2024 Dodge Hornet Owner Complaints

Battery died twice on 2 separate occasions since the day car was received on 1/17. Car was ‘serviced’ after the first time battery died, but this morning I could not get it to turn on again. This car has been giving me nothing but issues and I haven’t had it for a month yet.

2/2/2024

The contact owned a 2024 Dodge Hornet. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he observed brown smoke emanating from the vent in the interior of the vehicle, prompting him to pull to the shoulder of the roadway. After which, upon exiting the vehicle, he observed smoke emanating from the engine compartment. Shortly afterward, the vehicle became engulfed in flames originating from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. Local emergency services arrived and were able to extinguish the flames. A fire report was filed. A police report was filed, with no injuries reported. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V623000 (Electrical System), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 1,600.

4/19/2024

We Purchased the Dodge Hornet GT on 04/17/2024 drove it home and parked it. My Husband tried to drive it on 04/18/2024 and the steering failed and the dash board lit up with: Service Power steering, Drive mode unavailable, Park sense disabled, Service Engine, Auto Dim High Beams unavailable, Service forward collision Warning and ESC Hill Start Assist with warning lights/Icons on the left side of the dash board. I Phoned Suburban Chrylser, Dodge, Jeep, Ram of Troy, where the vehicle was purchased, and they picked it up and loaned me a vehicle because they said, "Do not drive it". I was informed early the next morning that it was repaired and ready for pick up which I did about 10:30 a.m. on 04/19/2024. We got in the vehicle on 04/20/2024 and upon start some of the same lights flashed across the right side of the dash board, briefly, and then disappeared. No warning lights/icons remained like before. We waited then Drove out to visit our son, about 30 minutes away. After an hour and half visit we drove home at which time the "Service Power steering" flashed on the right side of the dash board and the vehicle lost steering while traveling 70 miles an hour the the expressway. This was brief and terrifying! There were no further instances for the next 15 minutes until right at the moment that we were trying to pull into our driveway and every single issue that popped up before popped up again, with the warning lights/icons on the left side of the dash board, losing the rear camera as well. I managed to park it and spent hours searching information about this issue and there are several complaints on line regarding, it seems, this exact issue. The car IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE! It has 117 miles on it. If they do manage to fix it I don't know if I will ever feel safe in it unless they can prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I am not in danger. We waited four months and paid $12,000.00 down for a car we CAN NOT use. I have photo's of the dashboard too.

4/21/2024

Just purchased a 2024 Dodge Hornet for my daughter on [XXX] She was involved in an accident on [XXX]. Cause of the accident was brake failure - as a result of said failure, she stuck a fuel truck going 45 mph on a highway offramp. Airbags did not deploy, seat belt did not lock. Why did this happen on a brand-new vehicle with under 500 miles on it. A witness, who was travelling behind my daughter at the time, corroborated that the Dodge Hornet's brake lights were illuminated/functioning right up to impact with the fuel truck. There were also no skid marks from the tires leading up to the collision. Very frustrated and disappointed that my 21-year-old daughter was subjected to a faulty 53k vehicle, and hope that other families do not experience the same, or worse results when purchasing a similar vehicle for their children. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

5/13/2024

Battery died twice on 2 separate occasions since the day car was received on 1/17. Car was ‘serviced’ after the first time battery died, but this morning I could not get it to turn on again. This car has been giving me nothing but issues and I haven’t had it for a month yet.

2/2/2024

The car operates as if the start stop function is on when it has been turned off. The car idles erratically it launches when driving. The car pulls back while driving and putters. I have been scared to drive the car due to the way it erratically drives. The check engine light has come on twice. The coolant hose repaired, and now engine needs replacing due to piston, pin scoring cylinder walls, and spark plugs fouled. On both occasions, there was no oil found on inspection on the dipstick. No engine overheat warning, no low oil fuel or need for oil light ever comes on. Only indicator was initially performance how hot the car stayed afterwards the smells and the black soot coming out the back tail pipe before the engine light pops on while driving . I felt I was going to break down while driving. And this was after taking it out of the shop after two weeks. It was out of oil again. I happen to check it because I was scared and sure enough no oil. I have taken it back to the shop and I’ve been told now it needs a new engine. I could not make it to the break-in period of 7500 miles to perform an oil consumption test. But it is obvious the car was defective with a bad engine as can happen what I want now is a new car and a buyback from Dodge.

4/13/2024

We Purchased the Dodge Hornet GT on 04/17/2024 drove it home and parked it. My Husband tried to drive it on 04/18/2024 and the steering failed and the dash board lit up with: Service Power steering, Drive mode unavailable, Park sense disabled, Service Engine, Auto Dim High Beams unavailable, Service forward collision Warning and ESC Hill Start Assist with warning lights/Icons on the left side of the dash board. I Phoned Suburban Chrylser, Dodge, Jeep, Ram of Troy, where the vehicle was purchased, and they picked it up and loaned me a vehicle because they said, "Do not drive it". I was informed early the next morning that it was repaired and ready for pick up which I did about 10:30 a.m. on 04/19/2024. We got in the vehicle on 04/20/2024 and upon start some of the same lights flashed across the right side of the dash board, briefly, and then disappeared. No warning lights/icons remained like before. We waited then Drove out to visit our son, about 30 minutes away. After an hour and half visit we drove home at which time the "Service Power steering" flashed on the right side of the dash board and the vehicle lost steering while traveling 70 miles an hour the the expressway. This was brief and terrifying! There were no further instances for the next 15 minutes until right at the moment that we were trying to pull into our driveway and every single issue that popped up before popped up again, with the warning lights/icons on the left side of the dash board, losing the rear camera as well. I managed to park it and spent hours searching information about this issue and there are several complaints on line regarding, it seems, this exact issue. The car IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE! It has 117 miles on it. If they do manage to fix it I don't know if I will ever feel safe in it unless they can prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I am not in danger. We waited four months and paid $12,000.00 down for a car we CAN NOT use. I have photo's of the dashboard too.

4/21/2024

4,805 miles, vehicle was completely dead. Got it jumped and now the dash is lit up like a Christmas tree. All sensors need serviced.

11/24/2024

Hello, I have had major electrical, battery & computer issues with my vehicle. I never know if my vehicle will turn on or not after I park it. The vehicle has been to the dealership three separate times. Each time the battery has been replaced. The computer has been re-flashed/programmed multiple times. The navigation screen has gone blank and shut off on me while driving locally and on the highways causing a safety issue when I am trying to navigate safely. The check engine light and “low power mode” comes on constantly causing the vehicle not to function properly. There are other issues as well. My vehicle is currently at the dealership after the battery had to be replaced a fourth time. I can forward and send all repair records. I have the last three records and am waiting for the most recent repair record, I have to pick up the vehicle again first. Can someone please contact me at [XXX]? Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

6/3/2025

They never did the second step of the recall for brake padel collapse and the car still not stopping properly or gripping when stopping even when your foot all the way to the floor. Still give you a hard time to stop the dodge hornet rt and its not safe to drive with defective camera that they say the dealer ship cant fix at all and won't fix it

7/28/2025

The contact owns a 2024 Dodge Hornet. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V246000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

6/6/2025

The contact owns a 2024 Dodge Hornet. The contact stated that he had received a text message from the local Dodge dealer and was notified of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V246000 (Back Over Prevention). The contact was also informed that the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer advised the contact to bring the vehicle back to the dealer and that a loaner vehicle would be provided until parts became available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. Recently, the contact received an email from the manufacturer that there was no set date for when parts for the recall would become available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

7/2/2025

Dear NHTSA Safety Defects Division, I am writing to report a safety issue I have identified that affects several modern vehicles, particularly from manufacturers including Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Ford, and Dodge (Hornet model specifically). This issue relates to the overactivation of the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system and related sensors, including wheel speed sensors, yaw rate sensors, and forward-facing cameras. Over the past two years, I’ve conducted extensive personal testing and analysis across multiple vehicles and brands. My findings indicate that many vehicles using modern ESC systems—likely built on common software frameworks from Tier 1 suppliers (Bosch, Continental, ZF, WABCO, Autoliv, etc.)—are exhibiting the following unsafe behaviors: •Overcorrection of minor road imperfections, such as slight pavement grooves or drainage lines. •Harsh braking or acceleration of individual wheels at highway speeds, triggered by incorrect interpretations of road angle or yaw. •Resulting symptoms include vibration, wobble, instability, and “bouncy” rides, which compromise vehicle control and driver confidence. •In some cases, fuel economy is also impacted, due to unnecessary braking and acceleration by the system. When I disconnected the four wheel speed sensors and the front-facing camera in a 2023 vehicle, the vehicle’s ride quality and directional stability improved significantly. This suggests that the ESC software is misinterpreting normal driving conditions as loss-of-control events and is applying interventions that reduce safety rather than improve it. I believe this is a systemic safety defect, potentially affecting millions of vehicles using similar ESC software logic. If left unaddressed, this could result in increased accident risk—especially at freeway speeds—and consumer mistrust in vehicle safety systems. I respectfully urge NHTSA to investigate this matter and consider whether a defect investigation or broader inquiry into ESC behav

6/28/2025

Dashboard Error: "Lane Sensor Disabled and forward collision warning" message appears on the dashboard. Rear Camera Malfunction: The rear camera activates unexpectedly while driving, causing significant distress. This has occurred: On the highway with your [XXX] daughter, resulting in a panic attack and pulling over to the hard shoulder. Near a Home Depot parking lot when someone was with you to witness the issue. and also on [XXX] : while driving complete dashboard went blank and I kept driving until I find gas station to use my phone navigation (Kindly note I am not able to upload videos) EV Charging Issues: Consistent problems with charging, displaying error messages when connecting to charging points. Battery Drain: After not using the car for just 3 days, the battery completely died, requiring a tow to the dealership for repair. Since purchasing this vehicle, I have experienced persistent issues that the dealership has been unable to resolve. Despite keeping my car for weeks at a time during service attempts, the same problems continue to reoccur within days of receiving the vehicle back Financial Burden: You're paying $752 monthly ($432 for vehicle payment, $120 for parking, and $200 for insurance) for a new car that's mostly sitting unused in your garage due to these issues. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

7/14/2025

The vehicle was leased as a new vehicle with 665 miles on the odometer. Immediately upon driving home, I tried activating the ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) feature on the highway and received a "Highway Assist Unavailable Service Required" error message. The vehicle was taken back to the dealership to be looked at and repaired. Waited for the vehicle for about 3 hours till they repaired and tested the vehicle. The vehicle passed the test and was repaired and delivered back to me. When driving home and exiting the highway, a Forward Collision Warning message was displayed disabling the system. I pulled over, turned the vehicle off and restarted it to find the message disappear. Later that day, after the vehicle was parked for a couple of hours and driven again to every single warning light and error message being displayed. The dealer was contacted once again and was advised to drive the vehicle back immediately so they could look at it. The brake hold feature deactivated and it started lurching forward, hybrid system deactivated, power steering failed and even air bag light started blinking. Drove back to the dealership and the cat has been in since November 11, 2024 with only 1000 miles on the odometer.

1/13/2025

The automatic cruise control will suddenly stop working and I’m not sure why. At first I thought it was only because of glare into the radar camera, but I’ve noticed even when conditions are cloudy it still happens. The dash lights up and claims the radar is obstructed and will disengage all of the forward safety features instantly… this doesn’t seem good and it can be very alarming at times.

8/21/2025

1. Dealer failed to repair hood latch when part broke. Hard to access hood secondary release latch in an emergency. 2. Recurring Trunk release latch issue. Trunk will not fully close when in operation.

6/4/2025

While driving under normal conditions on September 15, 2025, the right front wheel rim detached from my Dodge 2025 Hornet UT ZACNDFAN7R3A14662. The detached rim struck and dented the right front door, and I was forced to purchase a replacement rim. This vehicle is still under warranty. A wheel rim separating from the vehicle is a serious safety defect that could cause loss of control, property damage, or injury. I am requesting that this be investigated as a potential recall issue.

9/24/2025

Dashboard Error: "Lane Sensor Disabled and forward collision warning" message appears on the dashboard. Rear Camera Malfunction: The rear camera activates unexpectedly while driving, causing significant distress. This has occurred: On the highway with your [XXX] daughter, resulting in a panic attack and pulling over to the hard shoulder. Near a Home Depot parking lot when someone was with you to witness the issue. and also on [XXX] : while driving complete dashboard went blank and I kept driving until I find gas station to use my phone navigation (Kindly note I am not able to upload videos) EV Charging Issues: Consistent problems with charging, displaying error messages when connecting to charging points. Battery Drain: After not using the car for just 3 days, the battery completely died, requiring a tow to the dealership for repair. Since purchasing this vehicle, I have experienced persistent issues that the dealership has been unable to resolve. Despite keeping my car for weeks at a time during service attempts, the same problems continue to reoccur within days of receiving the vehicle back Financial Burden: You're paying $752 monthly ($432 for vehicle payment, $120 for parking, and $200 for insurance) for a new car that's mostly sitting unused in your garage due to these issues. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

7/14/2025

The ADAS do not work properly when it rains, when there is fog (density doesn't seem to be a factor when the warning light comes on), or first thing in the morning when there is condensation on the vehicle. These are the times when they are most needed to help the driver.

10/28/2025

Just purchased a 2024 Dodge Hornet for my daughter on [XXX] She was involved in an accident on [XXX]. Cause of the accident was brake failure - as a result of said failure, she stuck a fuel truck going 45 mph on a highway offramp. Airbags did not deploy, seat belt did not lock. Why did this happen on a brand-new vehicle with under 500 miles on it. A witness, who was travelling behind my daughter at the time, corroborated that the Dodge Hornet's brake lights were illuminated/functioning right up to impact with the fuel truck. There were also no skid marks from the tires leading up to the collision. Very frustrated and disappointed that my 21-year-old daughter was subjected to a faulty 53k vehicle, and hope that other families do not experience the same, or worse results when purchasing a similar vehicle for their children. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

5/13/2024

Just purchased a 2024 Dodge Hornet for my daughter on [XXX] She was involved in an accident on [XXX]. Cause of the accident was brake failure - as a result of said failure, she stuck a fuel truck going 45 mph on a highway offramp. Airbags did not deploy, seat belt did not lock. Why did this happen on a brand-new vehicle with under 500 miles on it. A witness, who was travelling behind my daughter at the time, corroborated that the Dodge Hornet's brake lights were illuminated/functioning right up to impact with the fuel truck. There were also no skid marks from the tires leading up to the collision. Very frustrated and disappointed that my 21-year-old daughter was subjected to a faulty 53k vehicle, and hope that other families do not experience the same, or worse results when purchasing a similar vehicle for their children. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

5/13/2024

The contact owns a 2024 Dodge Hornet. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V752000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts would not be available until January 2025. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

10/24/2024

The vehicle experiencing issues with a faulty fuel tank and fuel system. This problem began shortly after the vehicle was purchased in 2024 from CarMax. The vehicle was used but low mileage almost brand new condition and manufacturer’s warranty. I formally requested that the manufacturer, Dodge, to replace the entire vehicle under warranty due to numerous repair attempts to fix the faulty fuel tank and system, which pose a safety risk. The manufacturer declined. The vehicle has led to leaks and pose potential fires accidents in or out of use.

3/21/2025

Dear NHTSA Safety Defects Division, I am writing to report a safety issue I have identified that affects several modern vehicles, particularly from manufacturers including Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Ford, and Dodge (Hornet model specifically). This issue relates to the overactivation of the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system and related sensors, including wheel speed sensors, yaw rate sensors, and forward-facing cameras. Over the past two years, I’ve conducted extensive personal testing and analysis across multiple vehicles and brands. My findings indicate that many vehicles using modern ESC systems—likely built on common software frameworks from Tier 1 suppliers (Bosch, Continental, ZF, WABCO, Autoliv, etc.)—are exhibiting the following unsafe behaviors: •Overcorrection of minor road imperfections, such as slight pavement grooves or drainage lines. •Harsh braking or acceleration of individual wheels at highway speeds, triggered by incorrect interpretations of road angle or yaw. •Resulting symptoms include vibration, wobble, instability, and “bouncy” rides, which compromise vehicle control and driver confidence. •In some cases, fuel economy is also impacted, due to unnecessary braking and acceleration by the system. When I disconnected the four wheel speed sensors and the front-facing camera in a 2023 vehicle, the vehicle’s ride quality and directional stability improved significantly. This suggests that the ESC software is misinterpreting normal driving conditions as loss-of-control events and is applying interventions that reduce safety rather than improve it. I believe this is a systemic safety defect, potentially affecting millions of vehicles using similar ESC software logic. If left unaddressed, this could result in increased accident risk—especially at freeway speeds—and consumer mistrust in vehicle safety systems. I respectfully urge NHTSA to investigate this matter and consider whether a defect investigation or broader inquiry into ESC behav

6/28/2025

They never did the second step of the recall for brake padel collapse and the car still not stopping properly or gripping when stopping even when your foot all the way to the floor. Still give you a hard time to stop the dodge hornet rt and its not safe to drive with defective camera that they say the dealer ship cant fix at all and won't fix it

7/28/2025

The contact owns a 2024 Dodge Hornet. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and refueling, the fuel started to overflow. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. In addition, the contact stated that the instrument cluster displayed a black screen, and the engine seized. Upon the manufacturer's request, the vehicle was taken to another dealer for an emissions test. The contact was informed by the dealer, while performing the emissions test that the contact was informed that the instrument cluster displayed a black screen and the engine had seized. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised to take the vehicle back to the original dealer for further diagnostic testing. In addition, the contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V246000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the contact was informed that the repair appointment needed to be scheduled at the original dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and the contact requested that the manufacturer offer a buy-back; however, the manufacturer declined. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.

8/13/2025

The contact owns a 2024 Dodge Hornet. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and refueling, the fuel started to overflow. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. In addition, the contact stated that the instrument cluster displayed a black screen, and the engine seized. Upon the manufacturer's request, the vehicle was taken to another dealer for an emissions test. The contact was informed by the dealer, while performing the emissions test that the contact was informed that the instrument cluster displayed a black screen and the engine had seized. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised to take the vehicle back to the original dealer for further diagnostic testing. In addition, the contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V246000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the contact was informed that the repair appointment needed to be scheduled at the original dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and the contact requested that the manufacturer offer a buy-back; however, the manufacturer declined. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.

8/13/2025

The automatic cruise control will suddenly stop working and I’m not sure why. At first I thought it was only because of glare into the radar camera, but I’ve noticed even when conditions are cloudy it still happens. The dash lights up and claims the radar is obstructed and will disengage all of the forward safety features instantly… this doesn’t seem good and it can be very alarming at times.

8/21/2025

Upon purchasing the vehicle on September 26th, 2024, my brand new Dodge hornet started experiencing critical failures between the gas engine, the hybrid electrical system, and various safety features in the vehicle. At just 1,800 miles, the vehicles auxiliary coolant pump needed to be replaced along with several other components within that system. The vehicle was at the dealership for 2 months for the repair. Shortly after that, there is electrical systems started to malfunction including the blind spot monitoring system and other safety features. A few months ago, the entire engine blew and needed to be replaced. It was in the shop for over a month for that and the day after I got the vehicle back, it experienced more electrical failures causing the car to brick. The car has been in the shop for a few weeks now with no root cause provided. This vehicle, meets all of the Lemon Law criteria. Also, just a few days before the electrical system failed, the headlights went out while I was driving at night. This was actually the second time this happened. The dealership said they couldn't find any issues the first time but I am waiting to hear what they discover with it now. With the headlights shutting off in the middle of the night, I was unable to see the road ahead of me and almost crashed into a car in front of me. All of these issues have put my son, my friends and myself in danger. Dodge has been having consistent problems with their electric vehicles including their plug-in hybrids over the past 2 years and many of them are still sitting in dealerships bricked. Various recalls have already been issued for the Hornet although none seem to pertain to the powertrain or the hybrid system

10/2/2025

While in reverse vehicle automatically switched to drive forward mode and then reverse mode and kept alternating where the car would drive forward and reverse back on its own without the gas pedal pressed. The transmission was in reverse the entire time. Also, the vehicle keeps having electrical issues throughout the car, has been in repair for over 15 days combined. The electrical system reboots while the vehicle is turned on and the battery does not charge, instead it throws a fault. Have a video that was provided to the dealership with the reverse issue. Cant upload since it is not an accepted file type.

10/14/2025

The ADAS do not work properly when it rains, when there is fog (density doesn't seem to be a factor when the warning light comes on), or first thing in the morning when there is condensation on the vehicle. These are the times when they are most needed to help the driver.

10/28/2025