Is the Dodge Charger more reliable than the Tesla Model 3?

Yes, the Charger is clearly more reliable. Its standing is good and the Model 3's is mixed. Charger owners filed 2.2 complaints per 10,000 sold, against 28.7 for the Model 3. The Charger's main faults are a bad touchscreen and peeling door panels, while the Model 3 has braking and acceleration complaints.

Which has more recalls, the Charger or the Model 3?

The Model 3 has far more. Federal recall records show 113 recalls across its model years 2018 to 2026, compared with 25 for the Charger over the same span. The count does not say how serious each recall was, but the gap is large.

What is the most common problem on a used Dodge Charger?

Air bag complaints are the most numerous, at 98, with 19 linked to crashes. The electrical system is next, mostly the Uconnect 8.4 touchscreen. It delaminates, registers phantom touches, and can freeze the backup camera and climate controls. Dealers quoted over $2,000 to replace it.

What is phantom braking on the Tesla Model 3?

It is the car braking hard with nothing ahead. Owners report it near overpasses, at hill crests, and on open highway, and it is the top complaint under forward collision avoidance. It also shows up under service brakes, where owners say service found nothing wrong. One stop caused whiplash.

Which model years should I avoid on each car?

On the Charger, avoid 2018 and 2019, the weakest years. On the Model 3, avoid 2018 and 2021. Owners also reported rusted brake lines on early 2018 Model 3 builds, including one at 107,000 miles. Among older Chargers, 2021 is a stronger pick.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Dodge Charger vs Tesla Model 3: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Dodge Charger

Good

Tesla Model 3

Mixed

Reliability favors the Dodge Charger over the Tesla Model 3 by a wide margin. Charger owners filed far fewer complaints. The deciding fact is that the Model 3 has crash-linked reports in all five of its top problem areas, and federal records show far more recalls.

How Do the Dodge Charger and Tesla Model 3 Generations Compare?

Most used Chargers a shopper will see belong to the seventh generation, which ran from 2011 through 2023 and got a facelift for 2020. That group includes the weak 2018 and 2019 years and the stronger 2021. The eighth generation began with the 2024 model year, so 2026 is part of it and is still young. On the Tesla side, the first generation covered 2018 through 2023, with a styling update for 2021. The second generation began in 2024 with a refresh. The weak 2018 and 2021 Model 3 years sit in the first generation, while the better-rated 2024 and 2025 cars are second generation and still young.

Verdict

The Dodge Charger is more reliable than the Tesla Model 3, scoring 74/100 vs 55/100.

Reliability clearly favors the Charger, and the gap is large. Owners filed far fewer complaints relative to sales, and federal recall records show far fewer recalls. Its most common faults are a failing Uconnect touchscreen and peeling door panels, which are costly and annoying. Model 3 complaints include sudden unintended acceleration, phantom braking, and suspension wear, and all five of its top problem areas have crash-linked reports. Both how often problems appear and how serious they get favor the Charger.

Key Differences

1Dodge Charger has 88 fewer total recalls
2Dodge Charger has 26.5 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Dodge Charger scores 19 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

3Dodge Charger

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0Tesla Model 3

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint Rate

Dodge Charger vs Tesla Model 3: Which Is More Reliable?

Dodge Charger vs Tesla Model 3 at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Dodge Charger	Tesla Model 3
Reliability Score	74/100	55/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	25	113
Complaints per 10k Sold	2.2	28.7
Year Wins	9	0

What Are the Common Problems With the Dodge Charger and Tesla Model 3?

Cabin trouble drives the Charger's list. The Uconnect 8.4 screen delaminates and registers phantom touches, and door panels peel away from the frame. Air bags are its biggest category, with reports of some bags not deploying in two crashes. Model 3 complaints center on driving behavior. Owners describe phantom braking, surging forward while parking, and Autopilot missing barriers. Control arms wear out, charging can stop working, and rusted brake lines appear on early builds. Tesla has crash-linked reports in speed control, steering, electrical, brakes, and collision avoidance. The Charger's crash-linked reports sit in air bags and power train.

Dodge Charger vs Tesla Model 3 common problem areas comparison
Component	Dodge Charger	Tesla Model 3
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	6.1Average
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	3.7Average
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.5Very Low	3Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.2Very Low	3.1Average
STEERING	0.1Very Low	2.6Low
AIR BAGS	0.6Very Low	1.7Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.1Very Low	2.1Low
SUSPENSION	—None	1.6Low
STRUCTURE	0.1Very Low	0.7Very Low
POWER TRAIN	0.1Very Low	0.4Very Low
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	0.3Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	0.2Very Low
ENGINE	0.1Very Low	—None
WHEELS	—None	0.1Very Low
SEATS	—None	0.1Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	—None
VISIBILITY	—None	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Dodge Charger vs Tesla Model 3 Reliability Compare by Year?

Dodge Charger vs Tesla Model 3 year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Dodge Charger	Tesla Model 3	Edge
2026	82/1000R / 0C	59/1001R / 1C	Dodge Charger
2025	71/1002R / 10C	67/1003R / 87C	Dodge Charger
2024	73/1002R / 4C	62/1004R / 183C	Dodge Charger
2023	76/1002R / 22C	57/10010R / 386C	Dodge Charger
2022	74/1003R / 11C	50/10016R / 729C	Dodge Charger
2021	76/1002R / 29C	48/10020R / 626C	Dodge Charger
2020	75/1003R / 54C	54/10020R / 416C	Dodge Charger
2019	71/1005R / 118C	49/10021R / 569C	Dodge Charger
2018	69/1006R / 121C	46/10018R / 951C	Dodge Charger

Best years to cross-shop: The 2023 Dodge Charger scored 76/100 and the 2024 Tesla Model 3 scored 62/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Dodge Charger vs the Tesla Model 3?

Pick the Charger if you want the lower-risk used purchase. Complaints are rarer, recalls are fewer, and the Model 3 has more crash-linked problem areas. Target 2021 over 2018 and 2019, the weakest years. Before you buy, test the touchscreen for ghost inputs and check every door panel for lifting near the window. Budget for a possible screen replacement, since dealers quoted over $2,000. Pick the Model 3 only if its tech and driving feel matter more to you than a clean record. Ask for the service history on the front control arms and the charging system. Skip 2018 and 2021, the weakest years, and look closely at any early 2018 build for brake line rust. The 2024 and 2025 cars rate best, but they are newer and have had less time to collect complaints. Take a highway test drive and note any braking warnings with nothing ahead.

Dodge Charger vs Tesla Model 3: Common Questions

Is the Dodge Charger more reliable than the Tesla Model 3?: Yes, the Charger is clearly more reliable. Its standing is good and the Model 3's is mixed. Charger owners filed 2.2 complaints per 10,000 sold, against 28.7 for the Model 3. The Charger's main faults are a bad touchscreen and peeling door panels, while the Model 3 has braking and acceleration complaints.
Which has more recalls, the Charger or the Model 3?: The Model 3 has far more. Federal recall records show 113 recalls across its model years 2018 to 2026, compared with 25 for the Charger over the same span. The count does not say how serious each recall was, but the gap is large.
What is the most common problem on a used Dodge Charger?: Air bag complaints are the most numerous, at 98, with 19 linked to crashes. The electrical system is next, mostly the Uconnect 8.4 touchscreen. It delaminates, registers phantom touches, and can freeze the backup camera and climate controls. Dealers quoted over $2,000 to replace it.
What is phantom braking on the Tesla Model 3?: It is the car braking hard with nothing ahead. Owners report it near overpasses, at hill crests, and on open highway, and it is the top complaint under forward collision avoidance. It also shows up under service brakes, where owners say service found nothing wrong. One stop caused whiplash.
Which model years should I avoid on each car?: On the Charger, avoid 2018 and 2019, the weakest years. On the Model 3, avoid 2018 and 2021. Owners also reported rusted brake lines on early 2018 Model 3 builds, including one at 107,000 miles. Among older Chargers, 2021 is a stronger pick.

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How we score the Dodge Charger and Tesla Model 3

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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