RoadVitals

2008 Dodge Charger Transmission Problems

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

Data refreshed

Transmission 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 Aug 9, 2023
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.
1%
of 609 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.
0
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 the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Dodge Charger 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 transmission

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

ElectricalTransmission
Filed Aug 9, 2023

The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled, but was able to coast off the roadway. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle temporarily returned to normal functionality but was running abnormally. The contact stated that the failure recurred. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the PCM and the ignition switch. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V567000 (Electrical System) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 208,500.

NHTSA ID
11537420
Incident
Jul 15, 2023
Mileage
208,500 mi
SteeringTransmission
Filed Jul 7, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CHARGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOOSE AND SEEMED TO WOBBLE WHILE TURNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FISH-TAILED AND BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY EXCESSIVE FORCE TO THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS BUT THE TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE PERSISTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES BUT TO NO AVAIL. ON THE FINAL ATTEMPT, THE TECHNICIANS DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS THE POWER TRAIN TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.

NHTSA ID
10410837
Incident
Dec 8, 2009
Mileage
26,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 20, 2010

REACHED FOR DRINK, KNOCKED GEARSHIFT (AUTOMATIC) INTO NEUTRAL. WHEELS LOCKED UP. WAS GOING 70 MPH ON I-10 NEAR BATON ROUGE. SPUN SIDEWAYS, LOOKING AT WHITE LINE, THRU DRIVER'S WINDOW SIDEWAYS DOWN A BUSY HIGHWAY, AT NIGHT . PUT BACK IN NEUTRAL, CAR STRAIGHTENED OUT. PULLED TO SHOULDER. WAITED FOR HEART TO RETURN TO NORMAL. HAD SEAT CLEANED THE NEXT DAY. COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED, DUE TO 'DRIVER'S LOSS OF CONTROL'. NO ONE WOULD HAVE EVER KNOWN WHAT CAUSED THE WRECK. HOW MANY HAVE DIED THIS WAY? *TR

NHTSA ID
10350702
Incident
Jul 10, 2010
Mileage
39,000 mi
Powertrain (other)Transmission
Filed Aug 9, 2010

AFTER RECEIVING RECALL 08V583000 INVOLVING POLICE VEHICLES WITH STEERING COLUMN MOUNTED SHIFTER ON 11/18/2008, VEHICLE REPEATEDLY HAS PROBLEMS ENGAGING GEARS. OFFICERS DRIVING THIS VEHICLE PLACE THE SHIFTER INTO DRIVE AND LEARN THAT IT HAS NOT ENGAGED AND IS INSTEAD IN NEUTRAL. IT OFTEN STARTLES THE OFFICERS, WHO ARE FOCUSED ON MAKING RAPID SHIFT CHANGES IN ORDER TO PURSUE VIOLATORS OR NEGOTIATE TERRAIN. OFFICERS FIND THAT THEY OFTEN NEED TO PUSH THE STEERING COLUMN SHIFTER TOWARD THE DASH TO PROPERLY ENGAGE THE APPROPRIATE GEAR, CAUSING A LAPSE IN DRIVING SKILLS AND A LOSS OF FOCUS ON VEHICLE OPERATION. THE LATEST FAILURE OCCURED IN THE MIDDLE OF A CROWDED INTERSECTION AS THE PATROL OFFICER WAS ATTEMPTING TO PURSUE A VIOLATOR. VEHICLE SHOWED IT WAS IN REVERSE WHEN IT WAS BETWEEN REVERSE AND NEUTRAL. SHIFTING TO DRIVE, IT REMAINED BETWEEN NEUTRAL AND DRIVE UNTIL THE OFFICER COULD CORRECTLY ENGAGE THE APPROPRIATE GEAR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10348096
Incident
Aug 1, 2010
Mileage
42,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Dec 31, 2009

DRIVING MY 08 CHARGER SXT AND ITS IS SHIFTING REALLY HARD FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND ACTS LIKE IT WANTS TO JUST STALL OUT IS THIS NORMAL OR NO. *TR

NHTSA ID
10297718
Incident
Dec 14, 2009
Mileage
46,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jun 15, 2009

I BOUGHT MY 08 CHARGER 3.5L V6 IN JAN OF 08. ONLY WEEKS AFTER I NOTICED THAT IT SHIFTS HARD ON THE VERY FIRST SHIFT OF THE DAY WHEN IT GOES FROM 1ST TO 2ND. AFTER THAT IT SHIFTS FINE. I HAVE HAD IT TO THE SHOP 3 TIMES. TWICE THEY UPLOADED A NEW COMPUTER PROGRAM. IT DIDN'T HELP. THE LAST TIME THEY CLAIM TO HAVE REPLACED ALL OF THE SEALS IN THE TRANSMISSION. THAT DIDN'T FIX IT EITHER. I HAVE JUST GIVEN UP NUT I AM CONSIDERING FILING A LEMON LAW CLAIM. FIGURED WITH THEM BEING IN THE TROUBLE THEY ARE IT WOULDN'T REALLY GET ME ANYWHERE. NICE CAR OVERALL, JUST POOR POWER TRAIN! *TR

NHTSA ID
10273797
Incident
Mar 11, 2008
Mileage
3,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Nov 10, 2008

THE OHIO STATE HIGHWAY PATROL REPORTS THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE ON 2 OF THE 20, 2008 DODGE CHARGER POLICE CRUISERS IT IS EVALUATING WAS FOUND TO BE DETACHED FROM ITS MOUNTING BRACKET. THIS CAUSED THE MISS-ALIGNMENT BETWEEN THE PRNDL AND THE TRANSMISSION WHICH COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STILL BE IN DRIVE WHEN THE PRNDL INDICATES PARK.

NHTSA ID
10249228
Incident
Oct 27, 2008
Transmission
Filed Apr 13, 2008

TRANSMISSION SHIFT HARD FROM 1ST TO SECOND GEAR EVERY MORNING. LOUD ENOUGH TO HEAR INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF CAR. DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO FIX OFR THIS PROBLEM, AND IT COULD BE ON ALL THE NEW 2008 V6 CHARGERS. THEY HAVE FAILED TO TELL THE PUBLIC THIS INFORMATION. AND FAILED TO FIX MY CHARGER. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TWICE IN 3 WEEKS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10224354
Incident
Mar 12, 2008
Mileage
271 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 .