1999 Dodge Avenger

SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS AGO, THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAVE NOT BEEN EFFECTIVE. THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED 2 TIMES WITHIN THE FIRST 15,000 DRIVEN. WHEN TRYING TO ADMINISTER THE BRAKES WHETHER IT BE A LIGHTED INTERSECTION OR SLOWING DOWN FOR TRAFFIC AHEAD, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP THE CAR NO MATTER HOW FAR EARLY THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND DANGEROUS. WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH OF OWNERSHIP, THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW SOUNDED AS THOUGH IT WERE CRACKED OPEN SLIGHTLY, YET THE WINDOWS WERE FULLY CLOSED. THE FIRST TIME THE CAR WAS DROPPED OFF FOR SERVICE, THE WEATHERSTRIPPING WAS REPLACED. THIS HELPED VERY LITTLE. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT BACK TO THE DEALER, WHEN THEY FINALLY FOUND THAT THERE WAS A SCREW INTHE DOOR THAT WAS BROKEN AND NEEDED REPLACING. THIS CAUSED THE WINDOW NOT TO FULLY CLOSE. SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE CAR, IT HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE OVER 10 TIMES (NOT INCLUDING REGUALR MAINTENANCE - OIL CHANGES, ETC). I UNDERSTAND THAT BRAKES ARE PART OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE OF ANY VEHICLE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A DEFECT WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. I ALSO OWN A GM VEHICLE, BUT MY BRAKE PADS LAST FOR AT LEAST 20,000 MILES.*AK

I HAVE HAD BRAKE AND ROTOR PROBLEMS WHEN THE CAR REACHED 14,000 MILES, I THEN REPLACED THE BRAKES, I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING SEVERE PULSATION WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, I REPLACED THE FRONT ROTORS AT 28,000 MILES, (AT MY EXPENSE) NOW THE BACK ROTORS HAVE BEGUN THE SEVERE PULSATION AND WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THOSE ROTORS AS WELL( AT MY EXPENSE). SINCE THE WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THIS. I USED THE EMGERGENCY BRAKE ONCE AND COULDN'T DISENGAGE THE BRAKE AND MY CAR WAS STRANDED. I ALSO EXPERIENCED THE EMERGENCY BRAKES FREEZING UP WHICH THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS COMPLAINING TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT SMOKE COMING FROM THE TIRE WELL FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE BACK TIRE. ON MARCH 8, APRIL 5TH THEY RESURFACED THE BACK ROTORS, AND TOLD ME IF I CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THE SEVERE PULSATION THE BACK ROTORS WILL NEED REPLACED. I HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED PROBLEMS LIKE THIS EVER, I ALWAYS PURCHASE NEW CARS FOR THEIR WARRANTY AND DODGE'S WARRANTY IS NOT UP MY STANDARDS.*AK

I BOUGHT AN AVENGER AFTER MY INTREPID WAS WRECKED IN 12-2000. WHEN I OWNED THE INTREPID, WHICH WAS PURCHASED IN FEB. 2000, I BROUGHT IT IN TO THE DEALER WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS TO BE CHECKED BECAUSE THERE WAS A VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END, ESP. WHEN BRAKING WHILE GOING DOWN A STEEP HILL. I FELT THE ROTORS MIGHT BE WARPING. AFTER PAYING A $25.00 INSPECTION FEE, THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT HIS MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND ANY VIBRATION IN THE ROTORS. I STATED THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO DRIVE THE CAR DOWN A STEEP HILL. THE MANAGER STATED THAT BRAKES WERE NOT COVERED AFTER 12,000 MILES ANYWAY. A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER, I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A LOUD SQUEAL COMING FROM THE BRAKES WHEN STOPPING AT ANYTIME. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER. I MENTIONED THAT THE VIBRATION WAS STILL HAPPENING AND THE TIRES, WHICH WERE NEW WHEN THE CAR WAS PURCHASED, WERE GOING BALD BECAUSE OF UNEVEN BRAKING. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THE MANUFACTURER PUTS ON BRAKE PADS MADE OF VERY HARD MATERIAL WHICH CAUSES THE SQUEAL WHEN HOT. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE ONLY REMEDY WOULD BE TO REPLACE THEIR PADS WITH GENERIC PADS FROM A BRAKE SHOP, AT MY EXPENSE. I RAN INTO A FELLOW WHO SEEMED TO KNOW A LOT ABOUT CARS WHO TOLD ME THAT EXTRA HARD BRAKE PADS CAN CAUSE ROTORS TO WARP BECAUSE THEY GET EXTREMELY HOT WHEN BREAKING. BUT HOW DO YOU PROVE THE MANUFACTURER HAS CAUSED THIS ROTOR DEFECT BY USING FAULTY BRAKE PADS? NOW, I HAVE PURCHASED A DODGE AVENGER IN FEB. 2001 (AS I STATED EARLIER) BECAUSE THE INTREPID WAS WRECKED. THE '99 AVENGER ALSO HAD APPROX. 13,500 MI. WHEN PURCHASED. GUESS WHAT?... THE AVENGER IS IN THE SHOP RIGHT NOW GETTING THE ROTORS GROUND DOWN BECAUSE OF VIBRATIONS. THIS TIME, THE MECHANIC COULD FEEL THE VIBRATIONS BECAUSE WE RODE DOWN A HILL. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT HE HAD THE SAME ROTOR TROUBLE WITH HIS CHRYSLER SEBRING AT 11,000 MILES. IT SEEMS THE CHRYS. CORP. SHOULD REMEDY THIS ROTOR SITUATION BECAUSE THEY HAVE CAUSED THIS PROBLEM IN MANY OF THEIR CARS.*AK

RIGHT FRONT TIRE LOSES AIR FREQUENTLY, DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND ANY PROBLEMS, HOWEVER A SERVICE MANAGER AT A TIRE STORE STATED THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE TIRE RIMS NEEDED TO BE APPLIED WITH BEAD SEALS AND NEW VALVE STEMS, CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY DODGE TO GO TO ANOTHER FACILITY THAT DOES NOT TAKE APPOINTMENTS AND IS ABOUT 30 MILES FROM CONSUMER, CONSUMER IS STILL EXPERIENCING TIRE LEAKAGE AND RECENTLY ONE OF THE WHEEL COVERS WAS LOST WHILE DRIVING. *SLC