CarComplaints.com Notes: The first year of the new Dodge Dart had a rough start, with owners reporting a disproportionate number of engine and transmission problems.

For transmission, the main complaints are transmission failure & rough shifting. So far, average mileage for transmission failure is 25,000 miles. Not good.

For engine problems, it usually starts with the engine light coming on for any number of reasons: bad sensors, ignition coil replacement, bad wiring, faulty gas cap ... dealers are replacing various components with varying degrees of success, or telling owners they can't duplicate the issue.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
6 / 4
Injuries / Deaths:
6 / 0
Average Mileage:
47,214 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2013 Dodge Dart miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2013 Dodge Dart Owner Comments (Page 1 of 7)

problem #124

Sep 212023

Dart

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The micro shift on the shifter does not push the lever up enough to register that the car is in park. You think your car is in park until you go to take the key out and it does not come out. OR I parked in a parking spot thinking I put it in park as my car displayed park and it started rolling. There is a whole forum about this issue. So I know I-??m one of hundreds. This is really unsafe.

- Orland Park, IL, USA

problem #123

May 122023

Dart

  • miles
Transmission control module failed. Gear shifts into neutral when driving and shuts car off. Gear position sensor bad causing gear to shift while driving.

- Texas City , TX, USA

problem #122

Jul 042023

Dart

  • miles
Transmission shifting cable bushing is stripped. Car is stuck in park.

- Little Rock, AR, USA

problem #121

Mar 062023

Dart

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was parked. When I turn my car on to put it in drive the shift moved but the car manually stayed in park. I had to continuously turn it on and off to get it in drive.

- Riverdale, GA, USA

problem #120

Nov 112022

Dart

  • miles
My rear facing camera has begun to malfunction. Sometimes it does not work at all and sometimes the image comes through upside down. I am told it will many dollars to determine if its the camera or its connection to my radio. In either event, the fix is said to cost over one thousand dollars.

- Mahopac, NY, USA

problem #119

Oct 012022

Dart

  • miles
The rear backup camera turns off or doesn't function while in reverse frequently.

- Chesterfield, MI, USA

problem #118

Jan 112022

Dart

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Car stops moving as you are driving it. Took it to multiple mechanics including Dodge dealership. Dodge stated they see this often with Darts. Engine light and service transmission is on screen after it stops moving (rpm revs but no movement). Been ongoing since august 2018. Sending photos of some of the beginning incidents to not overwhelm.

- Defiance , OH, USA

problem #117

May 172022

Dart

  • miles
I took my car in for the last recall and now my car wont shift into gear. The gear shifter moves but does not connect to my car to get it to start going. Ive called the dealership and they wont even call me back. My car won't even move. This is a huge hazard!!!

- Apex, NC, USA

problem #116

Sep 162021

Dart

  • miles
I was backing out of the driveway to go to work and my car suddenly stopped. All the lights on the shifter had turned red and moving the shifter did nothing. I restarted the car and everything worked normally but I am concerned about my car doing it again while driving on a busy road and put mine and other drivers safety in jeopardy. The car is available for inspection at any time. There were no other inspections or warning signs of this happening.

- Frankfort, IN, USA

problem #115

Aug 212021

Dart

  • miles
A recall on the shifter cable bushing was said to be completed on 01/15/20 at Shelor Motor Mile, Christiansburg, VA. On 08/21/21, the bushing broke and came off the shifter cable, leaving the car stuck in gear. In between the time of the alleged recall repair and this happening (~18 months), my car was driven from 40,000 to 60,000 miles. I believe the dealer dishonestly said they fixed the recall to pocket money and banking it wouldn-€™t fail in my car. This was a safety issue to me and could have been much worse. A recalled part that was fixed should not have failed less than 2 years and 20,000 miles later. I am now left to fix the repairs on my own. This dealer should be investigated to ensure others are getting their recalls properly taken care of so it is not a threat to their life/property.

- Vinton, VA, USA

problem #114

Aug 262021

Dart

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The incident that occurred involved my clutch and transmission. I had purchased the car (8/17/2021)about 2 weeks before complete failure. Everything was going fine until I entered the freeway (8/26/2021)and after driving around 5 miles in 6th gear doing about 65 with no initial issues, I started to smell something burning. I immediately looked for the safest way to get out of traffic. While slowing, gears weren-€™t shifting and I was basically stuck in neutral. I only had control of brakes and steering wheel which caused me to have to make extremely dangerous evasive maneuvers. Once safe, I was able to find the source of the smoke. Which turned out to be dot 3 from where, what I think is the slave cylinder connects to the top of the transmission. I was able to remove it to check for damage/defection. It was dripping dot 3 and I didn-€™t see any noticeable defects. Plugged it back. Tried to drive and the clutch engages to start vehicle/change gears. But gears were able to change without clutch as well. Yet i couldn-€™t get out of neutral. Towed it home, next day clutch pedal was on the floor with no pressure. All components are available for inspection upon request, the safety of everyone involved was put at risk due to me not having any control of anything but the brakes and steering; with no warning or idea of what could be wrong due to the instantaneous nature of the disastrous incident. On a public highway with people going speeds of up to 85 mph. I have not been able to get confirmation or reproduction by anyone. I have not had any inspection due to my lack of knowledge on this process. There was no warning light or indication that the incident was going to happen until I had limited-no control.

- Olivehurst, CA, USA

problem #113

Aug 172021

Dart

  • miles
Car in park with emergency brake on abs will not turn off. Says vehicle not in park. Took several times shifting back and forth to get the car to turn off.

- Marion, VA, USA

problem #112

Aug 062021

Dart

  • miles
automatic shifter cable bushing failed causing me to be stuck in a parking lot in park (P) and not shift gears. gear shift moved but did not actually shift leaving me stuck. bushing under hood connected to trans when first investigated by myself, was in fact connected just fine with no issues to be seen. issued was identified to be the bushing failing under the actual gear shifter itself after the dealership tore my car apart. the tech manually put my car in drive so I could drive it to the dealership to have them fully diagnose the problem and just that is &100. dodge dealership tells me that the recall was completed in may of 2020 on only the bushing connecting to the transmission under the hood. dealership wants $620 to replace the full cable and bushings because the bushing under gear shifter was not replaceable nor does it pertain to the end under the hood end. I was told by the dealership the only fix is to have the entire cable was replaced which is ridiculous knowing there has been a recall on this same issue but now its the bushing at the shifter. I am very lucky to be parked and not moving. absolutely no known warning lights/messages/symptoms to be known this would happen.if there is a recall on one end of the bushing why is there no recall on the opposite end of cable connected to the gear shifter?

- Vale, NC, USA

problem #111

Mar 032021

Dart

  • miles
While driving the car will jump out of drive into neutral. It has done this for about a year now and when I got the car was told by mt airy Dodge that there was a recall on the shifter which would fix the problem I havent had the shifter serviced yet but I called today to make an appointment to have that recall fixed for them to tell me my car doesnt have any recalls

- Dobson, NC, USA

problem #110

Mar 142013

Dart 4-cyl

  • miles
Ever since we purchased the vehicle in 2013 we have had issues with it. I have taken it in numerous times as the panel would just go blank from time to time and heater would go full blast no way to control radio or anything through the panel. I would also complain that the gear shifter would stick meaning only when I would be in reverse it would stick and not go into drive unless you forced it to the left and back into drive it would catch the gear. This has been a non going thing through the dealership we went as far as filing a complaint with Chrysler as that is the number dealership referred us too. They said it was a defective car, but we got no where with it and finally warranty was up and then they wanted alot of money to replace the panel after it had been replaced before by them. Our chart is probably so thick in regards to the same wrong malfunction. It only happens during the winter months as right now its doing it again and I am sure with the sticking and us needing to force it into drive is probably not a good thing either. I have thrown my hands up in the air with this car and trying to get someone to help me, but I can not afford to buy a new car. I would just like for someone to do right by this lemon they make it so hard to constantly try and followup or they keep giving us different numbers with no call back. So if you could please do a report on this and look into this for me. I would truly appreciate it. I am sure my car is not the only one with this malfunction as the people in the service department have made it clear that they were no good. Please help me with this I can be contacted at [xxx]. thank you in advance. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Oswego, IL, USA

problem #109

Nov 112020

Dart

  • 79,200 miles
There has to be some kind of issue with my vehicles computer system. My iphone no longer connects to the car via bluetooth, the entire computer screen will shut down and reload randomly, the reverse camera goes in and out (sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, and there are times when the buttons on the radio function won't work at all.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #108

Dec 102018

Dart

  • 79,000 miles
1st incident: Drove my girlfriend to work. Came home and parked the car. Went back out and it kept saying gear not found. They had to put a wire on my transmission module, or said I could by a new one. 2nd for about the last year it won't find the gear. Says go to neutral then drive. Sometimes won't go to anything. 3rd. Wipers went on and wouldn't turn off. Sprayer doesn't work. Lady on the phone said the recall was fixed in 2016. But obviously it is still an issue.

- Doe Run, MO, USA

problem #107

Aug 262020

Dart

  • 35,000 miles
The car stalls... normally after slowing down & turning. Transmission inoperable code along with check engine light. Very dangerous.

- Leander, TX, USA

problem #106

Aug 252015

Dart

  • 20,000 miles
My vehicle has had two recalls done on it. Tcm repair and transmission cable bushing. I took it to get a diagnostic. My tcm needs to be replaced again & my transmission won't shift sometimes after my transmission bushing repair.

- Sparks, NV, USA

problem #105

Feb 262020

Dart

  • 88,166 miles
The car after the start it smells like some electrical circuit is burning from inside and it comes mostly after 10 or 20 mins drive intensively and at the same time the car starts to jerk when accelerating.

- Terre Haute, IN, USA

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