IllustrationTHE ENGINE RUNS ROUGH DUE TO FAULTY VALVE COVER GASKETS. NLM
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 reportsTHE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED FOR RECALL OF THE LOWER BALL JOINTS (99V-066), LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS (4-AUG-00) LATER THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR ANOTHER PROBLEM WHEN THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN NEED OF FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT, THE CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE THE DEALER S…
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THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED FOR RECALL OF THE LOWER BALL JOINTS (99V-066), LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS (4-AUG-00) LATER THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR ANOTHER PROBLEM WHEN THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN NEED OF FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT, THE CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE THE DEALER STATED THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL. NLM
SINCE CONSUMER HAS OWNED VEHICLE HE HAS HAD TO HAVE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS REPLACED NO LESS THAN TWENTY (20) TIMES DUE TO WARPING. WORK HAS BEEN PERFORMED BY DEALERSHIP AND DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK CONSUMER HAD BEEN TOLD THERE IS NOTHING HE CAN DO TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *SLC
PACKED WHEEL BEARINGS FAILING EVERY 6-10 MONTHS SINCE BRAND NEW. *AK
MY TRANSMISSION SEAL BLEW OFF AT 18,000 MILES, WHCH SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED. IT TOOK THE DEALER 2 WEEKS TO FIX CAR, AND WHEN I GOT IT BACK, THE TRANSMISSION FELL OUT. THEY ALSO USED MY CAR AS A RENTAL CAR, AND I GOT IT BACK WITH 700 EXTRA MILES ON IT.
CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALER TO HAVE RECALL 99V066003 REPAIRS DONE. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY DEALERSHIP THAT UNKNOWN COMPONENT NEXT TO LOWER CONTRAL ARM BALL JOINT WAS TORN AND IS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE #00V421002. CONTACTED AND THEN VISITED DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC INSPECTED VEHICLE AND PROVIDED A SHEET OF PAPER, INDICATING NOTHING WRONG. EVERYTHING HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OFF. TWO MONTHS LATER, VEHICLE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO BALL JOINT CAUSING ARM AND AXLE TO BREAK. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, BUT AT REPAIR…
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RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE #00V421002. CONTACTED AND THEN VISITED DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC INSPECTED VEHICLE AND PROVIDED A SHEET OF PAPER, INDICATING NOTHING WRONG. EVERYTHING HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OFF. TWO MONTHS LATER, VEHICLE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO BALL JOINT CAUSING ARM AND AXLE TO BREAK. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, BUT AT REPAIR SHOP BEING REPAIRED. NO INJURIES. *AK
THERE ARE 2 RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE. DODGE REFUSES TO FIX THE 2ND RECALL (NHTSA# 00V421002) . THEY CLAIM TO ONLY KNOW ABOUT THE 1ST RECALL (NHTSA# 99V066003). MY BALL JOINTS HAVE FAILED AND THE RUBBER BOOT IS OK, BUT THE SECOND RECALL SAYS TO INSPECT THE JOINT ITSELF , NOT THE BOOT.*AK
CONSUMER WAS ACCELERATING UP TO 45 MPH SPEED LIMIT WHEN ALL DRIVETRAIN CAPABILITY AND FORWARD MOTION WAS LOST. VEHICLE CURRENTLY AT A DODGE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE REBUILT BECAUSE NO TRANSMISSIONS WERE AVAILABLE FOR 1996 MODEL. THIS WILL COST CONSUMER $2200.00. *AK BURNING R…
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CONSUMER WAS ACCELERATING UP TO 45 MPH SPEED LIMIT WHEN ALL DRIVETRAIN CAPABILITY AND FORWARD MOTION WAS LOST. VEHICLE CURRENTLY AT A DODGE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE REBUILT BECAUSE NO TRANSMISSIONS WERE AVAILABLE FOR 1996 MODEL. THIS WILL COST CONSUMER $2200.00. *AK BURNING RUBBER SMELL WAS DETECTED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR FLUID CHANGE AT THE DEALER. BELTS AND THE TENSIONERS WERE REPLACED BUT THE RUBBER SMELL STILL CINTINUED. LATER ON, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. *YH
WHENEVER MAKING A TURN AND TRYING TO SLOW DOWN VEHICLE WILL SPEED UP, FAST IDLE. *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