Buyer Research

2013 Dodge Dart — Should You Buy One?

Typical asking price: $5,000–$8,500. There is 1 high-severity known issue you need to know before handing over a check.

Kestrel Take

An Alfa-Romeo-based compact that Dodge discontinued after three years — which tells you how it sold. The dual-clutch automatic is the problem child, and parts support for a short-lived model is thin. The manual with the 2.0L or 2.4L is the sane pick.

What we checked

Partly reconciled against public records, 2026-09-11

NHTSA holds 1,167 owner complaints for the 2013 Dodge Dart, across 1 recall campaign.

A big number here usually means a lot of these were sold, not that it is a bad vehicle — popular models collect more complaints for the same rate of trouble. So the total on its own says little. What is worth reading is the shape of it. 44% of them are about one thing — the transmission and drivetrain. That much concentration is a genuine pattern rather than background noise, and it is the first thing to check on any example you look at.

One recall campaign covers this model year. Recalls are repaired free, for any owner, with no time limit on most safety campaigns — but only if someone books it in. Ask the seller to show it was done, or have any dealer check the VIN; it takes them a couple of minutes and costs nothing.

Not written up yet: the brakes (286 complaints). That group is in the public record and is not covered by the issues below. Treat it as something to ask about, not as absent.

Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.

Known Issues for the 2013 Dodge Dart

Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents.

DDCT dual-dry-clutch automatic failuresHigh — wallet impact

The dual-clutch automatic shudders, hesitates, and fails, with a reputation bad enough to help kill the model. Repairs are expensive relative to the car.

Repair cost (estimate): $1,500-$3,500

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the transmission and drivetrain (516).

2.4L Tigershark oil consumptionMedium

The larger engine has a documented oil consumption issue; running low damages it.

Repair cost (estimate): $0 if monitored, $4,000+ if not

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the engine (178).

Discontinued-model parts availabilityMedium

Short production and Fiat-derived components make some parts hard to source.

Repair cost: Not yet priced

Source: not yet checked against public records.

Electrical and Uconnect faultsMedium

Assorted electrical gremlins and infotainment issues.

Repair cost (estimate): $200-$900

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under electrics and electronics (184).

Walk-Away Red Flags

✗Shuddering or hesitant automatic
✗Oil consumption on the 2.4L
✗A cheap price masking parts-availability pain
✗Electrical faults

Good Signs

✓6-speed manual
✓Oil consumption monitored
✓Clean maintenance history

Found a specific Dodge Dart?

This page covers what goes wrong on the 2013 Dodge Dart in general. The Kestrel report covers this specific car— the asking price vs. market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.

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Not ready to pay for one? The free read is instant and needs no card — it checks the asking price against the market and names the top issues for this year. It stops short of the verdict, because that needs the photos.

Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.