2009 Dodge Challenger — 5.7L V8

The 2009 Dodge Challenger represents the first full model year of the generation, and its federal record reflects that positioning: complaints jump dramatically from 10 in 2008 to 132, while recalls more than double from 3 to 7 — the joint highest recall count in the entire generation alongside 2010. This places the 2009 at the front end of a steep complaint escalation that peaks in 2010 at 298 complaints before gradually declining across the rest of the generation, suggesting early production years carried the heaviest defect burden. The top complaint areas — Air Bags at 36, Power Train at 16, Engine at 12, and Electrical System at 9 — combined with 8 crash complaints and 4 fire complaints, indicate safety-critical system exposure typical of a launch-year vehicle still undergoing manufacturing stabilization. Notably, TSBs rise steadily from 34 in 2008 to 46 in 2009 and continue climbing across the generation, signaling that Dodge was actively identifying and documenting technical fixes throughout — but the data does not specify root causes for any individual complaint area. While 2010 is statistically the worst year, the 2009 is close enough in recall count and sits early enough in the defect arc to warrant caution. **Takeaway:** the 2009 Challenger is a first-full-year model with peak-level recalls and rising complaint momentum — buyers should verify that all 7 recalls have been completed and prefer a 2011 or later model year where complaint volume has dropped and manufacturing maturity has improved.