Sports and off-road · model years 2014 to 2019
Ford Mustang vs Dodge Charger: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Mustang and the Charger split evenly (3 each, the rest too close to call).
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2014 to 2019 | Mustang | Charger |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 5.1% | 7.0% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 1.4% | 1.7% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 3.0% | 4.1% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 37,000 | 48,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 4.3 | 3.7 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 2 | 1 |
| NHTSA investigations | 3 | 3 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Mustang owners complain about most is airbags; for the Charger it is electrical. Complaints citing backup camera make up 10.0% of all Mustang complaints, against 0.4% on the Charger. The Charger leans the other way on electrical: 26% of its complaints, against 14% for the Mustang.
Ford MustangDodge Charger
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Mustang is airbag problems (17% of its complaints). On the Charger it is infotainment problems (12% of its complaints), against 14% on the Mustang.
| Problem | Mustang | Charger |
|---|---|---|
| Airbag warning light or recall | 17% 290most in 2014 · 26k mi | 11% 107most in 2019 · 57k mi |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 14% 247most in 2015 · 36k mi | 12% 123most in 2018 · 43k mi |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 6.8% 119most in 2016 · 20k mi | 7.8% 79most in 2014 · 44k mi |
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 5.4% 95most in 2015 · 32k mi | 7.8% 79most in 2014 · 38k mi |
| Check engine light or misfire | 7.8% 136most in 2019 · 60k mi | 3.4% 3488k mi |
| Engine overheats or leaks coolant | 6.8% 120most in 2019 · 61k mi | 0 |
| Power steering cuts out or goes heavy | 1.4% 2440k mi | 5.4% 54most in 2014 · 70k mi |
| Doors, latches or locks fail | 6.2% 109most in 2015 · 55k mi | 0 |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Mustang owners report problems earlier. Half the Mustang complaints that give a mileage come before 37,000 miles; for the Charger the halfway point is 48,000. 63% of Mustang reports and 51% of Charger reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Ford MustangDodge Charger
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 949 for the Mustang and 577 for the Charger.
Worst and best years
The 2015 Mustang draws 1.7 times the complaints of a typical Mustang year for its age. The 2014 Charger draws 2.0 times the complaints of a typical Charger year for its age.
Ford MustangDodge Charger
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The Mustang draws more recalls: 4.3 campaigns per model year against 3.7 for the Charger. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Ford Mustang
26 recall campaigns and 3 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: airbags (5), latches/locks/linkages (3) and seat belts (3).
- Do not drive 19V-001 (airbags), model years 2014
- Do not drive 15V-319 (airbags), model years 2014
- 25V-572 (backup camera) covers 5 model years
- 16V-779 (engine and engine cooling) covers 3 model years
Investigations
- EA21002: Desiccated air bag inflator rupture (open)
- RQ19005: Door latch failures (closed, led to a recall)
- PE16001: Door latch failure (closed, led to a recall)
Dodge Charger
22 recall campaigns and 3 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: electrical (6), transmission and drivetrain (5) and airbags (4).
- Do not drive 19V-018 (airbags), model years 2014 and 2015
- 18V-332 (electrical) covers 5 model years
- 17V-097 (transmission and drivetrain) covers 4 model years
Investigations
- EA21002: Desiccated air bag inflator rupture (open)
- EA16002: Vehicle rollaway, engine on (closed, led to a recall)
- RQ15004: Software security vulnerability (closed, led to a recall)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
A larger share of Charger complaints report a crash: 7.0%, against 5.1% for the Mustang. Fire reports: 24 for the Mustang and 17 for the Charger. Complaints on file report 2 deaths in the Mustang and 2 in the Charger for these model years.
Ford MustangDodge Charger
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Ford Mustang or the Dodge Charger more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Mustang and the Charger split evenly (3 each, the rest too close to call). NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Mustang has 1,754 complaints and the Charger 1,008 for model years 2014 to 2019, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Mustang or the Charger?
The Mustang has 26 recall campaigns and the Charger 22 across model years 2014 to 2019. The Mustang draws more recalls: 4.3 campaigns per model year against 3.7 for the Charger.
What are the most common problems on the Mustang and the Charger?
The most reported problem on the Mustang is airbag problems (17% of its complaints). On the Charger it is infotainment problems (12% of its complaints), against 14% on the Mustang.
More comparisons
- Ford Mustang vs Chevrolet Camaro2014 to 2017
- Chevrolet Camaro vs Dodge Charger2014 to 2017