Dreaded Check Engine light on after 3 weeks of Ownership

[2026 Metalflake Green]

Picked up my new Scat Pack plus on April 13th. I have been loving the car in Machine Green with every option available. However after only 3 weeks of driving it, the dreaded check engine light came on. I hope this is the beginning of a bunch load of problems and issues. Dodge really should have vetted these cars better before selling them to the public. Love the car and hope it is not much of a problem but I am seeing several posts about check engine lights on these cars being triggered within the first month of ownership. I will let my fellow forum members know what I find out when I go to the Dodge dealership this coming Friday morning.

 

[aceinspp]

Thanks. Hope to hear more from you about this issue. I've only had mine 5 days so far. Later RJD

 

[Pioneer4x4]

..... I hope this is the beginning of a bunch load of problems and issues....

Why?

 

[baabootoo]

Did you HAVE to wait that long, or by choice? Secondly, any drivability issues? This is a first-year model, so things will happen.

 

[8pack-2]

Check your gas station. These need 93 Top Tier Certified in them. Probably the most common thing to trip the CEL is bad gas.

The computer and sensors really notices the bad gas if you run it hard. I just posted on this in another thread. I’ve seen it in the Wagoneer SO Hurricane with ”93 octane” that wasn’t Top Tier.

 

[2026 Metalflake Green]

Did you HAVE to wait that long, or by choice? Secondly, any drivability issues? This is a first-year model, so things will happen.

Our Dodge dealer here is always booked weeks in advance for service and I was lucky to get this Friday.

 

[2026 Metalflake Green]

Check your gas station. These need 93 Top Tier Certified in them. Probably the most common thing to trip the CEL is bad gas.

The computer and sensors really notices the bad gas if you run it hard. I just posted on this in another thread. I’ve seen it in the Wagoneer SO Hurricane with ”93 octane” that wasn’t Top Tier.

 

[2026 Metalflake Green]

Hopefully that is it and nothing more. I have been using 93 Octane from the beginning, when the owner's manuals says 91 Octane and above is acceptable. Hope you are right and that is all it is. Have already heard and read so much discontent with these new Chargers, but I love mine even though I have only had it 3 weeks.

 

[2026 Metalflake Green]

Check your gas station. These need 93 Top Tier Certified in them. Probably the most common thing to trip the CEL is bad gas.

The computer and sensors really notices the bad gas if you run it hard. I just posted on this in another thread. I’ve seen it in the Wagoneer SO Hurricane with ”93 octane” that wasn’t Top Tier.

What brand of gasoline has the 93 Top Tier certified available? Do you know? If so, please let me know. Thanks.

 

[2026 Metalflake Green]

Why?

Forgot to put the word not in there!

 

[baabootoo]

Hopefully that is it and nothing more. I have been using 93 Octane from the beginning, when the owner's manuals says 91 Octane and above is acceptable. Hope you are right and that is all it is. Have already heard and read so much discontent with these new Chargers, but I love mine even though I have only had it 3 weeks.

FYI, using 93 instead of 91 may be just spending more than you have to. Dyno tests have shown that 93 adds no power also compared to 91, if the engine isn't designed for it. Do you have a Casey's around?

 

[2026 Metalflake Green]

I hear you and have wondered the same thing myself. Some people on the Forum recommend it for maximum power and efficiency. However, once I get the check engine light looked at for a cause and gets reset, I plan on going back to 91 Octane and see how that works.

 

[baabootoo]

I posted this on another thread and it can monitor how good/bad gas is live time. It plugs into the OBD2 port. I'm checking to see if they have one compatible with the Hurricane engine yet.

 

[2026 Metalflake Green]

Please let me know if you find anything we can use on our Chargers. Thanks.

 

[baabootoo]

Please let me know if you find anything we can use on our Chargers. Thanks.

They said no, but he's not sure whether the current one will work or not. It all depends upon how the pinouts are designed in that port. They will test it soon.

 

[2026 Metalflake Green]

Please let me know if you hear anything. On another subject, do you know what brand and model of code readers with reset capabilities will work on the 2026 Charger?

 

[8pack-2]

What brand of gasoline has the 93 Top Tier certified available? Do you know? If so, please let me know. Thanks.

https://www.toptiergas.com/ You can use their site or app. The manual specifically calls out using Top Tier Certified as recommended… so probably even more important if going to run 91 in lieu of 93… the manual says 91 is the minimum for HO version, but my SO Wagoneer only allows for 93 so that’s interesting…

A quick list of common stations generated from AI:


Most Widely Available
• Shell — nitrogen-enriched formula that cleans and prevents engine deposits
• Chevron — one of the most recognized TOP TIER brands nationwide
• Exxon / Mobil — uses “Mobil Synergy,” a blend of 9 additives including detergents, a friction modifier, and a corrosion inhibitor
• Phillips 66
• Valero
• Sinclair — 1,300+ locations across the U.S.
• Sunoco
Best Value
• Costco (Kirkland Signature gas) — TOP TIER certified and typically up to 21 cents per gallon cheaper than competitors, though membership is required

 

[2026 Metalflake Green]

Thanks for the list. Unfortunately, where I live in Northern Virginia, it's getting harder and harder to find branded gasoline as it's all been taken over by Grocery Stores, Wawa's, Sheets and Seven Eleven's and hell knows where that gas comes from or what is in.

 

[aceinspp]

Thank for the info on fuel. Later RJD

 

[Troy550Scatty]

From my personal experience it seems as if when they released the sixpack no alterations to the tune were made (from EV models), which is why we had the glitch that enabled Track and Drag Mode, and also caused all of the Check Engine lights involving PCM de-energizing.