Dodge dove headfirst into the electric vehicle segment with the same level of bonkers brashness as it did when it started cramming Hellcat V8s under the hoods of everything. The Dodge Charger Daytona EV was to be a continuation of that attitude, and while the campaign didn’t work, we thought it might be a novel way to bring average buyers over to electric performance. When Dodge launched the Charger Daytona SRT Concept car in 2022, the company promised it would be as loud as a Hellcat.
Three years later, it turns out that the big and loud Dodge Charger isn’t loud enough. That’s not according to us, mind you. It’s per the safety regulations of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Every Dodge Charger EV Built Before March Has Been Recalled
The problem with the 8,390 affected 2024 and 2025 Dodge Charger EVs isn’t the chambered Fratzonic exhaust. That system – named for an obscure logo Dodge used briefly in the 1960s – was designed to blast a futuristic Hemi sound at volumes that exceeded gas car exhausts. And from what we’ve heard, it has been effective at doing it.
This issue occurs when the Fraztonic Chambered Exhaust isn’t making its loudest possible sounds. Ironically, when the vehicle is rolling along slowly and not at full rip, it’s too quiet and thus, it’s a danger to pedestrians. This isn’t by design, however. It’s supposed to be louder.
According to NHTSA documents, some Charger EVs left the factory without the right software loaded into the amplifier. Yes, the car’s amplifier now requires software and that software sometimes needs updates. At the risk of being called troglodytes, ask your grandfather about tube amps and your mom or dad about solid state, and then think about how great the future is.
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Dodge Thinks It Can Fool V8 Fans With Electric Muscle Car’s Exhaust
Dodge has teased an updated take on the Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust that seems a lot more realistic than before.
Without the right software, the vehicle may not make its exterior EV sound. If it doesn’t make that sound, it’s not compliant with federal regulations. That’s because “vehicles that do not emit exterior sound will be more difficult for pedestrians and other drivers to detect, which could cause a crash without prior warning or increase the risk of injury to pedestrians.”
The Recall Investigation Was A Quick Process
Stellantis opened the investigation on April 17th. We didn’t see what caused it, but we assume that the handful of buyers were not happy that their cars weren’t annoying their neighbors every morning. Over the next month, engineers and supplier representatives met to try to figure out why cars weren’t emitting the noise. They figured it out and then issued a fix.
It’s a simple fix, too. The amp doesn’t need to be replaced, but it does need to have new software installed. It’s something your dealer can and will do for no charge. Vehicles built after March 18, 2025, are not affected, so newer Charger Daytona buyers can keep rolling with that sweet e-Hemi sound.
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Stellantis Says The Dodge Charger Daytona’s Unintended Acceleration Is A Safety Feature
In the case of a powertrain fault, the car will gradually accelerate unless applying the brakes. Good to know.
Customer letters will go out on July 10. Dealer notification begins June 19, and the recall will become searchable at that time. Customers can reach out to Dodge or Stellantis quoting recall 44C with any questions. The NHTSA recall identifier is 25V389.
Source: NHTSA
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