IllustrationTHE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WOBBLED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. *JB
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 reportsMY DAUGHTER, MICHELLE OWNED A 1996 DODGE AVENGER ES WHICH SHE LOST HER LIFE IN. ON OCTOBER 6, 2001 SHE HAD AN ACCIDENT WHICH THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES AND EXPLODED. IT WAS IN FOR RECALLS WITHIN THE PREVIOUS YEAR FOR THE LOWER LATERAL BALL JOINT. ON OCTOBER 2000, HER FRONT END OF HER CAR FELL TO THE GROUND, WHICH WE REPORTED TO Y…
Read full complaint
MY DAUGHTER, MICHELLE OWNED A 1996 DODGE AVENGER ES WHICH SHE LOST HER LIFE IN. ON OCTOBER 6, 2001 SHE HAD AN ACCIDENT WHICH THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES AND EXPLODED. IT WAS IN FOR RECALLS WITHIN THE PREVIOUS YEAR FOR THE LOWER LATERAL BALL JOINT. ON OCTOBER 2000, HER FRONT END OF HER CAR FELL TO THE GROUND, WHICH WE REPORTED TO YOU AND TO DAIMEN CHRYSLER. DAIMEN CHRYSLER PAID FOR THE REPAIRS TO HER CAR. NOW HER CAR EXPLODES AND BURSTS INTO FLAMES KILLING HER. SHE DID NOT DIE FROM THE INJURIES OF THE ACCIDENT, SHE DIED FROM THE FUMES AND FIRE. WE WANT TO KNOW SINCE THERE ARE REPORTS OF OTHER DAIMEN CHRYSLER AUTOS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE NEWS AS TO CATCHING ON FIRE WE WANT IT ON RECORD THAT HER CAR ALSO CAUGHT ON FIRE. WE WOULD LIKE TO REPORT THIS AND TO POSSIBLY SAVE SOMEONE ELSES LIFE. WE WANT TO KNOW IF THE AUTO MANUFACTURER HELD INFORMATION ON OTHER MAKES AND MODELS THAT THEY WERE INVESTIGATING FROM THE CONSUMERS FOR RECALLS. THE ACCIDENT DOES NOT EXPLAIN WHY THE CAR BURST IN FLAMES IMMEDIATELY.
NO SUMMARY. DT
CONSUMER STATES THAT NONE OF THE VEHICLE SEATBELTS WILL STAY FASTENED. CONSUMER FEELS UNSAFE DRIVING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT FITS TOO, TIGHT THERE IS NO SLACK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *MR
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DRIVIERS SIDE SEATBELT WILL NOT STAY LOCKED. CONSUMER STATES THERE IS NO SLACK IN THE SEATBELT TO MOVE. NLM
ON THE TRANSMISSION THE SEAL FOR THE FRONT SHAFT IS LEAKING,ALSO THE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING WHICH IS MADE OUT OF PAPER AND DISOLVED WHICH NOW NEEDS REPLACED THE INPUT AND OUTPUT SENSORS ARE ALSO IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT I HAVE TWO OF THESE CARS AND FIND IT APPAULING THAT BOTH ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. NLM
VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN LOWER ARM BALL JOINT RECALL 00V421002. AFTER FIRST INSPECTION IN OCTOBER 2001, PART FAILED ON 8-3-02. ARMS AND JOINTS WERE ACTUALLY REPLACED. CURRENTLY, COMPRESSION ARM BALL JOINT CRACKED JUST AS THE LATTERAL ARM BALL JOINT THAT WAS RECALLED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
WHEN OPENING DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF WITHOUT ANY FORCE.CONTACTED DEALER. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM.*AK
WHEN PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY UPPER RIGHT CONTROL ARM MOUNT SEPARATED FROM BODY, MAKING AN ENORMOUS POPPING SOUND. DEALER STATED IF DRIVEN MORE WHEELS COULD HAVE COLLAPSED.*AK *JB
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