum that I belong to and found many instances of this. Contacted Chrysler and simply put they did not seem to care. There are many defects on this year of Charger and not one of them has ever been covered, at least the ones that I have. I consider this latest incident to be serious safety problem and hope that it gets investigated. As for another Chrysler product, never again in my lifetime. I rely on my vehicle for work and this is by far the worst that I have ever owned. Please look into this before someone has to start checking off accident and death when submitting a form.

- Chicopee, MA, USA

problem #22

Oct 172011

Charger 6-cyl

  • 88,000 miles
While driving approximately 60 M.P.H. on the freeway, all engine lights came on and the needles all dropped. They quickly returned to normal and the engine did not falter, radio did not go off, etc. This has happened several times over the course of 2 months and I took it to the station where they could find nothing wrong. About 2 months later, the headlights began to flicker on and off, sometimes for 10 seconds or more. This has been happening for about 4 days. I checked all the fuses and they appear secure. The car is currently back at the station to be checked again. As it is December, I can't be without headlights on my morning and evening commute to/from work.

- Macedonia, OH, USA

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