2000 DODGE AVENGER ES. AIR CONDITIONER EVAPORATOR BLEW OUT. $1200 REPAIR BILL. MY MECHANIC SAID THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS HAPPENING. *JB
2000 Dodge Avenger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Fewer warning signs than most model years
Owner complaints for the 2000 Dodge Avenger are lower than 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: 10 of 22 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.
- Power Train. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
22 reportsTHE PAINT IS FLAKING OFF THE CAR. APPEARS THAT THE WIND FROM GOING DOWN THE ROAD IS KNOCKING THE PAINT OFF. OR MAYBE THE SUN HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT. THE ENTIRE TOP NEEDS RE-PAINTED. *JB
SENSOR IN TRANSMISSION QUIT WORKING. THE FIRST TIME I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND IT COMPLETELY LOST SPEED. I EXITED AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. AFTER THAT, IT WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. IT WAS REPAIRED BY A DEALERSHIP UNDER WARRANTY. THAT WAS AT AROUND 20000 MILES. TODAY, AT AROUND 42000 MILES, I STARTED THE V…
Read full complaint
SENSOR IN TRANSMISSION QUIT WORKING. THE FIRST TIME I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND IT COMPLETELY LOST SPEED. I EXITED AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. AFTER THAT, IT WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. IT WAS REPAIRED BY A DEALERSHIP UNDER WARRANTY. THAT WAS AT AROUND 20000 MILES. TODAY, AT AROUND 42000 MILES, I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND WAS GOING ABOUT 20 MILES AN HOUR AND COULD FEEL THE TRANSMISSION BEGINNING TO SLIP. I STARTED INCREASING SPEED, AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT THE RPM'S WERE JUST CONTINUING TO GO UP. I HAVE SENT THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP TO BE REPAIRED FOR THE SECOND TIME UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. *JB
SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE BY THE DEALER, AND 10 DAYS LATER FLEW APART. THAT BELT WAS REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE BE ANOTHER DODGE DEALER, BUT THREE MONTHS LATER CAME OFF, BUT DID NOT BREAK. IT IS NOW THREE MONTHS LATER, AND THE BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF FRAYING.
I WAS GETTING ONTO THE INTERSTATE WHEN MY RPMS WOULD NOT DROP BELOW 5000 AND I REALIZED MY CAR LOCKED IN 2ND GEAR. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE A694/41TE TRANSMISSION THAT CHYSLER MADE.
I LOVE MY CAR. I BOUGHT THE CAR WHEN IT HAD 40 THOUSAND MILES ON IT, IN SEPT 2002. IN THE MONTH OF AUG. 2003 I CAME BACK HOME FROM IRAQ AFTER 7 MONTHS AND FOUND THAT MOST OF THE CLEARCOAT ON MY BLACK AVENGER ON THE TOP PANELS (HOOD, TOP, TRUNK) OF MY CAR WAS GONE. WHEN I LEFT THERE WAS ONLY A FEW SURFACE SCRATCHES ON THE CAR, TH…
Read full complaint
I LOVE MY CAR. I BOUGHT THE CAR WHEN IT HAD 40 THOUSAND MILES ON IT, IN SEPT 2002. IN THE MONTH OF AUG. 2003 I CAME BACK HOME FROM IRAQ AFTER 7 MONTHS AND FOUND THAT MOST OF THE CLEARCOAT ON MY BLACK AVENGER ON THE TOP PANELS (HOOD, TOP, TRUNK) OF MY CAR WAS GONE. WHEN I LEFT THERE WAS ONLY A FEW SURFACE SCRATCHES ON THE CAR, THAT USUALLY BUFFED OUT. NOW MY CAR LOOKS LIKE ?!@#$% AND THE DEALER WILL NOT HELP ME OR THE MANUFACTURE. THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL ON THE BLACK PAINT JOBS IN 2000, BUT MY CAR IS NOT THE ONLY ONE I'VE SEEN WITH THIS PROBLEM. I LOVE DODGE BUT THIS IS THE LAST ONE ME OR ANYBODY IN MY FAMILY WILL EVER PURCHASE IF I DON'T GET SOME KIND OF HELP WITH THIS DEFECT. THE CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND IT LOOKS LIKE ITS 25 YEARS OLD. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. I ONLY DROVE THE CAR FOR 5 MONTHS BEFORE I DEPLOYED. IF THIS IS NOT A DEFECT THEN THE DEALERSHIP SOLD ME A CAR THAT HAD BEEN IN A WRECK OR SOMETHING AND LIED TO ME. *AK
I WAS GETTING ONTO THE INTERSTATE WHEN I NOTICED MY RPM WERE AROUND 5000 AND WOULD NOT GO DOWN. I REALIZED THE TRANSMISSION HAD LOCKED IN SECOND GEAR. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE JUNK A604/41TE TRANSMISSION THAT CHRYSLER MADE. *LA
WHEN THE CAR WAS PURCHASED 11/01. I WAS INFORMED BY A DODGE TECH THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS GOING TO GO "OUT" AROUND 50,000 MILES. I HAVE HEARD THIS FROM NUMEROUS DODGE OWNERS AND MECHANICS. AT 52,874 THE TRANSMISSION QUIT SHIFTING AND WE HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR ACCORDING TO THE EXTENDED SERVICE CONTRACT THAT I …
Read full complaint
WHEN THE CAR WAS PURCHASED 11/01. I WAS INFORMED BY A DODGE TECH THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS GOING TO GO "OUT" AROUND 50,000 MILES. I HAVE HEARD THIS FROM NUMEROUS DODGE OWNERS AND MECHANICS. AT 52,874 THE TRANSMISSION QUIT SHIFTING AND WE HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR ACCORDING TO THE EXTENDED SERVICE CONTRACT THAT I PURCHASED WITH THE CAR. THE CONTRACT WAS WITH AN OUTSIDE COMPANY. THE CONTRACT COMPANY WHEN CALLED ABOUT REPAIRS ALSO STATED THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH DODGE/CHRYSLER PRODUCTS. THE CAR WAS AT THE DEALER FOR 2 WEEKS AWAITING PARTS AND REPAIR.*AK
STRUTS, LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS AND HUB ASSEMBLY FAILED AS A RESULT OF RECALL 00V421002 REPAIRS. MR *TT
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING. FIRE LOCATED ON LEFT SIDE OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT NEAR LEFT FRONT CORNER OF VEHICLE. POSSIBLE BATTERY POWER CABLE SHORT TO GROUND AT BATTERY MOUNT PLATE UNDER BATTERY. *NLM
Official recalls
100V421002 · 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.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
Illustration