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1998 Dodge Avenger

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Dodge Avenger are lower than the model-year median of 157.

About this comparison →

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: 19 of 58 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 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

14 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports

What owners actually said

58 reports
Mileage unknown · Feb 28, 1999
Air BagsVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

ON THE EVENING OF 12/24/98 MY SON LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHILE NEGOTIATING A TURN. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. WE DISCOVERED THAT THIS CAR WAS SUBJECT TO A RECALL THAT WE WERE NOT INFORMED OF. NOT SURPRISINGLY, CHRYSLER INFORMED US THAT THE RECALL SITUATION HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. AFTER STRIKING…

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ON THE EVENING OF 12/24/98 MY SON LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHILE NEGOTIATING A TURN. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. WE DISCOVERED THAT THIS CAR WAS SUBJECT TO A RECALL THAT WE WERE NOT INFORMED OF. NOT SURPRISINGLY, CHRYSLER INFORMED US THAT THE RECALL SITUATION HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. AFTER STRIKING A TELEPHONE POLE HEAD ON NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. CHRYSLER ALSO DENIED ANY FAULT IN THIS. IF IT IS NOT THE FAULT OF THE MANUFACTURER, THEN WHO? THIS COMPLAINT WAS INITIALLY FILED WITH NHTSA ON 12/26/98. I AM STILL WAITING FOR SOME SORT OF ACTION FROM NHTSA. A PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM THAT FAILS TO PROTECT VEHICLE OCCUPANTS MUST SURELY RESULT IN A RECALL OF VEHICLES WITH DEFECTIVE SYSTEMS. THE VEHICLE IN IN THE CUSTODY OF CHRYSLER. WE WILL NOT ACCEPT REPAIR AND RETURN OF THIS UNSAFE VEHICLE !!!

NHTSA ODI #703843

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Fuel System, Gasoline

GAS TANK GUAGE FAILED. *YC

NHTSA ODI #606674

Mileage unknown · Jan 25, 1999
Wheels

ALLOY WHEEL BENT FROM POTHOLE COLLISION AT LOW SPEED ON RIGHT FRONT OF VEHICLE--ALLOY WHEEL REPLACED AT OWNER EXPENSE, SECOND WHEEL BENT WITH SIMILAR POTHOLE COLLISION--APPEARS THAT THESE WHEELS ARE NOT STONG ENOUGH TO HANDLE EVERYDAY ROAD HAZARDS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #702578

Mileage unknown · Jan 7, 1999
Suspension

WHILE DRIVING ON WET PAVEMENT 50-55 MPH, FELT CAR PULLING TO THE LEFT, PULLED OVER, TIRE WAS COMPLETELY FLAT AND PULLED AWAY FROM THE RIM, NO PREVIOUS WARNING OR INDICATION OF INCIDENT. DEALER CONTACTED AND WILL INVESTIGATE. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #833180

Mileage unknown · Dec 26, 1998
Air BagsVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SITE. THANKS TO YOUR INFORMATION WE NOW KNOW THAT OUR CAR WAS SUBJECT TO A RECALL THAT EVIDENTLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. WE HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED OF A RECALL AND ARE VERY MUCH CONCERNED ABOUT THE AIR BAGS NOT ACTUATING. THE VEHICLE STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE HEAD ON AFTER FAILING TO REDUCE SPEED WHILE …

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THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SITE. THANKS TO YOUR INFORMATION WE NOW KNOW THAT OUR CAR WAS SUBJECT TO A RECALL THAT EVIDENTLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. WE HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED OF A RECALL AND ARE VERY MUCH CONCERNED ABOUT THE AIR BAGS NOT ACTUATING. THE VEHICLE STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE HEAD ON AFTER FAILING TO REDUCE SPEED WHILE NEGOTIATING A TURN. FORTUNATELY, MY SON AND HIS FRIEND WERE WEARING SEATBELTS. WHAT A MERRY CHRISTMAS THIS HAS TURNED OUT TO BE.

NHTSA ODI #701603

Mileage unknown · Dec 17, 1998
Fuel System, GasolineService Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKES LOCK UP ON WET ROADS. DEALER TRIED TO FIX 3 TIMES. CAR WILL NOW PERIODICALLY FAIL TO START

NHTSA ODI #701447

Mileage unknown · Dec 10, 1998
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE CONTINUALLY STALLING FOR NO APPARENT REASON ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

NHTSA ODI #542985

Mileage unknown · Sep 28, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES THEY MAKE A VERY LOUD NOISE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR WORK, BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE, AND TOLD THE CONSUMER THERE WASN'T ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. REFUSED TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #828295

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.

98V045002 · Vehicle Speed Control

Mar 3, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE DASH PANEL PAD CAN SHIFT INTERFERRING WITH THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTROL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTROL WOULD NOT RETURN TO IDLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE A PORTION OF THE DASH PANEL PAD SO IT CANNOT INTERFERE WITH THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTROL.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.