IllustrationTENSIONER PIVOT BOLT HAS FAILED 2 TIMES CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. *SLC
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 reportsTHE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER THE FIRSTSMOG CHECK REQUIREDTHIS YEAR 2000. THE DEALER RESET IT THE FIRST TIME. THEN IT CAME ON AGAIN AROUND TOWN AT 30MPH. THIS IS A STILL A NEW CAR LESS THAN 25,000 WHEN IT FIRST STARTED. I DON'T FEEL WE SHOULD KEEP PAYING TO GET IT REPAIRED I UNDERSTAND THAT IT CAN BE UP TO APPROX 17 DIFF…
Read full complaint
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER THE FIRSTSMOG CHECK REQUIREDTHIS YEAR 2000. THE DEALER RESET IT THE FIRST TIME. THEN IT CAME ON AGAIN AROUND TOWN AT 30MPH. THIS IS A STILL A NEW CAR LESS THAN 25,000 WHEN IT FIRST STARTED. I DON'T FEEL WE SHOULD KEEP PAYING TO GET IT REPAIRED I UNDERSTAND THAT IT CAN BE UP TO APPROX 17 DIFFERENT THINGS TO SET IT OFF. AT ABOUT $400 EA THAT'S EXPENSIVE. I ALSO FIND IT ODD THAT IT JUST STARTED WITH A SMOG CHECK.
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
PERIODIC BUT REPEATED STALLING OF THE ENGINE WHEN SLOWING TO A STOP AND CLUTCH DISENGAGED. COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WHEN ENGINE STALLED AND VEHICLE WAS STILL MOVING, RESULTING IN NUMEROUS NEAR COLLISIONS. PROBLEM HAS WORSENED WHEREBY THE VEHICLE WILL PERIODICALLY STALL AT ANY TIME WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, EVEN AT HIGH RATE OF …
Read full complaint
PERIODIC BUT REPEATED STALLING OF THE ENGINE WHEN SLOWING TO A STOP AND CLUTCH DISENGAGED. COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WHEN ENGINE STALLED AND VEHICLE WAS STILL MOVING, RESULTING IN NUMEROUS NEAR COLLISIONS. PROBLEM HAS WORSENED WHEREBY THE VEHICLE WILL PERIODICALLY STALL AT ANY TIME WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, EVEN AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND LOW THROTTLE APPLICATION. VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL VEHICLE WHEN STALL OCCURS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITION. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE AND CLAIMS THEY CANNOT REPLICATE CONDITION. HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. OTHER CONDITIONS INVOLVE THE REPAIR OF A LEAKING HEAD GASKET THAT WAS PARTIALLY COVERED BY MANUFACTURER AFTER EXPIRATION OF WARRANTY. DOOR SWITCH FOR DOME LIGHT, DOOR AJAR INDICATOR, AND KEY-IN-IGNITION WARNING TONE MALFUNCTIONED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS REPAIRED BY DEALER. CONDITION RETURNED AFTER EXPIRATION OF WARRANTY AND DEALER REFUSED TO COVER. *AK
BOTTOM HINGE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR RUSTED , CAUSING THE DOOR TO DROP DOWN. PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
KNOCKING UNDER HOOD. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT OR DETERMINE THE CAUSE.*AK
A FIRE STARTED SPONTANEOUSLY WHILE THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AFTER A SHORT RIDE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT INDICATES AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. FIRE SEEMED TO ORIGINATE NEAR THE FUSE BOX. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT RIGHT SIDE HEADLIGHT HAS A FILM OR COATING THAT OBSTRUCTS VISION. *AK
THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT COMES LOOSE AND THE SEAT SLIDES UP WHEN APPLYING BRAKE. YH
LOWER CONTROL ARM AND BALL JOINT ARE PUNCTURED AND LEAKING DUE TO PRIOR RECALL (99V-066). YH
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