1st gen SRT-8 Charger common problems

Hey guys I have a friend that's looking at a 2006 SRT-8 Charger, has a bunch of miles on it was curious about what common issues these cars may have.

In my search I've only found tie rods like to go out and there's some TSB on a leaking trans o-ring. I noticed in the pic this car (and many other hemi cars) has a sludgey coolant bottle, are head gasket issues common?

Well hello there long time no see.

Make sure it's had the timing chain recall done.

What timing chain recall?

Timing chain recall was on later (I think 2009, 2010, and maybe 2011) 5.7 Hemi engine with MDS.

SRTs with the 6.1 were not part of it.

Besides the transmission module leak, the front end wear and the air bag recall, they are pretty reliable. The 6.1 motors don't have the dropping valve seat issue like the early 5.7. I just looked at a 6.1 motor this weekend that had the "Hemi Tick" so I passed.

I had an '06 Charger SRT8 and granted I only put 28,000 miles on it in the six years I owned it (and loved it), I never had an issue other than the trans seal which was a quick fix at dealership. No MDS so no lifter issues as mentioned above, I had no hemi tick, nothing. Just ran like a scalded dog.

We had an 06 Charger SRT8-purchased brand new and put around 135,000 miles on it. The coolant and trans issue got fixed early on, 2500 mi I think. Biggest problem was the fuel gauge read only 1/2 full when filled. This was at 118,000 mi. Changing both fuel pumps solved the problem-easy enough to change though-both pumps right under the back seat. I also had to change the shifter mechanism as it would jam up sometimes. This was at around 75,000 mi. No head gasket issues at all, no engine issues either, in fact the car never left us stranded in 9 yrs of ownership. When we traded it in the original battery was still there. Very solid car, I kinda wish we had kept it.

Oh yeah, I forgot, I did have the little pink shifter issue too. No biggie. Replaced it with a billet one myself. Didn't want dealership hacking up my console.

Mine still had original battery six years later. Keeping it out of engine compartment does wonders.

So what was the "coolant issue"?

sludgy coolant bottle. Coolant ph was wrong(smelled like ammonia inside the coolant reservoir) so the dealer flushed the system and replaced the coolant. I think there was a TSB on it.

The recall goes up to 2013's that were built in 2012.