NHTSA Reopens Probe into Dodge Dart Over Gear Shifter Cable Failures

If you own a 2013 to 2016 Dodge Dart with a 6-speed automatic transmission, this one’s for you. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has officially reopened an investigation into a known issue with the Dart’s shifter cable bushings—specifically those that were supposed to be fixed under a 2019 safety recall.

Back in April 2019, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), now part of Stellantis, issued Recall 19V-293 to address a safety issue involving deteriorating or detached shifter cable bushings. These bushings connect the shift cable to the transmission. The original parts were prone to damage from exposure to chemicals and engine bay heat, leading to potential detachment. To fix the issue, FCA replaced the bushings with a supposedly more durable version.

The danger? When the bushing fails and detaches, the gear shifter may appear to move normally, but the transmission doesn’t actually change gears. That means a driver might think the car is in PARK when it’s not. If the driver opens the door or exits the vehicle without realizing this, the Dart could roll away, potentially causing a crash.

Since that recall, NHTSA has received 44 consumer complaints reporting post-recall failures of the same component. While no injuries, crashes, or fatalities have been reported so far, the concern is serious enough that the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has opened a “Recall Query” (RQ), listed as RQ25002, to evaluate the effectiveness of FCA’s original fix and dig deeper into what’s causing these failures.

At the center of this investigation is whether the redesigned bushing used in the recall is actually holding up over time, and whether there might be other contributing factors leading to new failures.

If you’ve had this issue after the recall or are unsure whether your Dart was repaired under 19V-293, it’s worth checking your vehicle’s status at NHTSA.gov/recalls using your VIN.

We’ll continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as the investigation unfolds.