I was driving to the store to do some grocery shopping. I went in for 35min, finished with my shopping and got on in my car. I start the car and it doesn't start at all. All I hear is loud and weird noises coming from the engine. Guess what...I had to tow my car home. Talked to my own mechanic about the problem. He said it might need a new engine, few valves or pistons broken. He check the oil and coolant on my car and everything is fine he said, good oil and has coolant. So I don't know exactly how my engine got messed up. I have heard from many mechanics about this. Dodge engines are not great at all due to premature failure on the engine. So please don't buy a Dodge Charger, it will give you a lot of problems. Stay away from this engine.

I am the original owner on a 2006 Dodge charger R/T with the Performance Pack. Up to this point, other than regular maintenance (3000 mile oil changes, light bulb replacements, etc.) and recalls (gas tank, air bags & steering), the car has had no significant issues. I live close to work and am not a daily driver, hence my low mileage on the vehicle.

On this date, I drove about 20 miles to attend a work related conference. The drive there was uneventful, and there were NO trouble indications. No trouble lights, no anomalous noises and no performance issues. After the conference, I attempted to start the car and it didn't crank. I initially thought it was the battery. However, once we got it started, it made a horrendous grinding noise and immediately shut down.

Apparently, the valve seats dropped, which caused them to break into many pieces leading to piston, cylinder wall, valve and cylinder head failure. I have photos of my head and pistons that still have the original teflon on them. I reported this to Dodge, once I discovered that this is a KNOWN ISSUE and that the company offered lifetime engine/power train warranties AFTER 2006 as a means of recourse. No Recall. No Fix. Out of warranty. They basically said "Sorry, not sorry." But being great at customer service (sarcasm), they graciously offered me $500 for my mint condition vehicle towards a new car.

The only recourse is a total engine replacement (or rebuild if you are feeling lucky). I wasn't in a position to buy a new car with ZERO trade in value on a mint condition car with no engine. I ended up buying a remanufactured engine from Promar and had it installed by my mechanic for about $5200.00 total (engine was about 3k).

Needless to say, a class action lawsuit seems like the appropriate recourse for this mess. I have saved all my documentation in case this occurs. I will try to add photos later.

Wow, Glad I'm not alone, I've been Googling and Googling trying to find the most cost efficient way to fix or car... I've had my car for 4 years now. It first started with the Alternator 2012 going bad then the shifter 2014, I couldn't move it from out of park. It started running hot 2016 then yesterday it would crank at all .. like nothing, so I had it towed home. I had to miss a day of work. My mechanic came by and told me that the rod or chain is broken and basically that I need a NEW engine. Now I'm stuck with a car payment and a broken car. AND CATCHING UBER TO AND FROM WORK..SMH.. I don't know what to do I'm at lost for words.

People are saying that I might as well get a new Engine, but who has $3k + to replace the Engine + Labor or to even have it rebuilt is pricey. Dodge really needs to step up to the plate and take care of this issue we all have damn near the same problems and it's not by coincidence.

THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS PROBLEM AND DODGE KNOWS IT...WE NEED TO START A PETITION, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THIS MADNESS IS GOING TO STOP... I DON'T WANT ANOTHER DAMN DODGE..BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE..PISSED OFF...

I own a 2006 Dodge Charger R/T 5.7L Hemi, with under 83,000 miles and the engine blew. I brought this car new and have had my regular maintance on this vehicle on a regular basis. I don't even drive this vehicle 10,000 miles a year always less and i can't undestand why my engine would blow when it not begin used as much. I was driving to the store one day about 5 miles from my house, before i could get to the store the car started to run hot. I got to the store and went inside to shop, while waiting on my husband to come see what was the problem. After waiting for the engine to cool down we added water to the radiator and the car was running like it always has. After leaving the store and going back home it started running hot again, made it home and let it cool again before adding more water, then tried to start the car after adding more water and it wouldn't start.Had someone to come a check my car out and i was told that it was my motor and that it would cost 5-6 thousand to fix the problem. My husband is disable and we are on fixed income and can't afford that kind of money for repairs.Something needs to be done about this problems, espeically when you have some many people complaining about the same problems.

I was driving over to KC in Kansas, maybe a two hour drive and parked at a store, come out maybe twenty minutes later and the car won't start at all. After many tries it finally does only to sound like its blending rocks. Had to have it towed 2 hours back home and just found out today that it was a piston failure and the engine is shot, estimated cost was $8000. Needless to say I'm quite pissed to learn it's a known problem. I loved this car and probably did above and beyond as far as maintenance on it. I work on the road so it was a major problem not having my car. I can't leave till it's fixed and that costs me $1900 a week for every week I don't work so I need it fixed asap. I hate to say anything bad about Dodge because I brag on Dodge all the time, however when they won't do their part on something like this is just ridiculous and disappointing.

I thought I loved my Dodge Charger with a Hemi engine. It was a fun car to drive. Until I was driving home one day, 20 minutes on the road, and all of a sudden there was smoke coming from under the engine. I immediately pulled over and opened the hood, I had the car towed to the dealer and they told me that one of the pistons ceased and the engine had to be replaced. I did not have any warning that something was wrong and there the car only had 120,000 miles on it. However, my extended warranty had expired a year ago so the expense is all on me. I researched online and found several owners have had the same problem and it was being called premature engine failure due to the engine design. I contacted Chrysler and told them my story seeing if they can help out with the engine, seems to me it is their responsibility or at least partly. They said they already supported my car through warranty and 100,000 miles and there was nothing more they can do. I asked to speak to someone higher up and was told that was not going to happen. So much for customer appreciation. Ten years ago that car cost me more than $30,000 and I certainly expected to get more than 120,000 miles from it. And oh yes, Chrysler told me that my car is old...10 years old is old. I contacted www.nhtsa.gov (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) and filed a complaint against Chrysler for putting out an engine that causes premature engine failure. My advice for anyone thinking of buying a Dodge Charger, research all online reviews, buy an extended warranty and get rid of the car before the warranty ends. I don't expect much from filing a complaint and contacting Chrysler, but it makes me feel like I tried to do something about a situation that I shouldn't have to deal with.

Just parked in the driveway after work to get changed for soccer. I jumped in and cranked the engine and there was a horrible noise and the engine wouldn't start. I figured there was a big problem and called a tow truck. The mechanic stated that he suspected a piston broke and that the engine would need replacing. This was the case when he took it apart. I had a predicament....replace the engine and have a car to drive or nor replace the engine and sell for scrap. I elected to have the engine replaced. The cost including labour was $8K, which is slightly less than the replacement cost. I am beginning to dislike the car, but no-one wants to buy a car with a new engine.

We had no warning (e.i. Engine light not lit, not running hot, no strange sounds, etc.). The key died so when it wouldn't start up after putting gas in it we towed it to the dealership after hours. The next morning we get a call saying that the valve seat guide failed and pieces of it caused severe damage in the 4th cylinder of the motor. So the motor needed to be replaced.

Well when I purchased the vehicle I was talked into getting an extended warranty. I asked specifically what was covered and I was supposed to have coverage for any failure as long as it didn't result from lack of maintenance even had them add gaskets and seals per there recommendation.

Well the warranty company carefully worded to the point of the people working at the dealership and service departments for two different companies were confused by it. Ownergard said it would have been covered if the motor cause the seat guide to fail but since it was diagnosed the other way around it isn't covered. They don't count that as part of the internal engine...I love my car but I can't even afford to get it back to having one car to use. While paying a car payment for another that I can't even drive. Haven't had it for over a month and don't see me being able to get it back anytime soon. I never would've gotten the warranty nor this car in the 1st place if I knew I would be having to fight for something that should not have happened to begin with!

First the gear shifter broke, next the car stalled on a busy freeway in the fast lane with my kids in the car- we could have been killed, then one day as I was driving to the store I noticed the car seemed to be "choking/missing", so I got home and after a few hours got back in the "car" tried to start it and it just made a horrible sound- like a jet engine that was going to explode- well that noise I heard was the aluminun valve seat that had gotten stuck due to the different expansion rates in the different metals (how dumb are these car engineers- I could have told them this would be a problem) anyway long story short the damn thing exploded-

We put $15,000.00 down, paid 475.00 a month for 48 months- PLUS THE INSURANCE HAD TO BE FULL COVERAGE so add $200.00 a month to insure garbage so that's another $9,600.00 for the 48 months- plus we have had full coverage until May 2014 when the hunk of junk blew up.

I have been researching this for over a year now- DODGE/DIAMLER CHRYSLER NEEDS TO BE SUED! I am waiting for a class action law-suit to be announced- Again if anyone wants to start a suit and is SERIOUS contact me adamaliciadecoligny@gmail.com

Here's a link for the dummy who engineered this engine- I learned about this stuff in elementary school but hey I'm just saying- Anyone who has this same problem please read this- it will really piss you off that Dodge obviously knew this was a disposable engine and they took your money greedily like the snakes they are- THEY ARE SNAKE OIL SALESMAN- YES THEY STILL EXHIST!

http://www.physlink.com/Education/AskExperts/ae40.cfm

Update from Mar 25, 2016: GREAT NEWS! My Uncle has been working on it and it started up the other day! The repair should be complete in his next 2 visits to work on it. THERE IS HOPE! A lot of repair shops wanted to charge us up to $6,500.00 to repair but my Uncle got the job done for about $1,000.00 in parts plus we paid him additional monies for the labor. The exhaust needs to be hooked up so when I heard it start it was LOUD! I can't wait to hear it start up once he hooks up the exhaust. The trend I have seen this last few years are a lot of angry, hopeless charger owners that have taken a huge financial hit. We are in Northern California if anyone needs a mechanic.

06 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T. This car is a black widow. Extremely beautiful, sexy all of the above that a man would want but shall bite you in the ass in repair cost and constant ignorant problems. Needless to say I once was a Dodge man. One day while raining the brake light came on and the windshield wipers automatically went to fast mode out of control. What came next was a stall. Where as only on rainy days would occur has began to not being able to get it out of the driveway. Last night it stalled out 17 times in a row. From what I'm seeing this is a common problem. We should all stand up and take action again Dodge to fix this issue now! Power to the people! If anyone has had. The same issue and had it resolved feel to e-mail clardy_matt@yahoo.com thanks

I bought my 2006 Dodge Charger r/t in July of 2013. I got my inheritance and paid for it in full. 19k plus $1,700 for extended warranty which I thought was 100k miles or 2 years, whichever came first. In May 2014 I went to get gas and when I went to leave it wouldn't start. No warning lights came on or anything. I took very good care of it.

So I towed it to the used dealership where I had warranty just to find out my warranty expired. At that time I had only had the car 10 months. They said my warranty was only for 22k miles and I had went 24k, but they said they thought it had something to do with a gas refilling and then stalling which Dodge put a recall out on. So I towed it to Dodge and they tell me 2 days later that my 4th valve seat dropped and shot metal throughout my engine. Basically I need a new engine !!!!

I flipped my lid!!! How is it that Dodge doesn't have to honor this????? I Googled my cars engine and found this site and obviously many, many others have exact same problem, we all just stopped at different places. One stopped to get coffee, I stopped to get gas.... How do we get Dodge to cover these costs??? Do we all need to start a class action lawsuit>??? And if so, can anyone with this same problem contact me a.s.a.p cuz I'm not cool with this at all. I'm a single woman, 41 years old and need help figuring this all out. Please call or message me at 916-358-0838.... Sincerely, one pissed off Dodge owner.

The Dodge engine designers for their aluminum heads (at least for the ones on my Charger) oughtta be fired!!!

The intake valve seat dropped from # 5 cylinder - shattering the valve seat, damaging the piston, breaking the piston compression rings, contaminating the exhaust system/intake manifold/oil, minor scoring of the cylinder wall, and "chewing up" the compression surface area of the head as relates to #5 cylinder.

Simply put - this is a chronic issue from a poorly designed aluminum head. The different materials related to the head (aluminum - base material, and hardened steel - valve seats) have different expansion rates. Basically, the aluminum expands faster than steel - allowing a looser fit for the valve seat. Since the bore for the OEM valve seats are straight (as in - not wedged) then valve seats have a tendency to slip out, get cocked between the valve and the head - preventing the valve from closing. Since the valve is not fully seated, the piston comes to TDC (Top Dead Center) and physically strikes the valve. This can cause any or all of the initial reactions: broken valve, shattered valve seat, hole in piston. Secondary trouble: broken piston, broken piston rings, scored cylinder walls, oil contamination with failed material, contaminated/clogged catalytic converter, contaminated exhaust piping, failed O2 sensor, and more.

The damage to the head was minor enough that I was able to grind and polish the damaged area. I had the head pressure tested and checked for cracks by a local auto machinist. He replaced the valves for #5 cylinder and all the seals and reseated all the valves. When he replaced the valve seats, he milled them to "wedge" into the seat socket so it would essentially be impossible for them to fall out again.

I've read many other complaints - not just here.

one Friday evening me the wife & son went out for supper. after that we was going to Wal-Mart but we forgot something @ home so I drove home shut the car off waiting on the wife. she gets in the car I go to start the car & bam sounded like a hammer beating inside the engine. it would not start so I let it cool down some. it started but it was knocking smoking got it in the garage .i knew what it was internal problem BAD one! i am disabled so I have no money to get it fixed.it has sat in the garage for months until my brother let me borrow the money to fix it. now im trying to pay him back. ive been a dodge man for a long time & still am. dodge should get off their butt & fix the problem & reimburse all the dodge owners out there cause this has really set me back, money wise that is!

In 2006 I was proud to own a high horse power sedan A R/T model with 355 horse power until the day of 8/28/2014 when my wife called me from work and said the motor sounds like a Diesel engine. When I tried to start it, mind you I was telling my brother how good this car has been the night before. Had it towed to my great mechanic, he tried to start the car, hard starting and when it did he shut it down and these were his words INTERNAL FAILURE.

I said how can a new aged auto mobile with 84000 miles have a blown motor, are you listening Dodge? He said these words, "it is common for the 5.7 Hemi Motor to fail". Why was the question? He said because the oiling holes for the rocker bearings are not large enough starving the bearings of oil thus over heating the every bearing. What he did suggest was to get the upgrades, bore out the oiling holes so bearings get lots of oil to them.

So if anyone plans on getting a new motor you are wasting your hard earned money on more junk, rebuild the motor with the up grades and shame on Dodge for not taking care of the hand that feeds them. In closing, will not buy another Dodge product but will have their screw up fixed as I do like the room and horse power.

Update from Jan 4, 2015: Picked up my car after 3 months good thing my other car is a chevy camaro ss2 to take its place. Dodge would you be so kind and give me back 5400 dollars I need yo pay for another motor that blew up in my polaris RZr XP900 JAGGED X ADDITION must be the year of blown engines due to poor designs. Back to the motor issue all the upgrades were put into the motor also bored out 30 over 400hp hybrid srt8. In closing we should all get together for a law suit