The Dodge Dart is a nameplate that traces its roots back to the late 1950s when Dodge was busy making long yacht-like 4-door and 2-door sedans until it all came to a halt in the mid-1970s. Be that as it may, Dodge didn’t retire the Dart designation as they reinstated it with a drastically different, front-wheel-drive four-door compact sedan in 2012, but only kept it until 2016.
In this article, we will focus on the 2012-2016 Dodge Dart and share with you all the potential transmission issues associated with the more modern Dodge Dart. So, if you are in the market for a used Dodge Dart, be sure to read this article as this will give you a broad and thorough understanding of what to expect with Dodge Dart transmission problems. Before going any further, time for a quick recap!
The manual transmission on the Dodge Dart is known to experience problems with the clutch pedal failing. The 6-speed Powertech automatic transmission suffers from side shifter cable problems and unexpected shifts into neutral, while the 6-speed DCT dual-clutch is prone to stalling, especially during cold weather.
Now it’s time to go a bit more in-depth about all of these, one by one. We will mention all the relevant NHTSA complaints, official technical service bulletins, solutions, and notable existing recalls, all of which should be more than enough for a thorough understanding of Dodge Dart transmission problems.
Common Dodge Dart Transmission Problems
First and foremost, all three Dodge Dart transmissions are far from perfect, which means that you can expect issues with all of them. Secondly, these issues can affect the longevity of all three and thus cause expensive repairs, especially because all of these are out of warranty. Lastly, all three transmissions suffer from relatively dangerous issues which can’t be ignored or taken lightly.
First Generation Dodge Dart (2012-2016)
The 2012-2016 Dodge Dart uses three different transmissions:
- 6-speed FPT C635 manual transmission (available on all models)
- Powertech 6F24 6-Speed traverse automatic transmission (optional on 2.0L and 2.4L)
- FPT C635 DDCT 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (optional on 1.4L Turbo)
6-speed FPT C635 manual transmission
The 6-speed manual on the Dodge Dart has had its fair share of issues over the years, but arguably the worst are tied to the clutch pedal, which is allegedly prone to losing pressure, failing to engage, or even completely sticking to the floor. Dodge did recognize clutch issues with this TSB 06-001-16 that relates to this very transmission, where they said that “Some customers may experience a reduction in clutch pedal stroke”. This bulletin also outlines the replacement of the transmission reservoir hose and the hydraulic clutch master cylinder. This problem has a vast number of complaints online. One owner reported:
In the last year the clutch pedal had gotten stuck really randomly like maybe once in 6 months kinda thing and of course I could never reproduce what my wife was telling me it did. Until the other day. She called and said it was starting to get stuck frequently and she had to keep popping it up with her foot. So a quick search on here and I found a lot of information about the Clutch issues that are apparently common on these cars and I was a little concerned.
Source.
However, this issue went a lot further as numerous owners filed class-action lawsuits claiming that this issue ought to be covered by a widespread recall. The jury is still out on this one, but some individual suits did seem to have concluded involving settlements. We also need to add that Dodge extended the warranty on these components via the 06-001-16 TSB.
Powertech 6F24 6-Speed traverse automatic transmission
Sadly, the 6F24 6-speed automatic also isn’t free of faults, as there were quite a few complaints over the years. Still, arguably the most notable one is related to a faulty side shifter cable bushing that could detach from the transmission and cause the transmission to not perform the shifts as envisioned by the driver. Moreover, the problem was made worse since the car could roll away even with the shifter placed firmly in PARK.
The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Dart. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked unattended it rolled down the driveway into the neighbor’s property and crashed into a tree. There were no reported injuries, fire or police report filed. The vehicle is at the contact’s residents. The contact called the local dealer who informed her about NHTSA Campaign number 19V293000 (Power Train). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 145,000.
(NHTSA Complaint ID:11432498
Such allegations didn’t go unnoticed for long, so Dodge recalled almost 300,000 2013-2016 Dodge Dart models equipped with the 6-speed 6F24 transmission back in April 2019 (19V293000). In this recall, Dodge decided its best to replace the transmission side shifter cable bushing free of charge. This probably is the most widespread and most serious transmission issue, the Dodge Dart in general.
Sadly, this was not the only major issue with the 6F24 as it was also recalled back in August 2015 (15V542000) due to problems with the Transmission Control Module (TCM), which was known to unexpectedly shift the car into neutral and thus increase the chances of ending up in an accident.
FPT C635 DDCT 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission
By now, you probably realize that the transmission palette with the Dodge Dart is far from reliable. To top it all off, we also need to add that the C635 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission also has a decent amount of issues. One of the more dangerous ones is related to the 2012-2013 Dart models, which were known to stall unexpectedly without any prior warning, especially in cold weather.
This also led to a recall which took place back in June 2013 (13V238000) when Dodge recalled Dodge Dart C635 1.4L Turbo models manufactured between March 1, 2012, and February 28, 2013. It was later determined that the issue was caused by a faulty Powertrain Control Module (PCM), which had to be either reprogrammed or replaced.
Even though the DCT is far from being reliable, it does seem to be holding up better than the 6-speed automatic and/or the 6-speed manual transmission.
FAQ Section
How Long Does A Dodge Dart Transmission Last?
On average, the Dodge Dart itself should be good enough for about 140,000 – 160,000 miles, but many owners also managed to keep them for double that amount. The secret to driving a Dodge Dart past 200k miles or more is due to the sheer willingness to repair it whenever needed. The manual transmission is known to fail really early at times but should be good for 140,000 miles, as noted by a few transmission-failure-related NHTSA complaints.
The 6-speed automatic is more delicate than the 6-speed manual, but it should also be good enough for at least 160,000 miles if maintained correctly. Lastly, the DCT 6-speed is the most delicate one of the bunch, which means that it requires maintenance even more frequently. As such, you should expect it to last 100,000 miles without needing major overhauls or rebuilds.
How Much Does A Dodge Dart Transmission Cost?
Prices on used and new Dodge dart transmissions vary by quite some margin, but these can be viewed as median replacement costs:
| Model | New Price | Used Price |
| 6-speed FPT C635 manual transmission | $1,500 | $325 High-Mileage $650 Low-Mileage |
| Powertech 6F24 6-Speed traverse automatic transmission | $1,400 | $700 $700 |
| FPT C635 DDCT 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission | $1,000 > | $500 |
Marko´s interest in cars runs in the family. His father was a car trader and regularly took him to car dealerships when he was younger.
These days, when he isn´t watching Drivetribe or Doug DeMuro videos, he´s building up quite a resume as an automotive writer since he´s also a regular contributor on Cararc.com, Tirehungry.com, and Luxurycarsa2z.com.