Dodge Has A Way To Make Its Discontinued Muscle Cars Harder To Steal

When you build powerful, stylish, desirable muscle cars, like Dodge has done for around two decades, it’s not just legitimate customers that want them. Any popular sporty car becomes a target for thieves, and that certainly happened with the Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger. Not too long ago, the Hellcat versions of those cars were the most stolen vehicles in America. Besides the existing security measures Dodge included on the vehicles, the company is now offering an additional layer of protection with something called the Start Defender. As Dodge puts it, it’s “two-factor authentication” for your car.

How It Works

Now this “two-factor authorization” isn’t going to text you on your phone to ask you for a secure code in addition to your password. It’s not that far off, though. Once your Start Defender is installed and set up, your vehicle won’t start with just the key. The car will have to sense the key, and it will also require the person to input a code using the buttons on the steering wheel. Once that has been entered, the vehicle starts up.

Installation is easy, too. The system is plug-and-play, and it requires no additional wiring or custom work to put in, so it also doesn’t require dealer installation. In addition to the car computer component, the kit also comes with a USB key, and with that, as we understand it, you can connect your personal computer wirelessly to the car, and an encrypted web portal will allow you to set your preferred code to start. In fact, you can have four different codes that work if you have multiple users. Dodge also says that the system can be shut off easily in case you need to leave the car with a valet.

How Much It Costs

The Start Defender is compatible with both Dodge Chargers and Challengers from the 2018 to 2023 model years. It’s available through Direct Connection, the performance parts brand for Dodge products. So you’ll be able to order it or purchase it from a Direct Connection authorized Dodge dealer. It costs $695, which isn’t nothing, but for an easily installed method to keep your beloved car from being taken from your driveway or a parking lot, it could be worth it.