Dodge Dart Reliability by Year
Based on 2M+ real complaints filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
3,586 NHTSA complaints (2012–2016).Complaint rate: 552.9 per 1,000 vehicles.
Should I buy a Dodge Dart?
Quick answer from 3,586 NHTSA complaints · 2012–2016
Most Dodge Dart years show comparable, moderate complaint volumes. No specific year stands out as dramatically worse than its siblings. The most commonly reported issue is transmission / drivetrain. Any year within the data range should perform similarly — focus inspection on the individual VIN history rather than avoiding a specific year.
- 2016 Dodge Dart· 341 complaints
- 2013 Dodge Dart· 398 complaints
- 2014 Dodge Dart· 547 complaints
Keep scrolling for year-by-year complaint trends, recall campaigns, and component breakdowns — or click any year above for a full report.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Rankings based on raw NHTSA complaint counts. Sales volume data not yet available for this model.
Bottom line: The 2012 Dodge Dart had a notable spike in NHTSA complaints. Other years had typical complaint volumes. Most common issue across all years: Transmission / Drivetrain.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
No years stand out as significantly better.
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Dodge Dart Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA. Bar length = volume; color = crash-involvement rate.
Show full table
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 897 | 2.5% |
| Engine Problems | 519 | 1.9% |
| Electrical Faults | 454 | 2.0% |
| Brakes | 420 | 10.2% |
| Airbags | 124 | 41.9% |
| Unintended Acceleration | 104 | 5.8% |
| Steering Defects | 102 | 12.7% |
| Electronic Stability Control | 77 | 1.3% |
| Fuel System | 71 | 4.2% |
| Wipers & Visibility | 67 | 0.0% |
When Each Problem Spiked
Year × component heatmap. Darker cells = more complaints that year. Reveals which model years a specific defect concentrated in — useful for spotting redesign-cycle quality dips.
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
Year-by-Year Breakdown
Tap any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
Data Sources & Methodology
Complaints: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation consumer complaint database (3,586 records for this model). Public domain data, updated monthly.
Sales data: Not yet available for this model. Complaint counts are shown as raw numbers.
Rate calculation: Complaints per 10,000 vehicles sold = (complaint count / US annual sales) x 10,000. This normalizes for sales volume so high-volume models like Civic or Camry aren't unfairly penalized.
Year classifications: AVOID = 1.5x+ the model's median complaint count. GOOD = 0.6x or below. Years less than 3 years old are marked TOO NEW (insufficient data).
See also: Dodge Dartaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
Buying a Dodge Dart?
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