Dodge Lemon Law Buyback: Here Is Exactly What Stellantis Owes You

Key Takeaways

• A Dodge lemon law buyback requires Stellantis to repurchase your vehicle, refund your purchase price, pay off your loan, and reimburse out-of-pocket costs, minus a mileage offset.
• You typically qualify after 3 to 4 failed repair attempts for the same defect, 1 to 2 attempts for a serious safety defect, or 30 or more cumulative days out of service.
• Under state lemon law and the federal Magnuson-Moss Act, Stellantis pays the attorney fees, so The Lemon Reps handle your Dodge lemon law buyback at zero cost to you.

If your Dodge keeps going back for the same unfixed problem, you may be owed a Dodge lemon law buyback. Under both your state lemon law and the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, a buyback legally requires Stellantis to repurchase the vehicle, return your purchase price, pay off your loan, and reimburse your out-of-pocket costs. You pay nothing, because Stellantis pays your attorney fees.

You did not buy a Dodge Charger, Challenger, or Durango expecting it to become a dealership fixture. But if your vehicle keeps returning for the same defect, whether transmission shudder, engine misfires, or Uconnect failures, Stellantis may owe you something far more valuable than another repair attempt. They may owe you a full buyback.

Think your Dodge qualifies? Start your free Dodge lemon law buyback review or call (855) 785-4858. No cost, no pressure.

What Qualifies Your Dodge for a Buyback?

Before Stellantis is required to buy back your vehicle, you need to meet the threshold your state sets for a lemon law claim. Here is what that looks like in practice.

Repair attempts. Most states require 3 to 4 failed attempts to fix the same defect. For safety defects such as engine stalling while driving, brake failure, or uncontrolled steering, the threshold drops to just 1 to 2 attempts in most jurisdictions. You can check your state’s exact requirements here.

Days out of service. If your Dodge has been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days during the warranty period, for any combination of defects, you likely qualify regardless of how many individual repair attempts occurred.

“Could not duplicate” still counts. This is critical. When a Dodge dealer writes “could not duplicate the concern” on your repair order, that visit still counts as a repair attempt. It is one of the most common ways Stellantis tries to avoid lemon law liability, and one of the first things your lemon law attorney will address.

Federal backup. If your state’s specific thresholds have not been met, the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act applies a “reasonable number of attempts” standard that courts have interpreted as favorably as two attempts for serious defects. It covers all Dodge vehicles with a written warranty in all 50 states.

The Dodge Defects Most Likely to Qualify Right Now

Not every car problem qualifies, but these Dodge-specific defects are generating active Dodge lemon law buyback claims in 2026.

8-Speed ZF Automatic Transmission (Charger, Challenger, Durango). Harsh shifts between 1st and 2nd gear, shuddering during light acceleration, and delayed engagement after a full stop are the most-filed Dodge defects in lemon law claims nationally. Stellantis has issued multiple Technical Service Bulletins acknowledging the problem, which is powerful evidence that they knew and failed to fix it.

5.7L HEMI V8 Misfires (Charger, Challenger). Engine misfires under light throttle, rough idle, and intermittent check engine lights that dealers repeatedly fail to resolve. The 2021 to 2023 final combustion generation is particularly active in buyback filings right now.

Uconnect 5 System Failures. Screens freezing or going completely black, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto dropping mid-drive, and system reboots without warning. Recurring infotainment failures are a documented qualifying defect in most states.

Durango Powertrain Issues. Engine stalling, 9-speed transmission hunting between gears, and third-row electrical seat failures in R/T and Citadel trims.

Dodge Journey CVT Failures. The Journey’s continuously variable transmission hesitates, shudders, and overheats, and it is one of the most complained-about CVT systems in the industry. If you have had 3 or more visits for the same CVT issue, you almost certainly have a qualifying claim.

The Dodge Lemon Law Buyback Formula

This is the question most Dodge owners want answered before they call anyone. Here is how the math works, step by step.

Step 1. Start with your full purchase price. Include the vehicle price plus all taxes, title fees, registration fees, and dealer documentation fees listed on your purchase contract.

Step 2. Subtract the mileage offset. In California and many states the formula is: (miles on the odometer at the first repair attempt divided by 120,000) multiplied by the purchase price. This is the one deduction Stellantis is permitted to take, and it is calculated from the first visit, not from today’s mileage.

Step 3. Add loan payoff. If you financed your Dodge, the buyback includes full payoff of your outstanding loan balance. You leave the deal debt-free.

Step 4. Add incidental costs. Documented towing charges, rental car expenses, and hotel costs from breakdowns are all reimbursable.

Step 5 (California only). If Stellantis willfully violated California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, you may recover up to 2 times your purchase price as a civil penalty, which can substantially increase your total recovery.

Illustrative example (to show how the formula works, not a prediction or a past result). Take a Dodge Charger purchased for $46,500 with transmission shudder first reported at 8,000 miles. The mileage offset would be (8,000 divided by 120,000) multiplied by $46,500, which is about $3,100. The net buyback in this illustration is roughly $43,400, plus loan payoff and incidental costs. Your actual figure depends on your contract, your mileage, your defects, and your state.

The 2023 Charger and Challenger Buyback Window Is Closing

Here is a deadline most owners do not know about. The 2023 Dodge Charger and Challenger were the final internal combustion models, Dodge’s last V8 muscle cars. Owners of 2021, 2022, and 2023 models are now entering the window where their bumper-to-bumper warranty is either active or about to expire.

Once your warranty expires, your state’s lemon law window typically closes with it. The federal Magnuson-Moss Act gives you up to four years from the date of the first defect report, but only where the warranty was active when the defect first appeared.

If your final-year Charger or Challenger has had repeated repairs for the same issue, file before your warranty expires. You can check your state’s filing deadline here.

Does a Dodge Lemon Law Buyback Cover a Used or CPO Vehicle?

A certified pre-owned Dodge with an active manufacturer-backed warranty is covered by most state lemon laws and the federal Magnuson-Moss Act. What matters is whether you have a written warranty, not whether the vehicle is new or used.

A used Dodge with only a third-party service contract, and not a manufacturer warranty, is generally not covered by Magnuson-Moss, though some state lemon laws still provide protection. Learn more about how we handle lemon law claims.

How a Dodge Lemon Law Buyback Actually Happens: Step by Step

Step 1. You contact The Lemon Reps for a free case evaluation, about 10 minutes with no obligation.

Step 2. We review your repair orders and confirm you meet the threshold in your state.

Step 3. We send a formal demand letter to Stellantis on your behalf, which triggers their legal obligation to respond.

Step 4. Stellantis either offers a buyback, or we initiate arbitration or litigation.

Step 5. Most Dodge lemon law buyback cases settle within a few months. You receive your buyback, your loan is paid off, and your incidentals are reimbursed.

Step 6. Stellantis pays your attorney fees, so your recovery is yours in full.