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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.

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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

Suspension complaints

59 reports
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Mileage unknown · Apr 27, 2001
SuspensionCrash

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE #00V421002. CONTACTED AND THEN VISITED DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC INSPECTED VEHICLE AND PROVIDED A SHEET OF PAPER, INDICATING NOTHING WRONG. EVERYTHING HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OFF. TWO MONTHS LATER, VEHICLE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO BALL JOINT CAUSING ARM AND AXLE TO BREAK. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, BUT AT REPAIR…

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RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE #00V421002. CONTACTED AND THEN VISITED DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC INSPECTED VEHICLE AND PROVIDED A SHEET OF PAPER, INDICATING NOTHING WRONG. EVERYTHING HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OFF. TWO MONTHS LATER, VEHICLE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO BALL JOINT CAUSING ARM AND AXLE TO BREAK. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, BUT AT REPAIR SHOP BEING REPAIRED. NO INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #886966

Mileage unknown · Apr 27, 2001
Suspension

THERE ARE 2 RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE. DODGE REFUSES TO FIX THE 2ND RECALL (NHTSA# 00V421002) . THEY CLAIM TO ONLY KNOW ABOUT THE 1ST RECALL (NHTSA# 99V066003). MY BALL JOINTS HAVE FAILED AND THE RUBBER BOOT IS OK, BUT THE SECOND RECALL SAYS TO INSPECT THE JOINT ITSELF , NOT THE BOOT.*AK

NHTSA ODI #744665

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 · 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 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

Mileage unknown · Sep 11, 2000
Suspension

RECALL REPAIR REGARDING THE BALL JOINTS WAS COMPLETE ON VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE WHEEL CAME LOOSE WHILE DRIVING, ALSO THE BALL JOINT FELL APART AND NOW CONSUMER HAS TO PAY FOR THE SUSPENSION AND BODY DAMAGES. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #554510

Mileage unknown · Jun 5, 2000
Power TrainSeat BeltsSuspension

THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT COMES LOOSE AND THE SEAT SLIDES UP WHEN APPLYING BRAKE. YH

NHTSA ODI #552476

Mileage unknown · Apr 12, 2000
Suspension

LOWER CONTROL ARM AND BALL JOINT ARE PUNCTURED AND LEAKING DUE TO PRIOR RECALL (99V-066). YH

NHTSA ODI #551830

Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 2000
Suspension

VEHICLE CHECKED IN OCTOBER FOR RECALL ON DEFECTIVE BALL JOINT BOOTS. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED. THREE MONTHS LATER HAD TO REPLACE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. THIS OCCURRED AT 46,100 MILES. DEALER STATED THAT PROBLEM DUE TO "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR." CUSTOMER RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS. I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL …

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VEHICLE CHECKED IN OCTOBER FOR RECALL ON DEFECTIVE BALL JOINT BOOTS. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED. THREE MONTHS LATER HAD TO REPLACE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. THIS OCCURRED AT 46,100 MILES. DEALER STATED THAT PROBLEM DUE TO "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR." CUSTOMER RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS. I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS OF BALL JOINT FAILURE THAT HAVE OCCURED AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED. WAS ALSO TOLD BY DEALER THAT THIS FAILURE WAS MINOR AND IT WAS OKAY TO OPERATED VEHICLE FOR A WEEK UNTIL I GOT VEHICLE REPAIRED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #719306

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