The Lemon Index
Dodge's 6.1 L naturally aspirated V8, pushrod in the Chrysler 300C SRT8, Charger SRT8, Magnum SRT8, Challenger SRT8 and Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, model years 2005–2010. YouTube likes the 2009 best.
Middle of the pack: YouTube owner tone 50/100, #75 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record, 1 known issue listed below.
Everyday cars with this engine Tap a year for that car's full report.
- Chrysler 300 Chrysler 300C SRT8200520062007200820092010
- Dodge Charger SRT8, SRT8 / SRT 392 / Scat Pack20062007200820092010
- Dodge Challenger SRT8, SRT8 / Scat Pack 39220092010
- Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT820092010
Model years from EPA version lists. Only years we have a car page for.
Reliability by year
Why the car pages show more: the Challenger Scat Pack page counts 442 complaints and 10 recall campaigns for 2008–2010, everything NHTSA files as "Challenger", other engines included; the Charger 392 page counts 2,863 complaints and 14 recall campaigns for 2006–2010, everything NHTSA files as "Charger", other engines included. This page counts only the 55 complaints and 0 recalls we can tie to the 6.1 SRT8 HEMI by model name or the owner's own words.
YouTube videos are most positive about the 2009 (53) and least about the 2007 (47); neighboring years share many of the same videos, so small gaps mean little.
How we count: owner complaints only where the car's name and year leave no doubt; YouTube tone from videos that name this engine or its cars. How we count
Owner complaints (NHTSA) are filed by model and year, not engine. We count one for this engine only when the model name and year had no other engine (e.g. "488 GTB", "GT-R"), or when the owner's own words name a version that had only this engine that year (Z06, ZR1, Hellcat, GT500 ...). They cover the whole car (wheels, air bags, electrics ...), not only the engine, and none of them is a failure rate. We chart them only for engines with 30 or more, over 3 or more years. YouTube tone = how positive the videos are, 0–100, from titles and transcripts (praise vs trouble words, the title counts 3 times), weighted by views; a year needs at least 3 videos' worth. A video counts for this engine when its title names the engine or a car that only had this engine in the years it names; a video whose title names no model year counts toward every year of that car, so neighboring years share most of their videos.
All the numbers, year by year
| Year | Cars | Owner complaints | YouTube says | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Chrysler 300C SRT8 | 0 | 51 (42 videos) | 0 |
| 2006 | Chrysler 300C SRT8, Charger SRT8, Magnum SRT8 | 17 | 50 (56 videos) | 0 |
| 2007 | Chrysler 300C SRT8, Charger SRT8, Magnum SRT8 | 8 | 47 (48 videos) | 0 |
| 2008 | Challenger SRT8, Chrysler 300C SRT8, Charger SRT8, Magnum SRT8 | 8 | 52 (56 videos) | 0 |
| 2009 | Challenger SRT8, Chrysler 300C SRT8, Charger SRT8, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 | 1 | 53 (52 videos) | 0 |
| 2010 | Challenger SRT8, Charger SRT8, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, Chrysler 300C SRT8 | 21 | 47 (57 videos) | 0 |
Recalls on cars with this engine
No NHTSA recalls we can tie to this engine's cars.
Engine problems Dodge told dealers about
Dodge sent dealers 2 repair notes about the engine on these cars, including:
- Shift hesitation during wide open throttle
NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins), matched by model name and year like the complaints, engine-related ones only. A repair note is not a recall: ask a seller whether it was done.
Known issues on record
- No engine recall (Recall). NHTSA lists no engine recall for 2008–2010 Challengers; their recalls cover air bags, the park interlock switch and wheel spindle nuts. We found no documented 6.1 failure pattern.
- Stalling after refueling (2006) (Owner-reported (NHTSA)). A few 2006 Charger SRT8 owners told NHTSA the engine sputters or stalls just after filling the tank. Only a handful of reports, not a proven pattern. 208 owner complaints to NHTSA mention it (LX Charger 392).
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, NHTSA owner complaints: 2006 Dodge Charger. The same list as on the Challenger Scat Pack page, the Charger 392 page.
Every US version with this engine
| Car and versions | Years |
|---|---|
| Chrysler 300C SRT8 300/SRT-8, 300C/SRT-8 · Chrysler 300, every year | 2005–10 |
| Dodge Charger SRT8 Charger · Dodge Charger, every year | 2006–10 |
| Dodge Magnum SRT8 Magnum | 2006–08 |
| Dodge Challenger SRT8 Challenger · Dodge Challenger, every year | 2008–10 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 Grand Cherokee SRT8 AWD · Jeep Grand Cherokee, every year | 2009–10 |
Engine code: 6.1 SRT HEMI. Power: 425 hp, factory figures. Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Sources: Chrysler Hemi engine.
Quick answers
What cars have the 6.1 SRT8 HEMI engine?
In the US: the Chrysler 300C SRT8, Dodge Charger SRT8, Dodge Magnum SRT8, Dodge Challenger SRT8, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, model years 2005–2010. See the version table for each one.
Is the 6.1 SRT8 HEMI reliable?
Mostly, with known issues to check. YouTube owner tone 50/100, #75 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record, 1 known issue listed below. Owners filed 55 complaints we can tie to it, about any part of the car. Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the 6.1 SRT8 HEMI make?
425 hp in factory figures, depending on the car.