Dodge Lemon Law Attorney in California

Dodge sells a mix of vehicles that few brands match: the three-row Durango SUV, the Charger Daytona electric muscle car, the compact Hornet with its plug-in hybrid R/T version, and the Challenger and earlier Charger that many California drivers still own. If yours has a problem the dealer keeps failing to fix, read on.

When a new or leased Dodge cannot be repaired after a reasonable number of tries, California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act requires FCA US LLC, the Stellantis company that warrants Dodge vehicles, to replace it or buy it back. A buyback returns what you paid toward the vehicle, minus a deduction for the miles you drove before the first repair visit for the defect. You do not need a recall to have a case, and you do not need to have reached any particular number of visits before you ask a California lemon law attorney for an opinion.

Dodge Warranty Coverage and Lemon Law

Coverage is set out in the FCA US Warranty Information booklet for your model year. The 2024 Dodge booklet on the Mopar owner site lists these terms at a glance:

• Basic Limited Warranty: 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever occurs first.
• Powertrain Limited Warranty: 5 years or 60,000 miles.
• Dodge Hornet hybrid battery: 8 years or 100,000 miles.
• Corrosion: 3 years with unlimited miles for all panels and 5 years with unlimited miles for outer panels.

For the battery-electric Charger Daytona, Dodge's official EV FAQ states that the battery has a limited warranty of 8 years or 100,000 miles. Check your own booklet, because model years can differ.

Certified pre-owned Dodges come with coverage that depends on the vehicle's age and mileage. Dodge's site lists three tiers: a 7-year/100,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty with a 3-month/3,000-mile Extended Care Premium Limited Warranty, a 12-month/12,000-mile Extended Care Premium Limited Warranty, or a 3-month/3,000-mile Extended Care Premium Limited Warranty.

Why the warranty matters: California lemon law protects you when a defect covered by the manufacturer's express warranty is not fixed. If the problem began during the 3-year/36,000-mile basic period, or during the longer powertrain or battery term for those parts, you may have a claim even after that coverage has ended, as long as the defect was reported while covered. Your repair orders are the proof, so keep every one.

Used muscle cars are a special case. Many Challengers and Chargers in California change hands as used cars. After Rodriguez v. FCA US LLC (2024), an ordinary used vehicle sold with only the rest of the factory warranty generally does not count as a "new motor vehicle" under Song-Beverly. A certified pre-owned Dodge, a demo, or a dealer-owned vehicle can still qualify, so hold on to the certification checklist and sale contract.

Dodge Recalls and Complaints by the Numbers

From our database of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration records for the 2021 and newer model years:

• 31 recall campaigns covering Dodge vehicles
• 1 told owners to park outside because of fire risk
• 1,037 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Most common recall areas

Most recalled models

Most common complaint areas

Recent Dodge recalls

• Charger: Back Over Prevention (26V531000, 2026-08-13)
• Durango: Structure (26V528000, 2026-08-13)
• Hornet: Seat Belts (26V510000, 2026-08-06)
• Charger Ev: Electrical System (26V262000, 2026-04-23)
• Hornet Phev: Service Brakes, Hydraulic (25V846000, 2025-12-09)
• Charger Ev: Power Train (25V574000, 2025-09-04)
• Charger Ev: Back Over Prevention (25V389000, 2025-06-12)
• Hornet: Back Over Prevention (25V246000, 2025-04-15)

See every Dodge recall or check your VIN for recalls.

Common Dodge Problems in Recalls and Complaints

According to NHTSA recall and complaint data, Dodge has 31 recalls affecting vehicles from the 2021 model year forward, and owners have filed 1,037 complaints about those model years.

Recalls by component and model

Back over prevention leads the recall list with 5 recalls. That category covers rearview cameras and, on the Charger Daytona, the pedestrian warning sound an EV must make at low speed, as in this Charger EV pedestrian alert recall. Electrical system, structure and powertrain each have 3 recalls. Structure recalls include a Durango liftgate recall, and a powertrain recall on the Charger Daytona involved the park pawl, the part that holds a vehicle in Park. Air bags, tires, equipment and seats have 2 recalls each.

The Durango appears in 11 recalls, the Charger in 8, the Hornet in 7, the Challenger in 6 and the Charger EV in 3, with the Hornet PHEV in 1. The Hornet shares its platform with the Alfa Romeo Tonale, so some campaigns, like a brake pedal linkage recall, cover both. One Dodge recall since the 2021 model year told owners to park outside until it was repaired, and two were fixed with over-the-air software updates.

What owners report

Electrical system complaints lead with 188. Owners describe battery drain, gauges or screens that go dark, and warning lights with no clear cause. Exterior lighting is unusually high for Dodge at 141 complaints, covering headlights and other lamps that fail or flicker. Engine (85) and powertrain (74) complaints describe misfires, loss of power, and shifting or drive-mode faults. Service brake complaints total 66, forward collision avoidance 64 and fuel or propulsion 51, which includes EV and plug-in hybrid drive system problems. Another 85 are unclassified or other issues.

By model, the Durango has the most complaints (482), followed by the Charger EV (141), Charger (123), Hornet (98), Challenger (94) and Hornet PHEV (90).

How a Dodge Lemon Law Claim Works

Dodge warranty repairs are handled by authorized Stellantis dealers, usually stores that also sell Chrysler, Jeep and Ram. If you drive a Charger Daytona or Hornet R/T, call ahead to confirm the dealer services electric and plug-in hybrid systems. Each visit, at any authorized dealer, counts.

A practical checklist

1. Report the problem early and the same way each time. Use the same words at every visit so the repair orders show one continuing defect, not a string of unrelated issues.
2. Read the repair order before you leave. Make sure it lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out. If it says "no problem found," your complaint should still be on it.
3. Mail a short letter to the Customer Assistance Center address in your booklet.
4. Keep the vehicle stock where you can. Performance owners often add tunes, intakes or exhausts. A modification does not void your whole warranty, but FCA US may claim it caused the defect. Keep receipts showing what was installed and when.
5. Capture the evidence. Video intermittent problems, photograph warning messages before restarting, and on an EV or PHEV save charging session records and range readings.
6. Track software updates and recalls. In our experience, a software update can count as a repair attempt, and we have seen the same update applied 5 or 6 times without a fix. A recall visit can count too, especially if you complained before the recall.

What a resolution can look like

Most cases end in one of three ways: a buyback, a replacement vehicle, or a cash and keep settlement where you keep the Dodge and receive a payment. Leased vehicles qualify too, and a buyback on a lease pays off the lease and refunds what you paid toward it.

Ask for a lemon law buyback review as soon as a pattern appears, because the biggest mistake we see is waiting too long. Days waiting for recall parts count toward the 30-day out-of-service total. Run your numbers through our lemon law calculator and look up your VIN for open recalls.

Popular Dodge Models We Handle

Dodge Durango

A three-row SUV offered with V6 and V8 engines. The Durango appears in 11 recalls since the 2021 model year and leads Dodge with 482 NHTSA complaints.

Dodge Charger Daytona (Charger EV)

Dodge's battery-electric muscle car. It appears in 3 recalls and has 141 complaints. Its high-voltage battery carries its own 8-year/100,000-mile limited warranty.

Dodge Charger

The Charger name covers both the earlier gas sedan and the newer generation. Together they appear in 8 recalls and have 123 complaints.

Dodge Hornet and Hornet R/T

A compact SUV sold with a gas engine or as the plug-in hybrid Hornet R/T. The Hornet appears in 7 recalls with 98 complaints, and the Hornet PHEV has 90 complaints.

Dodge Challenger

The two-door Challenger appears in 6 recalls and has 94 complaints since the 2021 model year.

In our experience, recall-related cases often resolve in about 1 to 3 months from the first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs. Whether you need a Los Angeles lemon law attorney or help elsewhere in California, call 877-536-6620 for a free case review.

California Lemon Law for Dodge Owners

The Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act protects Dodge owners and lessees in California. If Dodge or its authorized repair facilities cannot fix a warranty defect after a reasonable number of attempts, the manufacturer must repurchase or replace the vehicle (Civil Code 1793.2(d)).

A vehicle is presumed to be a lemon if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery, the same problem was repaired 4 or more times, a defect that could cause death or serious injury was repaired 2 or more times, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs for more than 30 days in total (Civil Code 1793.22). Many vehicles outside that window still qualify while they are under warranty. New, leased, certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles can qualify; ordinary used cars without a new-car warranty generally no longer do after Rodriguez v. FCA US (2024).

What you can recover

• Buyback: your down payment, payments, taxes and fees, minus a mileage offset, with the loan or lease paid off.
• Replacement with a comparable new vehicle.
• Cash and keep: a cash settlement while you keep the vehicle.
• Civil penalty of up to two times your damages if the manufacturer willfully failed to comply (Civil Code 1794(c)).

What it costs

You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.

Estimate your refund with the California lemon law calculator, read how a California lemon law attorney can help, or visit our Los Angeles lemon law attorney page. Call 877-536-6620 for a free case review.

Dodge Lemon Law FAQ

Is my Dodge Durango covered by California lemon law?

Yes, if you bought or leased it new, or certified pre-owned, in California and it has a warranty defect that has not been fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts.

Does lemon law apply to the electric Dodge Charger Daytona?

Yes. EVs are covered like any other new vehicle, and the Daytona's battery has an 8-year/100,000-mile limited warranty, so a battery or drive system defect reported during that period may support a claim.

Who pays my attorney fees in a Dodge lemon law case?

You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.

Will a tune or aftermarket exhaust hurt my Dodge lemon law case?

It can give FCA US an argument, but it does not automatically defeat your claim. What matters is whether the modification caused the defect, so keep receipts and tell your attorney about every change.

Can I get a buyback for a Dodge Hornet with a recall?

Possibly. A recall alone is not enough, but recall visits can count as repair attempts, and in our experience a recall with no available fix can support a buyback on its own.

What is the mileage offset on a Dodge buyback?

The manufacturer deducts an amount based on the miles you drove before you first brought the vehicle in for the defect, divided by 120,000 and multiplied by the price you paid.