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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

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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 reports
Mileage unknown · Mar 28, 2001
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

VEHICLE HIT A TREE HEAD-ON AT ABOUT 35 MPH (EST.). NEITHER THE DRIVER SIDE NOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. PASSENGER'S HEAD STRUCK AND SHATTERED WINDSHIELD. DRIVER'S FACE STRUCK STEERING WHEEL CAUSING DAMAGE TO MOUTH AND SHOULDER. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. AMAZING NO ONE WAS KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED. ALSO,…

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VEHICLE HIT A TREE HEAD-ON AT ABOUT 35 MPH (EST.). NEITHER THE DRIVER SIDE NOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. PASSENGER'S HEAD STRUCK AND SHATTERED WINDSHIELD. DRIVER'S FACE STRUCK STEERING WHEEL CAUSING DAMAGE TO MOUTH AND SHOULDER. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. AMAZING NO ONE WAS KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED. ALSO, I WOULD NOTICE THAT IF I WAS TRAVELING OVER ABOUT 40 MPH, THE CAR WOULD SHAKE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. CAR WOULD SOMETIMES STALL WHEN STOPPED. SOMETIMES I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE CAR OUT OF PARK AND PUT IT BACK INTO PARK BEFORE IT WOULD START. ALSO THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT SEEMED TO NOT BE FULLY SEALED AS IT ALWAYS HAD CONDENSATION INSIDE. NOTICED THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SEEMED TO BE STICKING OUT AND THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT WAS DIFFICULT TO OPEN. I WONDER IF THIS CAR HAD BEEN WRECKED BEFORE I BOUGHT IT. I KNOW I WAS NOT TOLD IT HAD BEEN. I JUST RECENTLY LEARNED THEY DO NOT MAKE AVENGERS ANYMORE. IS THERE A REASON FOR THIS. ARE THEY DANGEROUS. COULD SOMETHING HAVE CAUSED THIS CRASH OTHER THAN THE DRIVING OF THE DRIVER. I WILL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE MY VIN NUMBER AS SOON AS I CAN GET IT. CAR IS IN STORAGE NOW.*AK

NHTSA ODI #743215

Mileage unknown · Mar 20, 2001
Power TrainSteeringSuspension

FRONT INNER TIE ROD/ FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS,AND SUSPENSION OF THE VEHICLE HE JUST PURCHASED MALFUNCTIONED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #883550

Mileage unknown · Feb 20, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingUnknown Or Other

VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING, IT STALLED AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. IT HESITATED, SITTING STILL. PUTTING VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL KEPT IT FROM CUTTING OFF. DEALER HAS REPLACED A SENSOR IN ENGINE. PROBLEM CAME BACK AFTER A WHILE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #880811

Mileage unknown · Feb 14, 2001
Electrical SystemCrash

CAR HORN FAILS TO WORK WHEN COLD TEMPS OUTSIDE AND ENGINE COLD. LEFT BUTTON ON STEERING WHEEL NEVER WORKS AND RIGHT BUTTON ONLY WORKS WHEN CAR IS WARM. I GOT HIT IN A PARKING LOT (LUCKILY LOW SPEED) AND I COULDN'T WARN THE OTHER DRIVER WHO DIDN'T SEE ME BECAUSE THE HORN WOULDN'T BLOW. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM - WHAT HAPPENS…

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CAR HORN FAILS TO WORK WHEN COLD TEMPS OUTSIDE AND ENGINE COLD. LEFT BUTTON ON STEERING WHEEL NEVER WORKS AND RIGHT BUTTON ONLY WORKS WHEN CAR IS WARM. I GOT HIT IN A PARKING LOT (LUCKILY LOW SPEED) AND I COULDN'T WARN THE OTHER DRIVER WHO DIDN'T SEE ME BECAUSE THE HORN WOULDN'T BLOW. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM - WHAT HAPPENS ON A HIGHWAY WHEN A DRIVER DOESN'T SEE ME??? I SEE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEB SITE ABOUT HORNS NOT WORKING AND I THINK IT SHOULD REALLY BE LOOKED INTO!! *AK

NHTSA ODI #740882

Mileage unknown · Feb 5, 2001
Seat Belts

DRIVER SEAT BELT WILL NOT REMAIN LOCKED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #740456

Mileage unknown · Dec 15, 2000
Power Train

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #737850

Mileage unknown · Nov 1, 2000
Suspension

RECALLED LOWER BALL JOINT (99V-066) FAILURE WAS THE POSSIBLE CAUSE OF ACCIDENT WHICH OCCURED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION, THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS NEVER DETERMINED DUE TO OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES. NLM

NHTSA ODI #557063

Mileage unknown · Oct 26, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingInjury

WIFE AND MOTHER IN-LAW WAS POISONED BY CARBON MONOXIDE ENTERING VEHICLE. PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO CHRYSLER. CHRYSLER DID SEND OUT AN INVESTIGATOR, BUT NOTHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *AK CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING OCCURED RIGHT AFTER THE DRIVER TURNED THE A/C ON. *YH

NHTSA ODI #873950

Mileage unknown · Oct 24, 2000
Suspension

DEFECTIVE NUTS CAME OFF THE BOLTS ON THE BALL JOINTS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM WHICH CAUSED BALL JOINT TO CEASE WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. PREVIOUSLY, THIS VEHICLE WAS PART OF THE LOWER BALL JOINT RECALL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #873680

Mileage unknown · Oct 24, 2000
Suspension

AFTER RECALL REPAIR 99V-066 OF THE LOWER BALL JOINT THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE FRONT AXLE FELL OFF WITHOUT WARNING, THE VEHICE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT). NLM

NHTSA ODI #556828

Official recalls

2

00V421002 · 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

1

RQ00015 · 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