IllustrationBACK OF REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT DOES NOT LATCH PROPERLY. ALSO TENSIONER PULLEY FAILED, CAUSING TIMING BELT TO BREAK/EHICLE IDLES ROUGH AND A SULPHUR SMELL EMINATES FROM ENGINE. *AK
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
What owners actually said
157 reportsBRAKE ROTORS FAILED.
THE DISC BRAKES ARE HAVING TO BE REPLACE DUE TO THE ROTORS WARPING AND NO LONGER OPERATING. HAS HAD FIVE REPLACEMENTS SINCE SHE BOUGHT THE CAR IN FEBRUARY 1997. *AK
ABS BRAKE FAILURE, ROTORS ARE WARPED AND REPLACED 4 TIMES. WHEN BRAKING THE VEHICLE WILL VIBRATE AND JERK. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, WOULD NOTICE SEVERE VIBRATIONS. HAPPENS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. TOOK IT TO DEALER TO REPLACE THE BRAKES, WAS INFORMED THERE WAS TOO MUCH STOPPING & GOING. *AK
VEHICLE'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS UNWANTED SUDDEN ACCLERATION WHILE DRIVING WITH NO PRIOR WARNING. *AK
BRAKE ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO POOR DESIGN. *AK
THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF BETWEEN 20-40 MPH. *AK
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
VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER ON (4) DIFFERENT OCCASIONS BECAUSE WINDOWS CONTINUE TO FOG UP WHEN USING THE DEFOGGER SYSTEM. CONSUMER IS STILL EXPERIENCING PROBLEM. *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