Washington, D.C. – August 19, 2025 – The U.S. government auto safety regulator is investigating Stellantis (NYSE:STLA) over allegations that 2013-2018 Dodge Dart cars may be difficult to shift into a selected gear. This defect increases the risk of a crash and injury.
If this investigation leads to a Dodge recall, it could affect 299,000 vehicles. These cars were already recalled back in 2019 for the same issue.
Investigation summary
The regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), initiated an investigation on June 30, 2025, following 44 complaints of vehicles being difficult to shift into a gear after their transmission shifter cables were replaced as part of the April 2019 recall.
Based on the allegations, the shifting issues range from difficult or failed Park gear engagement – which can lead to a vehicle rollaway – to “jumping out of gear” or engine shutdown while driving.
The purpose of the investigation is to determine whether the repairs performed during the previous recall are sufficient and establish how the current incidents relate to it.
Risks
If the Park gear is not engaged, the vehicle may roll away once the driver gets out of it. In addition, if the car jumps out of gear or shuts off while driving, it can get hit from behind. Both situations up the risk of an injury.
Dangerous incidents
One driver stated that a snapped transmission cable caused the steering wheel in her 2013 Dodge Dart to lock up on the highway, putting her and her passengers in a harmful situation.
Another one could not shift into Park, leaving him with a hard choice of either leaving the car running or turn the key into a position where it would shut off the engine but would not let him lock the doors. Despite his predicament, the dealership claimed that the car had no issues.
Other Dodge recalls
In June 2025, Dodge recalled electric Chargers that could fail to alert the nearby pedestrians of their silent approach.
In May 2025, Dodge SUVs were recalled because their rearview cameras failed to show an image when backing up, as reported.
Is your vehicle part of a recall?
This investigation could lead to a Dodge gear recall, affecting almost 300,000 cars. To do a Dodge recall check and see if your vehicle might be a part of it, please use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.
