Illustration1998 DODGE AVENGER ES. WHEN I WENT TO OPEN THE DRIVER,S DOOR THE ENTIRE HANDLE SNAPPED OFF AND WAS IN MY HAND. CHEAP PLASTIC MECHANISM. HAVE TO OPEN DOOR FROM THE INSIDE. VERY INCONVENIENT. HAVE CALL INTO A COUPLE MECHANICS AND DODGE DEALER FOR REPAIR ESTIMATES. *LA
1998 Dodge Avenger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Fewer warning signs than most model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Dodge Avenger are lower than 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: 19 of 58 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 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
14 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
58 reportsTHE TRANSMISSION WENT ON MY CAR - 1998 DODGE AVENGER, 35,000 MILES. 8AK
THE RECALL REPAIRS REGARDING THE BALL JOINTS FAILED WITHIN 1 YEAR, CONSUMER HAD TO BEAR THE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE THEM REPLACED. RECALL # 00V421002. *AK *JB
THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED, AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *JB
I RECENTLY HAD MY FRONT-END BALL JOINTS REPLACED ON MY 1998 DODGE AVENGER AT KEN NELSON AUTO PLAZA IN DIXON, IL. THIS PROBLEM WAS A RECALL I HAD DONE ALREADY IN MAY OF 2001. RECALL #967 FROM NHTSA. THEY WERE SUPPOSE TO PUT NEWLY DESIGNED LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS ON MY VEHICLE AT THAT TIME. THE "NEW" BALL JOINTS DIDN'T LAST ONE …
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I RECENTLY HAD MY FRONT-END BALL JOINTS REPLACED ON MY 1998 DODGE AVENGER AT KEN NELSON AUTO PLAZA IN DIXON, IL. THIS PROBLEM WAS A RECALL I HAD DONE ALREADY IN MAY OF 2001. RECALL #967 FROM NHTSA. THEY WERE SUPPOSE TO PUT NEWLY DESIGNED LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS ON MY VEHICLE AT THAT TIME. THE "NEW" BALL JOINTS DIDN'T LAST ONE YEAR AND 8 MONTHS. I WAS TOLD I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR THIS TIME, FOR WHICH I DID. THE COST WAS $312.60. I DO NOT BELIEVE I SHOULD BE PAYING FOR THE MATERIAL DEFECTS THAT WERE UNDER THE ORIGINAL RECALL WORK WHICH FAILED IN SUCH A SHORT TIME.
MY RIM BROKE AND CAUSED MY TIRE TO GO FLAT. I HAVE HAD TO PUT TIRES ON ALMOST EVERY 6,000. MY DOOR LOCK IS NOT WORKING RIGHT AND I ALSO AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE FOG LIGHTS.
THE CONSUMER STATES THAT IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS SHE HAS PURCHASED 3 PAIRS OF TIRES AS A RESULT OF SIDE WALL BLOWOUTS ON THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRST BLOWOUT HAPPENEND IN FEB. 01, ON THE BACK DRIVER'S SIDE, THE SECOND BLOWOUT HAPPENED ON THE EXPRESSWAY ON JAN. 25TH 2002 ON THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE TIRE, AND THE MOST RECEN…
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THE CONSUMER STATES THAT IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS SHE HAS PURCHASED 3 PAIRS OF TIRES AS A RESULT OF SIDE WALL BLOWOUTS ON THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRST BLOWOUT HAPPENEND IN FEB. 01, ON THE BACK DRIVER'S SIDE, THE SECOND BLOWOUT HAPPENED ON THE EXPRESSWAY ON JAN. 25TH 2002 ON THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE TIRE, AND THE MOST RECENT BLOWOUT HAPPENED ON THE EXPRESSWAY ON THE BACK OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND HAD LESS THAN 29K MILES ON THEM AND HAD ALREADY BEEN ROTATED TO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. (ALL WERE BLOWING OUT ON THE INSIDE WALL OFF THE TIRE, WHICH ALSO CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO DROP AND DAMAGE THE RIMS) THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE TIRE(S) THAT HAVE FAILED AS WELL AS THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE DONE TO THE RIMS OF THE VEHICLE (GOODYEAR EAGLE TIRES SIZE 215-50-17). *SCC
RECENTLY HAD ACCIDENT, AUTO REPAIR SAID CAR HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. I AM UNAWARE OF PRIORS, WHEN CAR PURCHASED WAS NOT TYPICAL SALE, IT WAS USED ALREADY BY DEALERSHIP, OVERPRICED VEHICLE COULD HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BEFORE PURCHASED BY MYSELF. DT
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY HE HIT THE CENTER BLOCK WHILE APPLY HIS BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T STOP. AND THE VEHICLE FLIP TWICE INTO THE ENBANKMENT. THE VEHICLE IS TOTAL. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS
WHILE PARKING VEHICLE ACCELERATED. IT JUMPED THE CURVE, AND RAN INTO A BRAKE WALL.*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.
98V045002 · Vehicle Speed Control
Mar 3, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE DASH PANEL PAD CAN SHIFT INTERFERRING WITH THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTROL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTROL WOULD NOT RETURN TO IDLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE A PORTION OF THE DASH PANEL PAD SO IT CANNOT INTERFERE WITH THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTROL.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.