RoadVitals

2011 Dodge Challenger Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest May 10, 2021
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
4%
of 193 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 Dodge Challenger submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming brake

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Brakes
Filed May 10, 2021

THE BRAKE PEDAL ON THIS VEHICLE GOES TO THE FLOOR WHEN BRAKING ON GRAVEL ROADS. IT RETURNS FUNCTIONING AFTER PUMPING THE PEDAL. THE DODGE DEALERSHIP IN LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ HAS HAD THE VEHICLE TWICE FOR A WEEK OR TWO AND LAST WEEK TOLD US THAT THESE VEHICLES SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN ON DIRT ROADS BECAUSE THE DUST GETS ON THE ABS SENSOR AND CAN CAUSE THIS PROBLEM. THIS CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN ON THIS SAME ROAD FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND HAS JUST STARTED DOING THIS IN THE LAST YEAR. THE DODGE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, SO THEY ARE SAYING THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. I PAID THEM TO CHANGE THE MASTER CYLINDER ON THE FIRST VISIT TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE MASTER CYLINDER IN THE PAST. OF COURSE THIS WAS BEFORE ABS AND CARS BECOMING SO COMPLICATED THAT I CAN NO LONGER WORK ON THEM. CHANGING THE MASTER CYLINDER DID HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE PROBLEM, BUT IT DID NOT CURE IT. I BELIEVE THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND I AM CONCERNED THAT DODGE HAS NOT TAKEN THIS PROBLEM AS SERIOUSLY AS THEY SHOULD. THE FIRST CASE NUMBER THAT DODGE GAVE ME WAS 79023033. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO SEND A TECHNICIAN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HELP, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HAPPENED. THE SECOND CASE NUMBER IS 79309555. THEY SAID WE COULD TAKE IT TO OTHER DEALERSHIPS FOR A SECOND OPINION AT OUR EXPENSE WHICH OF COURSE WILL BE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE.

NHTSA ID
11415845
Incident
Apr 19, 2021
Mileage
64,992 mi
BrakesElectricalSteering
Filed Aug 20, 2016

THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON THIS VEHICLE SHUTS THE VEHICLE DOWN WHEN THE BATTERY ISN"T STRONG ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE COMPUTER. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING. CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING AND CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE TRACTION CONTROL SHUTS OFF AND BECAUSE THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN THE POWER STEERING IS GONE AND THE POWER BRAKES . THIS HAPPENED TO ME COMING AROUND A SHARP CORNER OF AN OFF RAMP. I LOST ALL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ALMOST WENT OFF THE ROAD. I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPT. OF MY DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THIS IS COMMON WHEN THE BATTERY CHARGE ISN'T POWERFUL ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN THE COMPUTER. BUT THERE ARE NO WARNING SIGNALS OR ANYTHING WITHIN THE CAR TO TELL YOU THE BATTERY IS LOW. I DID A SYSTEM CHECK WHEN I PULLED OVER AND THE SYSTEM SAID "OK". I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. SOME ONE CAN SERIOUSLY BE HURT OR KILLED.

NHTSA ID
10897332
Incident
Aug 19, 2016
Mileage
36,000 mi
BrakesEngine
Filed Jun 16, 2015
Fire reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHALLENGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A BURNING ODOR AND THE ABS AND OIL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 21,400.

NHTSA ID
10725646
Incident
Jun 16, 2015
Mileage
21,400 mi
BrakesElectrical
Filed Jun 15, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHALLENGER. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING AND SENSOR LIGHTS SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED ALONG WITH THE ABS SENSOR LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WHEEL SPEED AND TIRE SENSORS WERE FAULTY AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.

NHTSA ID
10725374
Incident
Jun 12, 2015
Mileage
43,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jun 14, 2015

ABS LIGHT ON DASH JUST APPEARED ALONG WITH ESP/BAS, ABS, BRAKE, TRACTION LIGHTS.

NHTSA ID
10725183
Incident
Jun 14, 2015
Mileage
74,500 mi
BrakesElectricalSteering
Filed Feb 11, 2015

MY WIFE AN I WERE ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED, RUNNING 70MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BLINKED AND ALL INSTRUMENTS WENT DOWN THE CAR SHUT DOWN, THERE WASN'T ANY ELECTRICAL TO ANYTHING. I GUESS BEING A MANUAL, IT STARTED BACK UP AUTOMATICALLY. THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS WHEN WE WERE ON OUR WAY HOME WE DECIDED TO TAKE A DIFFERENT WAY HOME BECAUSE THIS HAD HAPPENED, IT THEREFORE HAPPENED AGAIN SAME PROBLEM BUT WE WERE RUNNING 57. WE STOPPED AT A SONIC SHUT THE CAR OFF, WHEN WE STARTED IT BACK UP IT SOUND LIKE IT WAS STARTING OUT OF TIME, THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO US AGAIN THE CLOSER WE GOT HOME. THE CAR IS PARKED AND HAS NOT BEEN MOVED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10682800
Incident
Jan 22, 2015
Mileage
52,707 mi
BrakesEngineOther / unspecified
Filed Aug 12, 2014
Fire reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHALLENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND SMOKE APPEARED FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.

NHTSA ID
10621752
Incident
Aug 8, 2014
Mileage
46,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jul 10, 2014

ON MAY 30TH I WAS HEADING HOME AFTER A LOG DAYS WORK WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE BATTERY LIGHT HAD TURNED ON, THINKING IT WAS JUST THE BATTERY NEEDING TO BE RECHARGED I KEPT DRIVING. MINUTES AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE(MIL), BRAKE (PARKING BRAKE?), ABS, ESP BAS, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON AND GUESS WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!? I LOSE MY ABILITY TO STEER AND BRAKE MY VEHICLE GOING 60 ON THE HIGHWAY! LUCKILY I LIVED 8MIN AWAY FROM MY PLACE AT THE TIME AND MANAGED TO GET TO MY HOME WITH NO POWER STEERING ON BRAKING ABILITY! SO I WENT TO AUTOZONE AND BOUGHT MYSELF A BATTERY BECAUSE IT WAS TESTED AS A BAD BATTERY IT WAS INSTALLED ON MY CAR & IT TURNED ON AS NORMAL, UNTIL I ACTUALLY DROVE MY CAR TO SCHOOL THE FOLLOWING MORNING, SET IT ON PARK & SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF MY ALTERNATOR. KNOWING HOW MUCH A ALTERNATOR FOR MY CAR COSTS I SAVED ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY A AFTERMARKET ALTERNATOR SO I WENT TO AUTOZONE TO BUY ONE AND THE GENTLEMEN TOLD ME THAT IT GIVES HIM THE OPTION TO ORDER ONE BUT WHEN HE DOES THEY DON'T HAVE ANY BECAUSE SINCE THE CAR IS NEW THE ONLY I COULD GET IS THE MANUFACTURED ALTERNATOR WHICH THEY SELL FOR $545 AND ARE ON BACK ORDER!? REALLY DODGE REALLY? IT TOOK ME A MONTH TO SET ASIDE MONEY FOR WHAT I THOUGHT I COULD BUY A ALTERNATOR AND COME TO FIND OUT YOU'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT SELL IT, SHAME ON YOU GUYS! I'M FATHER A HARD WORKER AND A STUDENT AT UTI AND YOU GUYS DON'T ALLOW ANYONE TO SELL YOUR ALTERNATORS. DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE BEING THAT YOU'RE ON BACK ORDER. THIS COULD'VE ENDED WAY WORSE WHEN I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. IF YOU'RE READING THIS AND HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, PLEASE SUBMIT A COMPLAINT AS THEY WILL EVENTUALLY SEE A TREND ABOUT THIS AND HOPEFULLY RECALL THESE BAD ALTERNATORS THAT DENSO MANUFACTURES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10609719
Incident
May 30, 2014
Mileage
63,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .