Is the 2016 Dodge Dart a bad year?
264 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Dart years.
Keep it. You picked a good year.
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2016 Dodge Dart are in line with other Dart years.
1st quietest of 5 Dart years by owner complaints (years with 7+ years on the road).
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2016 Dart owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 60,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrain | 88 (33%) | 46k–88k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Engine | 67 (25%) | 29k–62k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Electrical system | 49 (19%) | 18k–68k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Brakes | 27 (10%) | 38k–76k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Fuel system | 13 (5%) | 29k–65k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Steering | 11 (4%) | 18k–74k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Speed control | 10 (4%) | 28k–62k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Stability control | 5 (2%) | 38k–87k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 14 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Air bags | 8 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 6 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 5 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 60,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 264 complaints: 14 mention a crash · 4 mention a fire · 7 report an injury · 23 say the car was towed.
50 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Nov 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Master slave cylinder leaked down onto the clutch and caused my clutch to fail. Clitch went all the way to the floor and stayed there.
My vehicle has had a manufacture safety recall for the shifter cable bushing since april of 2019 but there was no parts available to remedy the situation.
Purchased car new jan 2017. On 3/3/19 at approx. 18 MPH while attempting a left turn in to our neighborhood I heard a loud pop and car jerked to the left hitting a curb.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 60,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2016 Dodge Dart: 5
The shifter cable may detach from the transmission, preventing the vehicle from shifting into the park (P) position and causing a loss of park function. A loss of park function may allow the vehicle to rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.
The shifter cable bushing may fail allowing the shift cable to detach from the transmission. If the shifter cable detaches from the transmission, the vehicle may not perform the shifts performed by the driver. Additionally, despite selecting PARK with the shifter, the vehicle may roll away.
A list of the affected trailer models is available at: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17V824-0103.pdf. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. If the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury in the event of a fire.
Due to voltage spikes caused by a problem within the windshield washer pump, the windshield wiper circuit may fail. Without functioning windshield wipers, the driver's visibility may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.
In the affected vehicles, the powertrain control module that monitors the engine torque output may be missing a backup layer of software. Without a backup layer of software, the control module may fail to prevent an un-commanded torque event, increasing the risk of a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Dodge: 103
Repair instructions Dodge sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2016 Dodge Dart. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
2.4L Excessive Oil Consumption XB1 Warranty Extension
MIL/check engine lamp comes on after performing U90 recall PCM software update
WiTECH Small Leak Verification Test (SLVT) - P0456-EVAP SYSTEM SMALL LEAK
2.4L Engine Oil Consumption Test The customer may comment that the vehicles engine oil level is low or they need to add oil between oil change intervals and no…
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Recall 19V-293 Post Remedy Failures
Neighbouring years
2015 Dart: 533 complaints, consider selling.
Every Dodge Dart year
2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · All Dart years side by side
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Questions
Is the 2016 Dodge Dart a bad year?
264 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Dart years. At 60,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Dodge Dart?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (88), engine (67), electrical system (49), brakes (27), fuel system (13).
How many recalls does the 2016 Dodge Dart have?
5 recall campaigns list this model year: Transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA 25V-674), Transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA 19V-293), Equipment (NHTSA 17V-824), Visibility and wipers (NHTSA 16V-813) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.