CarComplaints.com Notes: The first year of the new Dodge Dart had a rough start, with owners reporting a disproportionate number of engine and transmission problems.
For transmission, the main complaints are transmission failure & rough shifting. So far, average mileage for transmission failure is 25,000 miles. Not good.
For engine problems, it usually starts with the engine light coming on for any number of reasons: bad sensors, ignition coil replacement, bad wiring, faulty gas cap ... dealers are replacing various components with varying degrees of success, or telling owners they can't duplicate the issue.
My Dart had a sporadically reoccurring knocking noise coming from the engine compartment. After two trips to the dealership, they finally acknowledged a problem and said they would replace the Turbo sensor. A week later, the car started making the noise again (captured in the linked video), albeit not as loud. Back to the dealership, and they replaced the turbo solenoid. It seems to have fixed the knocking noise, but the turbo doesn't seem to always work. While accelerating it only seems to kick in half of the time; the other half of the time, the car chugs like it just doesn't want to move.
I had just returned from a trip to Canada where the engine light came on during the return trip. This is not the first time it has done that. The first time it was the O2 sensor, this time it turns out it was the Turbo. With all the problems I have had with this car I am pretty sure I will be trading it in before the warranty expires. I have never had problems like this before with a new car, but this was also my first Dodge and probably my last one too unless they can do some real convincing. Every day I get into my car I hope it gets me to and from work without something else going wrong and never really being comfortable anymore.
Many problems since purchase of new Dart June 2012. Button on steering wheel (cruise control, voice command),
Transmission (would not come out of reverse, once pulled out, it would not go into any gear while parked (6 spd), had to be towed from my garage and the towing guys confirmed to dealer maintenance that this was true bc at the dealer, it was fine and they could not fix bc it was not doing it for them.
Would not start sometimes, maintenance updated electronically.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Had to replace turbo within the first year of owning the car and 5 years later still having problems!!
- Brittany B., Athens, PA, US