Last updated: 2026-10-10

RELIABILITY SCORE: 77/100 (GOOD)

2020 Dodge Challenger Reliability Report

The 2020 Dodge Challenger has good reliability, well above most 2020 sedans, but some owners report sudden shutdowns while driving.

Full Breakdown Compare Models

Recalls

Complaints

Complaint Rate

3.6per 10,000 sold

Est. Repair Cost

$650

Annual Fuel Cost

$2,600–$4,600

Detailed Score Breakdown

Complaint Severity74/100

Component-weighted complaints normalized by sales volume

Repair Costs70/100

Independent repair cost ratings

Recall Impact88/100

Recall count weighted by severity

Issue Diversity81/100

Breadth of reported problem categories

The Verdict

Consider

The strongest of six scored Challenger years, with far fewer complaints than 2019, though owners report sudden electrical shutdowns while driving.

Top Issues to Watch

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (7)
POWER TRAIN (3)
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (2)

Generation & Refresh (US)

Post-Refresh

2020 is 5 years after the 2015 facelift refresh.

Year 13 in the Third generation (2008–2023) (2008–2023).
Well-established in its generation — most early issues should be resolved.
3rd generation Challenger (US).

What this means for buyers

Post-refresh years tend to be among the most refined — updates have been applied and early kinks worked out.

2008: Third generation (2008–2023) Launch

Generation start — new platform.

2015: Mid-Cycle Refresh

Updated features and styling tweaks.

2020: This Model Year

2020 is 5 years after the 2015 facelift refresh.

2021: Mid-Cycle Refresh

Updated features and styling tweaks.

Should You Buy the 2020 Dodge Challenger?

Good reliability puts this Challenger well above the average 2020 sedan, and it is the strongest of the six scored Challenger years. Owners filed 19 complaints, far fewer than the 55 on the 2019. The 2021 rates about the same, with 17 complaints. Federal crash tests gave it 5 of 5 stars. Upkeep runs higher than its class, though: independent repair-cost data puts the model at $650 a year against $526.

Electrical trouble is the main worry. Owners describe the car shutting off at freeway speed, on city streets, and in parking lots, sometimes with the instrument cluster going dark first. One complaint describes a fire that spread with no warning. Dealers sometimes find no fault. Other reports include a flashing infotainment screen, air conditioning controls that quit until restart, and a trunk that opens while driving. One manual Hellcat lost all clutch pedal pressure and stayed stuck in gear. That was a single incident. The year has one federal recall, in the visibility area.

Ask the seller for dealer records on any shutdown or electrical repair, and confirm the visibility recall was completed. The 2021 is a reasonable alternative.

Compared to the 2021 Dodge Challenger, which scored 2 points lower. See also the 2019 Dodge Challenger for an earlier comparison.

Pros

+Acceptable reliability score
+Infrequent unscheduled repairs
+Low major repair risk (14%)
+Low recall count

Cons

−Above-average repair costs for its class
−ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: Sudden shutdowns while driving are the most serious pattern (7 complaints)
−POWER TRAIN: Driveline problem appears on a car only 50 miles from new and nearly causes a... (3 complaints)

Compare 2020 Dodge Challenger With

2020 Ford Mustang

Reliability: 66/100

Good

2020 Chevrolet Camaro

Reliability: 71/100

Good

2020 Toyota Supra

Reliability: 63/100

Good

2020 Chevrolet Corvette

Reliability: 67/100

Good

2020 Audi A5

Reliability: 70/100

Good

Common Problem Categories

Safety

LOW RISK

1 manufacturer recall issued

Other

HIGH RISK

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (7)
POWER TRAIN (3)

See detailed breakdown by component ↓

Recall Overview

recall on record

The 2020 Dodge Challenger carries 1 recall — a low count. Authorized dealers repair any open recall free of charge, regardless of warranty status.

NHTSA.gov →

Complaint Breakdown

3.6

per 10,000 sold

Segment avg: 17.9

LowAvgHigh

Low

Safety Incidents

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

★★★★★

NHTSA 5/5 Stars

Data sourced from NHTSA complaint filings and manufacturer recall notices. Complaint narratives are owner-reported.

2020 Dodge Challenger Recall Details

1 recall has been issued for the 2020 Dodge Challenger. All recall repairs are performed free of charge at authorized dealerships.

21V5160002021-07-08

VISIBILITY

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, and Chrysler 300 vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 212, "Windshield Mounting."

Consequence

A windshield that separates from the vehicle during a crash can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy

Dealers will remove and replace the front windshield urethane sealant, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 31, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US LLC's number for this recall is Y47.

VIN History Report

Buying a used 2020 Dodge Challenger? Check its history first

Electrical system problems lead owner complaints about the 2020 Dodge Challenger, and 1 recall was issued for it. A VIN check shows whether this car's recall work was done, plus accident, title, and odometer history.

Accidents
Open Recalls
Title History
Odometer Rollback

2020 Dodge Challenger NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall Safety Rating

Crash Test Results by Configuration (expand)

Gas Powertrain

Driver: 4/5Passenger: 5/5

Rollover risk: 11.1%

Safety Technologies

Dynamic Head Restraints (Driver, Front Passenger)Head Restraint (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)Advanced Belt Feature (Standard)Adjustable Upper Belt Anchorage (Not Available)Seat Belt Reminder System (Driver, Front Passenger)Frontal Air Bag (Driver, Front Passenger)Curtain (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)Torso/Pelvis (Driver, Front Passenger)Knee (Not Available)Additional Air Bags (Not Available)Meets Side Air Bag Out-of-Position Requirements (Yes)LATCH Locations (Rear Seat)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) (None)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) locations (Not Available)

View full safety data on NHTSA.gov →

Dodge ChallengerRepair Costs & Maintenance

Maintenance Rating

3.5

Based on NHTSA complaint patterns, recall severity, and publicly available cost benchmarks.

Est. Annual Maintenance

$650

vs $526 avg for midsize cars

vs $652 avg for all vehicles

Repair Frequency

0.2

unscheduled repair visits per year

Severe Repair Probability

14%

chance of a major repair

Annual Cost Comparison

Challenger

$650

Category Avg

$526

All Vehicles

$652

Category-level averages derived from publicly available industry reports (AAA, CarMD). Model-level estimates produced by Auto Reliability Index.

Dodge Challenger Resale Value

The Dodge Challenger is estimated to retain about 71.9% of its original value after 5 years, based on observed used-car listings.

This benchmark covers the Dodge Challenger model overall and is not specific to the 2020 model year.

Value Retained: 71.9%
Depreciation: 28.1%
Listings Analyzed: 267

Listings observed in May 2021. This is a historical market benchmark, not a current price quote.

Explore Dodge Challenger depreciation and resale value on CarResaleValue.com

MPG & Annual Running Costs

Gas

15–23 MPG

Running cost: $3,250–$5,250/yr

Fuel + repair

13–19 city / 21–30 hwy MPG

Running cost includes EPA fuel-cost estimate and independent repair-cost data (repair cost estimated at model level). Excludes routine maintenance, depreciation, and insurance. Data as of 2020 EPA label cycle.

Gas trims

Trim	Drive	Trans.	City	Hwy	Comb	Fuel Cost
Challenger 3.6L 6-cyl	Rear-Wheel Drive	Automatic 8-spd	19	30	23	$2,600
Challenger AWD 3.6L 6-cyl	All-Wheel Drive	Automatic 8-spd	18	27	21	$2,850
Challenger 6.4L 8-cyl	Rear-Wheel Drive	Automatic 8-spd	15	24	18	$3,850
Challenger 5.7L 8-cyl	Rear-Wheel Drive	Manual 6-spd	15	23	18	$3,850
Challenger Widebody 6.4L 8-cyl	Rear-Wheel Drive	Automatic 8-spd	15	24	18	$3,850
Challenger 5.7L 8-cyl	Rear-Wheel Drive	Automatic 8-spd	16	25	19	$3,950
Challenger 6.4L 8-cyl	Rear-Wheel Drive	Manual 6-spd	14	23	17	$4,050
Challenger Widebody 6.4L 8-cyl	Rear-Wheel Drive	Manual 6-spd	14	23	17	$4,050
Challenger SRT 6.2L 8-cyl	Rear-Wheel Drive	Automatic 8-spd	13	22	16	$4,300
Challenger SRT 6.2L 8-cyl	Rear-Wheel Drive	Manual 6-spd	13	21	16	$4,300
Challenger SRT Widebody 6.2L 8-cyl	Rear-Wheel Drive	Manual 6-spd	13	21	16	$4,300
Challenger SRT Widebody 6.2L 8-cyl	Rear-Wheel Drive	Automatic 8-spd	13	21	15	$4,600

Used Buying Checklist

Key things to inspect or verify before purchasing a 2020 Dodge Challenger.

Ask the seller whether the car has ever shut off while driving or lost its instrument cluster, and check repair records.
Plug a phone into the charger and watch the Uconnect screen for flashing or unresponsive buttons.
Run the air conditioning on the test drive; confirm cold air and that vents follow the mode you select.
Drive over rough pavement and confirm the trunk stays latched with no warning messages.
On manual cars, work the clutch repeatedly and confirm a firm pedal and clean shifts into neutral and reverse.
Inspect the sunroof glass for chips, cracks, or signs of replacement.
Place a phone call through Uconnect and confirm the ringer volume can be adjusted.
Buckle each seat belt, tug hard to confirm it holds, and check that the airbag light stays off.

2020 Dodge Challenger Common Problems by Component

19 owner complaints grouped by vehicle system.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (7)POWER TRAIN (3)VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (2)UNKNOWN OR OTHER (2)VISIBILITY/WIPER (1)ENGINE (1)EXTERIOR LIGHTING (1)AIR BAGS (1)Other (1)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

7 complaintsSafety-related

Sudden shutdowns while driving are the most serious pattern. Reports describe the car powering off at freeway speed, on city streets, and in parking lots, sometimes with the instrument cluster going dark before it restarts. One of the 7 complaints describes a fire that spread with no warning. Other reports involve a flashing infotainment screen with frozen buttons, air conditioning controls that quit until restart, airflow switching to the defrost vents, a refrigerant leak at the evaporator core, and a trunk that opens while driving. Dealers sometimes find no fault.

7 complaints total1 fire

POWER TRAIN

3 complaints

A driveline problem appears on a car only 50 miles from new and nearly causes a crash. Two of the three filings read as the same report submitted twice, centered on the dealer's slow repair and its refusal to replace the car. The remaining complaint lists several faults together: a seat belt that unlatches on its own, a driver airbag malfunction, and a reverse gear fault code tied to a service bulletin. There is too little here to show a broad pattern.

3 complaints total

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

2 complaints

Clutch failure on a manual Hellcat is the only problem reported. Both filings appear to describe the same incident: a loud snap while slowing for a light, total loss of clutch pedal pressure, and a transmission stuck in gear. The driver had to shut off the engine to stop and nearly hit the car ahead. The car was towed to a dealer. With one event behind both reports, this is a single serious failure rather than a confirmed trend.

2 complaints total

UNKNOWN OR OTHER (2 complaints)

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2 complaints

A sunroof shatters at highway speed with no clear source of road debris nearby. A separate complaint concerns Uconnect: the ringer for incoming phone calls plays at maximum volume and cannot be turned down, which startles everyone in the car. The owner was told to look for a software update, but none was available. These are two unrelated problems, each reported once.

2 complaints total

VISIBILITY/WIPER (1 complaints)

VISIBILITY/WIPER

1 complaint

2022-11-03

Windshield is becoming unglued starting to separate

ENGINE (1 complaints)

ENGINE

1 complaint

2025-07-15

Cooling fans exploded an went through radiator, making the car inoperable!

EXTERIOR LIGHTING (1 complaints)

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

1 complaint

2024-08-21

Good afternoon, my right headlight wiring harness had rubbed on the frame down to the wires, actually meta l to metal and caused my head light to blow out and my turn signal to malfunction and there is no warning light for the headlight being out, I called the dealership and they said there's no recall and they want a lot of money to fix this problem, I'm afraid it may cause a fire, I've noticed this for about a week, I ordered a new light on 8/22 and that's when I noticed the bare wires

AIR BAGS (1 complaints)

AIR BAGS

1 complaintSafety-related

2021-11-15Crash reported

My car was in a collision yesterday. I was rear-ended and pushed into another vehicle, resulting in both front and rear impacts. The air bag did not deploy, even though I could smell it, as if it did deploy. Also, my car app notified me that the airbag had been deployed and needed to be taken to a service provider to be serviced. The problem is that no airbags actually deployed. So if I had been in a situation that required the airbags to save my life, I would not have had them. I feel like this could really be a problem if it happened in another situation & I wanted to let someone know so they can look into it.

WHEELS (1 complaints)

WHEELS

1 complaint

2020-10-13

I HAD A FLAT TIRE ONE WEEK AFTER I BOUGHT THE $ 60.000 CAR. THEN I LEARNED THE CAR DOES NOT COME WITH A SPARE TIRE. INSTEAD THERE IS A MACHINE, AFTER READING THE MANUAL I GOT THE TIRE TO INFLATE. IMMEDIATELY I WENT TO A TIRE STORE TO GET THE NAIL OUT OF THE TIRE. THEY SAID I WILL HAVE TO BUY A NEW TIRE BECAUSE I USED THE MACHINE THAT DODGE PROVIDES. I REACHED OUT TO DODGE AND HERE IS THEIR REPLY ELLO PAULO; THANK YOU FOR CONTACTING DODGE CUSTOMER CARE. WE ARE SO SORRY TO LEARN OF YOUR CONCERN WITH NOT HAVING A SPARE TIRE IN YOUR 2020 DODGE CHALLENGER R/T SCAT PACK AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASSURE YOU THAT I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO HELP YOU OUT. BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED, THE BEST PLAN OF ACTION WOULD BE FOR YOU TO CONTACT YOUR TIRE MANUFACTURING COMPANY FOR ADVISE AND POSSIBLE RESOLUTION. I HAVE ATTACHED THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR YOUR TIRE MANUFACTURER HERE: PIRELLI TIRE NA, LLC 100 PIRELLI DRIVE ROME GA 30161-7000. 800-747-3554 SELECT OPTION 2 TO FIND A RETAILER. WWW.US.PIRELLI.COM ( RETAILER LOCATOR) IF IT IS MORE CONVENIENT FOR YOU, CALL US ANYTIME AT DODGE CUSTOMER CARE: 1-800-992-1997 AND JUST PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING CASE NUMBER 77661914; ANYONE YOU SPEAK WITH WILL BE HAPPY TO HELP. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR EMAIL . HAVE A GREAT DAY. BEST REGARDS, MONICA DODGE CUSTOMER CARE --------------- ORIGINAL MESSAGE ---------------

Best & Worst Dodge Challenger Years

Best Dodge Challenger Years to Buy

Based on reliability index score

Top Pick

Good

2020

(Current Model)

1Recalls

19Complaints

Good

2023

2Recalls

38Complaints

Good

2021

2Recalls

17Complaints

Dodge Challenger Years to Avoid

No Dodge Challenger years are statistical outliers in our data.

Scores stay between 72 and 77 across 6 scored model years.

See full Dodge Challenger years-to-avoid analysis

Dodge Challenger Reliability Score Trend

Scores 0–100. Higher is better. Current year highlighted.

Dodge Challenger reliability scores by year
Year	Score	Rating
2018	72/100	Good
2019	73/100	Good
2020	77/100	Good
2021	75/100	Good
2022	74/100	Good
2023	75/100	Good

Dodge Challenger Reliability Compared to Other Years

Reliability scores compared across model years
Year	Score	vs Prior Year	Rating	Recalls	Complaints
2023	75/100	+1	Good	2	38
2022	74/100	-1	Good	2	8
2021	75/100	-2	Good	2	17
2020(selected)	77/100	+4	Good	1	19
2019	73/100	+1	Good	3	55
2018	72/100	—	Good	4	73

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 2020 Dodge Challenger reliable?

Yes, it has good reliability. It sits well above the average 2020 sedan and ranks best among the six scored Challenger years. Owners filed 19 complaints, and the 2019 drew far more. Sudden electrical shutdowns are the serious exception, and repair costs run above its class.

What are the most common problems with the 2020 Dodge Challenger?

Electrical problems lead the complaints, with 7 of the 19. Owners report the car shutting off while driving, a flashing infotainment screen, air conditioning controls that quit, and a trunk that opens on the road. Power train and clutch complaints are fewer, and the clutch reports appear to describe one event.

Does the 2020 Dodge Challenger shut off while driving?

Some owners say it does. Reports describe the car powering off at freeway speed, on city streets, and in parking lots, sometimes with the instrument cluster going dark before a restart. Dealers sometimes found no fault. One complaint in this group describes a fire. Ask for repair records before buying.

Has the 2020 Dodge Challenger been recalled?

Federal recall records list one recall for this model year, in the visibility area. That is fewer than the 2019, which has three, and the 2021, which has two. Check with a Dodge dealer using the car's VIN to confirm the recall repair was done.

How much does it cost to maintain a 2020 Dodge Challenger?

Independent repair-cost data estimates $650 a year for the Challenger across model years, compared with $526 for its class. That is higher than average, so budget for it. The figure covers the whole model, not just 2020.

Don’t buy a 2020 Dodge Challenger without checking its VIN first — hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls could cost you thousands.

Look Up a VIN →

How we score the 2020 Dodge Challenger

Of the four inputs behind this score, the 2020 Dodge Challenger does best on recall impact (88/100) and worst on repair costs (70/100). Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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