DODGE CHARGER · model year

1985 DODGE CHARGER

13 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1985DODGECHARGER carries 13 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1985 CHARGER is exterior lighting:tail lights with 1 filings, followed by visibility:windshield (1) and electrical system:wiring (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.

NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1985 CHARGER. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

13
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

13 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS1
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR1
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY1
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS1
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY1
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD1

Recent Complaints

19951129FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

THE VEHICLE HAD A FIRE AND BURNED EVERYTHING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. TT WIRING CAUGHT FIRE AND MELTED ALL PLASTIC AND RUBBER PARTS ON MOTOR , CONSUMER STATES IT HAD FILLED WITH SMOKE ON TWO OTHER OCCASIONS PRIOR TO THE FIRE. *SLC

19951026EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS

TAIL LIGHT BROKE FROM BEING PUSHED.

19951026VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

WATER LEAKS THROUGH WINDSHIELD ONTO COMPUTER.

19951026ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

PROBLEM WITH STARTER WIRING.

19951026ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

INTERMITTENT STALLING.

19951026ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

ALTERNATOR REPLACED FIVE TIMES.

19951026POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT

WHEEL BEARING FAILURE.

19951026ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

THERMOSTAT FAILURE.

19951026STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)

PROBLEM WITH STEERING GEAR BOX.

19951026SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

BRAKE FAILURE.

19951026FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS

FUEL INJECTOR FAILURE.

19951026POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

RIGHT FRONT AXLE REPLACED TWICE. *AW

19951026EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

A/C COMPRESSOR FAILED.

Compare 1985DODGECHARGER to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1985 DODGE CHARGER have?
The 1985 DODGE CHARGER has 13 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 DODGE CHARGER?
The most-complained component for the 1985 DODGE CHARGER is EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING.
Is the 1985 DODGE CHARGER safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1985 DODGE CHARGER; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.