IllustrationWHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY HIT A BUMP. STEERING WANDERED LEFT TO RIGHT. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MECHANIC. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK
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 reportsVEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK ONE PERSON WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT. *TT
WHILE DRIVING AND APPLYING BRAKES ABS SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED WHICH RESULTED IN BRAKES LOCKING UP AND CAUSING A COLLISION. *JG *AK
RECALL #967. CONSUMER STATES THAT BALL JOINTS WERE NOT SEAL AS NOTED IN NOTICE.
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40MPH ON A SIDE STREET, AND ANOTHER VEHICLE, WHOSE DRIVER WAS DRUNK, RAN THE STOP SIGN AND REARENDED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT,BOTH SIDE AIRGBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
4 FAILURES OF ALLOY WHEEL RIGHT FRONT, INSIDE OF RIM. ONLY ONE DUE TO SEVERE POTHOLE OTHERS DUE TO NORMAL DRIVING. POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD WITH LOSS OF AIR PRESSURE. ALSO RESULTED IN SEVERE DAMAGE TO SUSPENSION SYTEM WHEN POTHOLE ENCOUNTERED
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 00V421002/ LOWER BALL JOINT FAILURE IN MAIL AND CONTACTED DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THIS DEFECT REPAIRED. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO HEAR FROM MANUFACTURER, AND SERVICE WAS REFUSED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
FRONTAL LAP AND SHOULDER BELTS FAIL TO RETRACT BACK INTO ORIGINAL POSITION AFTER BEING PULLED OUT. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE FOR THIS DEFECT. *AK CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT SEAT BLET DOES NOT PULL OUT SMOOTHLY EVERYTIME AND IT ALSO LOCKS UP.*JB
DODGE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME MANY RECENT SALES FOR REPLACEMENTS OF THIS PART HAVE BEEN LOGGED LOCALLY.NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, RIGHT FRONT GOODYEAR EAGLE RS-A TIRE P215/50R17 EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, GOODYEAR PRORATED TIRE, DOT # M6PCLNWR199. *SLC
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.