IllustrationTRANSMISSION FAILED.
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
What owners actually said
157 reportsGLOVE BOX DOOR FAILED.
BOTH FRONT RIMS BENT, CAUSING TIRE DAMAGE TO BOTH TIRES AND DAMAGE TO OUTER TIE ROD ENDS, SWAY BAR BUSHINGS AND LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM. *AK
BRACKET THAT SUPPORTS SEATBACK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BROKE AWAY FROM THE FRAME, CAUSING THE SEAT BACK TO COLLAPSE. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK
CAR WAS PARKED WITH SHIFTER IN "P" AND ENGINE OFF. WHEN I TURNED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION THE CAR TOOK OFF LIKE A BANSHEE AT FULL REVS. I HIT A BUILDING, SOME STONE STEPS, WENT OVER A CURB, AND BARELY MANAGED TO MAKE A 90 DEGREE TURN TO AVOIDING RUNNING DOWN TWO PEDERTRIANS. WHEN KEY WAS TURNED OFF THE CAR WAS STILL IN "P". I…
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CAR WAS PARKED WITH SHIFTER IN "P" AND ENGINE OFF. WHEN I TURNED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION THE CAR TOOK OFF LIKE A BANSHEE AT FULL REVS. I HIT A BUILDING, SOME STONE STEPS, WENT OVER A CURB, AND BARELY MANAGED TO MAKE A 90 DEGREE TURN TO AVOIDING RUNNING DOWN TWO PEDERTRIANS. WHEN KEY WAS TURNED OFF THE CAR WAS STILL IN "P". IT APPEARS THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A RECALL (98V183000) FOR THIS PROBLEM, HOWEVER WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED OF IT. WE WILL NEVER TRUST THIS CAR TO DRIVE AGAIN AND ARE REQUESTING THAT CHRYSLER REPLACE IT.
AUTOMOBILE WAS PARKED WHEN DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW EXPLODED AND SHATTERED. *AK
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE, PARKED, THEN NOTICED THE UPPER CONTROL ARM ON THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE SNAPPED, COULD HAVE CAUSED THE WHEEL TO FALL OFF. DEALER CONTACTED AND WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
GONE THROUGH MANY NUMBER OF BRAKES, WITH NORMAL DRIVING, AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS.
THE BRAKES PADS HAVE WORN OUT ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE ORIGINAL SET OF BRAKE PADS WENT OUT AFTER THE FIRST 4000 MILES ON THE CAR. THE PADS WERE REPLACED AND WENT OUT AGAIN AT 17000. FINALLY THE PADS WENT OUT AGAIN AT 41000. THE FIRST TWO TIMES THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE PADS REPLACED. THE THIRD TIME…
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THE BRAKES PADS HAVE WORN OUT ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE ORIGINAL SET OF BRAKE PADS WENT OUT AFTER THE FIRST 4000 MILES ON THE CAR. THE PADS WERE REPLACED AND WENT OUT AGAIN AT 17000. FINALLY THE PADS WENT OUT AGAIN AT 41000. THE FIRST TWO TIMES THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE PADS REPLACED. THE THIRD TIME I TOOK THE CAR TO A BRAKE SPECIALIST AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CALIPERS CAUSED THE TWO SETS OF BRAKE PADS TO GO OUT. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE REAR BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING AND HAD HARDLY ANY WEAR. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE REAR SHOCKS THREE TIMES. I HAVE REPLACED THE REAR SHOCKS TWICE IN THE PAST YEAR.
I TOOK MY CAR IN AT 35,500 MILES BECAUSE IT WAS LOSING JUST ALITTLE OIL AND ANTIFREEZE. I FOUND OUT THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING AND SO WAS THE WATER PUMP. THE OIL WAS LEAKING INTO THE COOLANT AND THE COOLANT WAS LEAKING OUT OF THE WATER PUMP. THE DOORS ALWAYS LEAK WATER WHEN I GET IT WASHED. THE DOORS ALSO MAKE A REALLY LO…
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I TOOK MY CAR IN AT 35,500 MILES BECAUSE IT WAS LOSING JUST ALITTLE OIL AND ANTIFREEZE. I FOUND OUT THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING AND SO WAS THE WATER PUMP. THE OIL WAS LEAKING INTO THE COOLANT AND THE COOLANT WAS LEAKING OUT OF THE WATER PUMP. THE DOORS ALWAYS LEAK WATER WHEN I GET IT WASHED. THE DOORS ALSO MAKE A REALLY LOUD NOISE WHEN I CLOSE THEM AND THE WINDOW IS OPEN. THE DISC BRAKES HAVE WARPED AND THE CAR SHAKES WHEN I PUT THE BRAKES ON.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 195/75/14 )
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