IllustrationUNDER CARRIAGE NOISE IS CAUSED BY LEFT AND RIGHT ARM BALL JOINT FAILURE. YH
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.
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: 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 reportsTHERE WAS A RECALL ON BALL JOINT BOOTS. I HAD THIS CHECKED 10/12/99. ACCORDING TO DEALER EVERYTHING WAS FINE. THREE MONTHS LATER, I NOW HAVE A DEFECTIV EBALL JOINT IN MY RIGHTT FRONT. DEALER STATES THAT THE RECALL WAS ONLY FOR THE BOOT, WHICH ACCORDING TO THEM IS/WAS OKAY. THEY CLAIM THE BALL JOINT FAILURE IS DUE TO NORMAL…
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THERE WAS A RECALL ON BALL JOINT BOOTS. I HAD THIS CHECKED 10/12/99. ACCORDING TO DEALER EVERYTHING WAS FINE. THREE MONTHS LATER, I NOW HAVE A DEFECTIV EBALL JOINT IN MY RIGHTT FRONT. DEALER STATES THAT THE RECALL WAS ONLY FOR THE BOOT, WHICH ACCORDING TO THEM IS/WAS OKAY. THEY CLAIM THE BALL JOINT FAILURE IS DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AT 46,000 MILES? *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THEREWAS A LOUD UNDER CARRIAGE NOISE COMING FROM THE BALL JOINTS. THE NOISE WAS MILD AT FIRST, BUT THEN THE NOISE REALLY BECAME LOUD. CONSUMER WAS SHOWN A PRINTOUT BY DEALERSHIP WHICH DID NOT INCLUDE THIS VEHICLE IN RECALL 99V066003 DAIMLER/CHRYSLER/LOWER BALL JOINT BOOT. *AK
THE UPPER CONTROL ARM WHICH IS GONE, AND MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND RESULT A CRASH. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BUT NOT FOR THE UPPER CONTROL ARM ALTHOUGH IT DEALS WITH SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
UPON RECEIPT IF RECALL 99V066, BALL JOINT BALL JOINT FAILURE ,THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND CONCLUDED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED BY THE RECALL. AFTER THAT INSPECTION ,THE TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE, RESULTING IN MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOWED TO THE DEALER. …
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UPON RECEIPT IF RECALL 99V066, BALL JOINT BALL JOINT FAILURE ,THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND CONCLUDED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED BY THE RECALL. AFTER THAT INSPECTION ,THE TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE, RESULTING IN MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOWED TO THE DEALER. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
CONSUMER IS NOT SATISFIED WITH RECALL REPAIR/INSPECTION OF THE (99V-066) RECALL, INSPECTION COMPLETED WITH NO INDICATION OF CUT/TORN BOOTS, HOWEVER POTENTIAL IS STILL PRESENT FOR FAILURE. MJS
RECEIVED RECALL94066003. CONTACTED DEALER. TOOK VEHICLE IN ON DATE. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC NO PARTS AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. WOULD NOTIFY WHEN BALL JOINT PARTS CAME IN. BEEN CHECKING OFF/ON & SO FAR NO PARTS. *AK
FRONT SUSPENSION HAS PROBLEMS FOR SOME TIME. I HAVE A NOTICE FROM CARPOINT WEB SITE ABOUT A RECALL, AND IHAVE NOT YET RECEIVED A RECALL FROM DEALER OR EITHER CHRYSLER. WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS??
WHILE DRIVING FRONT RIGHT BALL JOINT SNAPPED IN HALF,CAUSING TIRE TO COME OFF. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED FOLLOWING PROBLEMS; 1.) BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS WEAR OUT EXCESSIVELY; 2.) HEAD GASKET LEAKS; AND 3.) CRUISE CONTROL WOULD SHUT ITSELF OFF WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT FOOT PRESSING ON BRAKE PEDAL. *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
1RQ00015 · 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