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.
I've had the car for two weeks, bought it used with 52,300kms. RPM would rev to 4 RPM's int he first three gears. I went to the dealership after having the car for a week, they said I just need to "break it in". So I continued to drive the vehicle, I put on another 1,000 kms in a week and made a service appointment for tomorrow a few days ago. Until today when I went to go to work my transmission light came on, it said "take to service" and "automatic shift not available". Being stopped and putting down the gas to begin to drive, the RPM would slowly go up to 3 and then throw itself down to 1.5 RPM (while driving) and the notification "automatic shifter would come on". I had the car towed today to the dealership, the dealership will be looking at it tomorrow. I love the car itself but I've had nothing but issues since driving it off the lot.
Driving 45mph on a straight road and RPM's went up to 6K, car wasn't moving faster, every time I pressed on accelerator, RPM's would go to 6K and car continued to slow down (only pressed accelerator a couple times). I pulled over and turned car off. Turned key back on and shifter indicator lights went from the normal white to red, check engine light was on (I didn't have my scan tool that day) and car would not crank.
Disconnected negative battery cable, reconnected, turned key, car started, went into gear, drove about 1/4 mile....same thing. I disconnected cable again and waited 10 minutes.....car ran normal. Since then, it does the same thing about once a week. Dealer can't duplicate problem.
This is a recurring intermittent issue mentioned to the service dept who state could not duplicate the problem. The service dept did perform an RRT flash update on 03/17/14 when the car was approaching its one year anniversary and the problem seem to be improved but it has reoccurred at times since, especially when going up hill or entering the freeway. It has not been severe but presents a concern for future possibilities of the problem becoming worse. I currently still have low mileage of only 8700 miles after owning the car for 1 1/2 yrs.
From the time I bought the car it has backfired multiple times. The transmission at one point revved up 6000 rpms when going 55 km. The red engine light came on saying service transmission.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I've had the car for two weeks, bought it used with 52,300kms. RPM would rev to 4 RPM's int he first three gears. I went to the dealership after having the car for a week, they said I just need to "break it in". So I continued to drive the vehicle, I put on another 1,000 kms in a week and made a service appointment for tomorrow a few days ago. Until today when I went to go to work my transmission light came on, it said "take to service" and "automatic shift not available". Being stopped and putting down the gas to begin to drive, the RPM would slowly go up to 3 and then throw itself down to 1.5 RPM (while driving) and the notification "automatic shifter would come on". I had the car towed today to the dealership, the dealership will be looking at it tomorrow. I love the car itself but I've had nothing but issues since driving it off the lot.
- Courtney C., London, ON, Canada