IllustrationCONSUMER STATES THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT FITS TOO, TIGHT THERE IS NO SLACK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *MR
1996 Dodge Avenger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Dodge Avenger do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 157.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Avenger years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 9 of 157 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Suspension. Review the 59 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
19 crash reports3 fire reports9 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
10 reportsCONSUMER STATES THAT THE DRIVIERS SIDE SEATBELT WILL NOT STAY LOCKED. CONSUMER STATES THERE IS NO SLACK IN THE SEATBELT TO MOVE. NLM
DRIVER SEAT BELT WILL NOT REMAIN LOCKED. *AK
THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT COMES LOOSE AND THE SEAT SLIDES UP WHEN APPLYING BRAKE. YH
WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF AND KEY IS OUT OF IGNITION, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CAN MOVE INTO ANY OTHER GEAR . 2. PASSENGER'S SIDE SEATBELT CAN UNLATCH BY ITSELF, CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD. *AK
VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT, AND DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO, SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD DRIVER BACK. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT GIVE THE PASSENGER FREE MOVEMENT. ANY TIME IT IS IN USE IT LOCKS UP CONTINUOUSLY. MANUFACTURER STATED THAT SEAT BELT WAS DESIGNED TO BE USED WITH A CHILD SAFETY SEAT. *AK
POOR SEAT AND SHOULDER BELT PERFORMANCE. ONCE THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM IS LOCKED IN PLACE, IT WILL DISENGAGE OR DISCONNECT ON ITS OWN. *AK
DURING HEAD-ON COLLISION DUAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. REAR SEAT BELT RELEASED AND THREW THE CHILD IN BACK OF FRONT SEAT.*AK
Official recalls
200V421002 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
Dec 18, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE RUBBER BOOTS ON THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY, DIRT AND WATER CAN INTRUDE. ALSO, MMC HAS ADDED THE POTENTIAL OF LEAKING MOISTURE, WHICH CAN CAUSE THE BALL STUD TO CORRODE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT TO SEPARATE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH. THIS CAMPAIGN SUPERCEDES MMC'S PREVIOUS SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN, SEE 99V-066.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT FOR WEAR. BALL JOINTS THAT EXHIBIT WEAR BEYOND THE ESTABLISHED TOLERANCE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY DESIGNED LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS. BALL JOINTS THAT ARE WITHIN THE ESTABLISHED TOLERANCE WILL BE CLEANED AND A SPECIAL SEALANT WILL BE APPLIED TO PREVENT INTRUSION OF MOISTURE.
99V066003 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
Apr 5, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE RUBBER BOOTS ON THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY, DIRT AND WATER CAN INTRUDE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT TO SEPARATE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE RUBBER BOOTS, AND IF THE BOOT IS DAMAGED, THEY WILL REPLACE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM AND BALL JOINT ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1RQ00015 · Lower Contrtol Arm Ball Joint
Opened Aug 2, 2000 · Closed Apr 20, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available
Additional source detail variants (3)
Suspension
There is no summary currently available
Suspension
There is no summary currently available
Suspension
There is no summary currently available