The 2009 Dodge Challenger has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 7 recurring issue clusters, led by “Timing chain failure causing engine destruction.” Dodge uses Stellantis' Oil Change Indicator — it watches engine load and duty cycle and messages when to change oil, capped at 10,000 miles or 12 months. Know your engine: the 3.6L Pentastar V6 goes 100,000 miles on plugs, while HEMI V8s carry sixteen plugs (two per cylinder) on a roughly 30,000-mile interval — that's a real cost difference at the service counter. HEMI models with MDS cylinder deactivation are especially sensitive to overdue oil.
No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2009 Dodge Challenger.
ENGINE
5 NHTSA complaints · 2012-08 → 2016-02
“WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE”
“TIMING CHAINS FAILURE ON ALL OCCURRENCES AND THIS IS HAPPENING TO MORE AND MORE 2009-2010 DODGE CHALLENGERS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS”
“YOU COULD SEE THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKE THROUGH THE HOLE WHERE THE SENSOR WENT”
POWER TRAIN
11 NHTSA complaints · 2012-03 → 2020-02
“THE GREASE USED IN THE TRANSMISSION TURNS INTO A GLUE AT HIGH TEMPS CAUSING THE TRANS TO NOT SHIFT PROPERLY THROUGH THE GEARS EITHER GOING INTO GEAR OR GETTING STUCK COMING OUT OF GEAR”
“THE VEHICLE WILL STICK IN GEAR WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL FULLY DISENGAGED (PRESSED TO THE FLOOR) AND THE VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE TO BE DRIVEN BY THE ENGINE POWER”
“2009-2010 DODGE CHALLENGERS CAME OUT WITH GREASE ON THE INPUT SHAFT THAT PRETTY MUCH TURNED TO GLUE WHEN HOT”
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
7 NHTSA complaints · 2011-04 → 2012-07
“WHEN I LEFT THE DEALER, I NOTECED A 1.5 SECOND DELAY WHEN GAS PEDEL IS DEPRESSED”
“BASICALLY, WHEN THE THROTTLE IS DEPRESSED, IT TAKES ABOUT 2 SECONDS FOR THE ENGINE TO RESPOND”
“IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT I NOTICED AN INTERMITTENT THROTTLE LAG”
STRUCTURE
3 NHTSA complaints · 2017-04 → 2021-11
“Upon inspection, the contact noticed that the subframe bolt had snapped off”
“WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, THE MECHANIC NOTICED RUST ALONG THE WHEEL WELL OF THE VEHICLE”
“WHILE CLEANING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR WHEEL WELL PANELS ON BOTH SIDES WERE CORRODED”
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
30 NHTSA complaints · 2009-08 → 2020-06
“ENGINE QUIT WITH NO WARNING. STEERING AND BRAKES COMPROMISED”
“ENGINE STALLS WHILE I AM DRIVING. LOSE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WHEN ENGINE QUITS”
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AT 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED AND ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FLASHED”
AIR BAGS
32 NHTSA complaints · 2015-08 → 2022-11
“THE RECALL FOR THE PASSENGER AIRBAG INFLATOR WAS ISSUED ON JULY 1, 2016”
“The contact had taken the vehicle to a local parts store where it was diagnosed and determined that the driver's side and passenger’s side air bags needed to be replaced”
“THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V352000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE”
STEERING
3 NHTSA complaints · 2014-03 → 2014-06
“THE INSPECTION WAS GOOD, BUT A SHOP NOTE INDICATED THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM”
“ORDERED NEW TIRES FOR VEHICLE, I WAS TOLD THAT THE RACK AND PINION WAS LEAKING AND IT WOULD COST $ 585.00 TO FIX IT”
“THE CONSUMER STATED THE BELT CAME OFF AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING”
Issues on other model years
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.
We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.
Critical for safety and preventing major damage
Change when the indicator says so — never beyond 10,000 miles or 12 months. Pentastar 3.6L: 0W-20. HEMI 5.7L: 5W-20 (0W-40 for 6.4L SRT). MDS-equipped HEMIs punish stretched oil intervals with lifter and cam wear.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$120–$160
Shop
~$85–$115
DIY
~$25–$55
Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.
Rotate every 8,000 miles. Charger/Challenger R/T and Scat Pack: staggered-width setups can't rotate front-to-rear — budget rear tires accordingly.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.
Inspect pads and rotors at every oil change. Heavy Durangos used for towing and hard-driven Chargers both run through rear pads faster than the front-pad-first rule of thumb suggests.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.
Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently
HEMI 5.7L: sixteen plugs roughly every 30,000 miles — check your year's manual. Pentastar 3.6L (Charger/Challenger V6, Durango V6, Journey, Grand Caravan): 100,000 miles.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$390
Shop
~$200–$275
DIY
~$25–$100
Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.
Grand Caravan/Journey (62TE): ATF+4 service every 60,000 miles in family duty. Charger/Challenger/Durango with the TorqueFlite 8-speed: no published normal interval, but specialists recommend service around 60,000-100,000 miles — sooner with towing.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$330–$500
Shop
~$235–$355
DIY
~$60–$180
Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.
RWD Charger/Challenger and AWD Durango: replace rear diff fluid around 60,000 miles, sooner with towing or drag-strip duty. Limited-slip units need the friction-modifier additive.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$150–$195
Shop
~$105–$135
DIY
~$20–$50
Drain plug + fill plug — straightforward DIY. AWD vehicles have two; budget for both.
Replace every 30,000 miles. HEMIs pull serious airflow — a clogged filter costs measurable power before it throws a code.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.
Inspect from 60,000 miles, replace on cracking or glazing. On the HEMI, a shredded belt can take the cooling drive with it mid-drive.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$195–$235
Shop
~$135–$165
DIY
~$20–$50
DIY-friendly if you can reach the tensioner. Inspect for cracks rather than swap on a strict mileage interval.
Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort
Replace every 20,000 miles where equipped (behind the glovebox on most models). Some earlier Journeys and Avengers shipped without one — check before buying a filter.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.
Stellantis OAT coolant is scheduled for 10 years / 150,000 miles; shops commonly refresh by 100,000. OAT-compatible coolant only — mixing chemistries gels the system.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$330
Shop
~$200–$235
DIY
~$25–$60
Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.
Test annually after year 3. Big-audio Chargers and tow-package Durangos lean on the battery hard; weak batteries surface as gremlins in the electronics before they fail to crank.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$225–$390
Shop
~$160–$280
DIY
~$130–$250
Most auto-parts stores test and install batteries free with purchase. Skip the dealer markup.
Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)
38 crashes 1990–2024
How the 38 occupant deaths break down
24
driver deaths
14
passenger deaths
38
occupant deaths
Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2009 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.
FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number
FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.
Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.
Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.
IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.
Owner-reported problem signals
Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.
8
complaints mentioning a crash
4
complaints mentioning a fire
Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.
How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.
This maintenance schedule for the 2009 Dodge Challenger reflects Dodge's published service intervals and the Oil Change Indicator System system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.