There are 7 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2013 Dodge Dartin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
1)Headlights. I have had issues with my headlights since day one. They are so dull I upgraded the bulbs with the brightest LED bulbs available which did not help my legs did not get any brighter, I've had my headlights adjusted four different times which still did not help. I drive with my brights on anytime I have to drive at night and I still can hardly see anything on the road. It is not my eyes that are bad because multiple people have said the same thing and no one can tell me why my lights are so dime. This year alone I have replaced both my headlamp bulbs and turn signal bulb (left side) a total of 4 times because they have busted. I have ran into 3 ditches because I can't see anything. NOW, I do not drive at night and have lost work as a result. 2)Wheels. I have lost 4 front wheel tires while driving down the interstate in the last 2 years. I've purchased 8 tires during this time &have replaced all the broken lugnuts ea time. The lugnuts all snapped completely in 1/2 when my tires came off. I've been towed ea time and have endangered the life of others as well as my own & now I do not drive long distances & try to avoid going over 45 miles/hrs in fear of this happening again. As a result of loosing my tires while driving on interstate, I've replace right hub assembly 2 times &eft one time in last 2 years. On the electrical, tire, wheels, head lights & bulb replacements and repairs I have spent thousands .I was excited about getting my 1st dodge, but the dangerous, expensive, and horrible experience from my dodge has not only limited my driving to daytime hours on roads no more than 45 mph,, it's put fear in me to drive &purchase another! Every person that has worked on my car, been a passanger & that knows about my car us in utter disbelief as I am. I do not want to sell this vehicle to anyone else, in fear the purchaser could get hurt or hurt someone else! Every blog I've read and reviews for dodge dart have same issues & no re- placement parts available.
IT WAS DARK OUTSIDE AND I STARTED MY CAR, BUT THE HEAD LAMPS DIDN'T COME ON EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE IN THE AUTOMATIC SETTING. I TRIED TO TURN THE KNOB TO MANUALLY TURN THE LIGHTS ON, BUT THAT WOULDN'T WORK. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THEN RESTARTED IT, BUT HAD THE SAME ISSUE. I TRIED TO TURN MY BRIGHT LIGHTS ON, BUT THEY WOULDN'T COME ON EITHER. I WAS THEN STRANDED IN A DARK PARKING LOT, UNABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR.
VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH PROJECTOR-STYLE HEADLIGHTS. I HAVE 3 MAJOR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS STYLE OF HEADLIGHT. 1) THE PERFORMANCE IS SUBSTANDARD WHEN USED IN HIGH-BEAM MODE. THE WIDTH OF LIGHT BEAM IS TOO NARROW, I.E. TOO MUCH LIGHT IS FOCUSED STRAIGHT AHEAD AND NOT ENOUGH IS PROJECTED ON SHOULDERS & AREA ADJACENT TO ROADWAY MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE ON CURVED ROADS. THIS IS DUE TO A DESIGN COMPROMISE RESULTING FROM USING THE SAME FOCUSING LENS ON LOW-BEAM OPERATION. 2)LIGHTING IS REDUCED WHEN USED IN LOW-BEAM MODE. THE SHUTTER THAT BLOCKS UPPER PORTION OF THE BEAM REDUCES THE QUANTITY OF LIGHT CAST ON ROADWAY. 3) SAFETY HAZARD IS CREATED FOR OTHER VEHICLES WHEN PROJECTOR-STYLE HEADLIGHTS APPROACH OR FOLLOW ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE INTENSITY OF THE LIGHT BEAM IS VERY HIGH CAUSING OTHER MOTORISTS TO BE BLINDED WHEN A PROJECTOR-STYLE HEADLIGHT SHINES DIRECTLY INTO THE EYES OF ANOTHER MOTORIST. THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY WHEN DRIVING ON HILLS, AROUND CURVES, AND WHEN BEING APPROACHED OR FOLLOWING A VEHICLE OF A DIFFERENT HEIGHT. (SEDANS BEING LOWER THAN SUVS OR LIGHT TRUCKS) MY COMPLAINTS ARE NOT LIMITED TO MY VEHICLE ALONE, BUT ARE DIRECTED TO ALL VEHICLES USING PROJECTOR-STYLE HEADLIGHTS. WHILE PROJECTOR-STYLE HEADLIGHTS HAVE GOOD VERTICAL CUT-OFF, THE ADVANTAGE IS LOST BY THE OTHER DEFICIENCIES. PLUS, LOOKING DIRECTLY AT A REFLECTOR-STYLE HEADLIGHT DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME BLINDING EFFECT EXPERIENCED BY LOOKING AT PROJECTOR-STYLE LIGHTS. THE RESULT IS NO REAL ADVANTAGE IS OBTAINED IN THIS AREA. IN MY OPINION, THE OLDER, REFLECTOR-STYLE HEADLIGHTS ARE MORE EFFECTIVE IN ILLUMINATING THE ROADWAY, AND DO NOT HAVE THE BLINDING GLARE OF PROJECTOR-STYLE HEADLIGHTS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE PROJECTOR-STYLE HEADLIGHTS UNDERGO REDESIGN TO ELIMINATE THE GLARE PROBLEMS AND IMPROVE ROADWAY ILLUMINATION. IF THAT IS NOT TECHNICALLY POSSIBLE, THEN THEY SHOULD BE ELIMINATED.
WHILE DRIVING HEAD LIGHT JUST CUT OFF BY THE SELF HAS CARRIED BACK TO A DODGE CENTER NUMBER OF TIMES ON HIGHWAY AND CITY STREETS HAD A VERY CLOSE CALL ONE TIME
THE HEADLIGHTS ON THIS CAR ARE EXTREMELY DIM. THE ACCIDENT REFERENCED ABOVE CAUSED NO DAMAGE BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO AVOID GOING INTO A DITCH AT AN INTERSECTION BECAUSE OF THE SLOW SPEED. HOWEVER, I CANNOT SEE ANYTHING IN THE SIDE-DITCHES WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. I REPORTED THIS TO MY DEALER AND THE SERVICE MANAGER DROVE IT BOTH AT NIGHT AND IN THE MORNING DARKNESS. WHEN I ASKED HIM ABOUT IT, HE REPLIED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG AND "THEY ARE JUST NOT VERY BRIGHT, AND WERE ABOUT LIKE THE CHRYSLER 200. MY ROOMMATE HAS A DODGE CHARGER 2014, AND HIS LIGHTS ARE AS BRIGHT AS MOST CARS LIGHTS ARE. AS THIS SITUATION IN THESE DARTS COULD CAUSE DEATHS, I FEEL THIS MODEL CAR SHOULD BE CHECKED OUT THOROUGHLY AND BRIGHTER HEADLIGHTS INSTALLED, AND A RECALL MADE FOR THOSE ALREADY ON THE ROAD. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE DART. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TURNING ON THE MOTOR, THE VEHICLE INDICATED THAT THE LED LICENSE PLATE BULB FAILED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE BULB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AGAIN. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BCM HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
EIGHT MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE THE BCM (BODY CONTROL MODULE) FAILED CAUSING DOOR LOCKS AND TRUNK RELEASE NOT THE FUNCTION THIS HAPPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WASSTATIONARY OR IN MOTION ON CITY STREETS OR THE HIGHWAY. AFTER THE BCM WAS REPLACED THE INTERIOR LIGHTS STOP FUNCTIONING ALONG WITH THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS FLICKERING. THIS ALSO HAPPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WASSTATIONARY OR IN MOTION ON CITY STREETS OR THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE TRACTION CONTROL AND CRUISE CONTROL BOTH MALFUNCTION WHILE THE VEHICLE WASSTATIONARY OR IN MOTION ON CITY STREETS OR THE HIGHWAY. HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/B7LOROMDBHS HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/QCLHYWT17IK HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/JYHG7DPQNDQ HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/JDTTHGRYV6W
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026