IllustrationLOWER CONTROL ARM WAS DEFECTIVE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND BALL JOINTS BROKE COMPLETELY OFF. PLEASE PROVIDE VEHICLE INDENTIFICATION NUMBER, AND ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
1995 Dodge Avenger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1995 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: 15 of 196 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 →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
23 crash reports3 fire reports11 injury reports
What owners actually said
196 reportsPOWER DOOR LOCKS DISENGAGE WHILE DRIVING. INSIDE LIGHTS FLASH, AND CHIMES RING WHILE LOCKS UNLOCK AND LOCK. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. DEALER IS UNABLE TO INSPECTIT IF IT DOESN'T DUPLICATE ITSELF. *AK
TRANSMISSION SLIPS BOTH OUT OF DRIVE AND REVERSE. VEHICLE SOMETIMES TAKES 1-3 SECONDS BEFORE IT LURCHES. DEALER HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH LEFT WHEEL TURNED. LOWER BALL JOINT BROKE. DEALER HAD PERFORMED RECALL 00V421002 AROUND JAN. 2001. BUT, DID NOT REPLACE BALL JOINTS. *AK
PRIOR TO RECALL,(967) UPON MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE VEHICLES PASSENGER SIDE FRONT BALLJOINT BROKE, WHEN THE BALL JOINT BROKE IT CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE FRONT AXLE, THE FORK AND THE FRONT AIRDAM WAS CRACKED, CONSUMER WAS DENIED REIMBURSEMENT.*JB
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IT STARTED TO SMOKE. ALSO, WHEN OPENING HOOD VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES. *AK
CAR STALLS AT ALL SPEEDS. NO ACCIDENT YET. DEALER COULD NOT FIGURE IT OUT FOR 9 MONTHS. *AK
BALL JOINTS; DRIVESHAFT; LOWER LATERAL ARMS
RECALL 00 V 421 02 LOWER BALL JOINTS. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, HEART OF TEXUS DODGE, AUSTIN, TX 512-406-7035, AND WAS INFORMED THAT PARTS WERE ON BACK ORDER. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK
I NOTICED AFTER MY VEHICLE WARMED UP A SMELL OF BURNING OIL FROM TIME TO TIME WHEN I WOULD COME TO A STOP. SOME TIMES SMOKE WOULD BELLOW OUT FROM UNDER THE CAR AT A STOP. ON 7/14/2001 IT DID IT AGAIN, SO I DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO MY LOCAL DODGE DEALER SINCE THE OIL LEAK COULD POTENTALLY START A FIRE SINCE IT WAS OBVIOUSLY DRIPP…
Read full complaint
I NOTICED AFTER MY VEHICLE WARMED UP A SMELL OF BURNING OIL FROM TIME TO TIME WHEN I WOULD COME TO A STOP. SOME TIMES SMOKE WOULD BELLOW OUT FROM UNDER THE CAR AT A STOP. ON 7/14/2001 IT DID IT AGAIN, SO I DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO MY LOCAL DODGE DEALER SINCE THE OIL LEAK COULD POTENTALLY START A FIRE SINCE IT WAS OBVIOUSLY DRIPPING ON TO MY EXHAUST SYSTEM. ON 7/16/2001 I WAS CONTACTED BY THE DEALERSHIP(I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM AN INDIVIDUAL) AND TOLD THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN OUT AND PUMPING OIL DOWN ON MY EXHAUST. I WAS THEN TOLD BY THE DEALER REPRESENTATIVE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT DODGE KNEW ABOUT IT, BUT DIDN'T REALLY CARE. HE ALSO TOLD THAT THEY KNEW ABOUT FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE PRODUCTION RUN AND WOULD (AT ONE TIME) REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET AT THERE COST , BUT SINCE MY CAR HAS 100000 MILES ON IT THEN IT IS MY PROBLEM. I AM A REASONABLE PERSON AND REALIZE THAT SOME MAINTENANCE PROBLEMS SHOULD PAID FOR BY THE OWNER, BUT A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD SUCH AS DEFECTIVE/ LEAKING HEAD GASKET(OIL) SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFATURER AND A SOLUTION SHOULD BE FOUND, BEFORE SOMEONE GETS BURNED TO DEATH BECAUSE THE OIL LEAK CATCHES FIRE OR THE CAR IS LOST . THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.*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
3DP03002 · Steering Column Separation
Opened May 7, 2003 · Closed Jul 22, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering:column
MR. LARRY A. SACKEY SUBMITTED A PETITION TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) BY LETTER DATED APRIL 18, 2003, REQUESTING THAT NHTSAFURTHER INVESTIGATE THE DEFECTIVE COLLAPSIBLE STEERING SHAFT SYSTEM ON 1987-1995 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY THE DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION.IN PART BECAUSE OF 49 CFR ? 30120(G), NHTSA HAS DECIDED TO LIMIT THE SCOPE OF THE PETITION VEHICLES TO 1993-1995 MODELS, EXCLUDING THE 1993 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE AND 1994-1995 DODGE RAM SERIES TRUCKS THAT WERE RECALLED (93V210 & 96V230) FOR STEERING COLUMN FAILURE.IF THE ANALYSIS OF THESE VEHICLES HAD IDENTIFIED A POTENTIAL PROBLEM, THE SCOPE COULD HAVE BEEN EXPANDED IN AN INVESTIGATION.A REVIEW OF ODI'S DATA BASE SHOWS NO RECENT COMPLAINTS AND A LACK OF A COMPLAINT TREND CONCERNING THE SUBJECT ISSUE ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AS A WHOLE OR BY INDIVIDUAL MODELS.THEREFORE, THE PETITION IS DENIED.FOR DETAILS, SEE FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE VOLUME 68, NO. 130, JULY 8, 2003.
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
PE99008 · Ball Joint
Opened Feb 1, 1999 · Closed Apr 13, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
allege failure of front ball joints may cause the driver to loose control of the vehicle as the front suspension collapses on one side.this loss of control increases the risk of a vehicle crash.
Additional source detail variants (4)
Suspension
allege failure of front ball joints may cause the driver to loose control of the vehicle as the front suspension collapses on one side.this loss of control increases the risk of a vehicle crash.
Suspension
allege failure of front ball joints may cause the driver to loose control of the vehicle as the front suspension collapses on one side.this loss of control increases the risk of a vehicle crash.
Suspension
allege failure of front ball joints may cause the driver to loose control of the vehicle as the front suspension collapses on one side.this loss of control increases the risk of a vehicle crash.
Suspension
allege failure of front ball joints may cause the driver to loose control of the vehicle as the front suspension collapses on one side.this loss of control increases the risk of a vehicle crash.