10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 1
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 25,659 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor had it been repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. The contact stated that when depressing the brakes he heard a loud squeaking noise. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who advised him that he needed new brakes. The vehicle was repaired. In addition to the failures the front passenger side window would freeze in one spot. The vehicle was not inspected nor was it repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
- Austin, TX, USA
The contact owned a 2008 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated the brake lights would independently illuminate sporadically. The dealer topped off the brake fluids, yet there were no repairs. The failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure and topped off the brake fluids yet again. The failure persisted and the vehicle was taken to the dealer a third time. The dealer advised the failure was due to an internal failure with the switch brake fluid level. The failure continued and the dealer attempted to check and set the brake fluid level and installed a new reservoir. The failure persisted and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer four additional times where the brakes were check, brake fluid was refilled and a four wheel brake inspection was performed, all of which did not correct the failure. The manufacturer would not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was 3,490 and current mileage was 16, 563. Updated 09/24/10. Updated 09/24/10
- Pittsburgh, PA, USA
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Avenger. He stated that both the front and rear brake pads had worn. The vehicle was taken to the dealership where they sanded down the brakes but the procedure did not remedy the problem. Furthermore, the electronic throttle indicator light illumated along with the engine temperature warning light, followed by the engine overheating. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealership in regards to the engine failure at the time of the complaint. The contact had not called the manufacturer at the time of the complaint. The vehicle identification number was unavailable. The current mileage was approximately 63,000. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000.
- Henrico, VA, USA
On March 5, 2010 (Friday) - approximately 5:30 P.M., while driving on sunrise highway in long island, New York, an indicator light went on inside my 2008 Dodge Avenger, in the shape of a lightning bolt in my car. Literally 30 seconds later, and before there was time to react at all, my brakes stopped working and there was no way to stop my vehicle. I had just about made it to the exit ramp when I realized by looking in the rearview mirror that there was smoke coming from my car. As I had steered onto the exit ramp, I opened the door and saw flames shooting from the underneath part of my car. Without thinking twice I jumped from the moving vehicle (which at the time still was going at about 20 mph). I was not hurt physically but was extremely shaken up. Another traveler who had pulled up on the service road to help me, informed me that the car was on fire for at least 1/4 of a mile on the highway and that he had been attempting to flag me down. After I had escaped the vehicle, the car continued in a diagonal path toward oncoming rush hour highway traffic. The fire continue to burn and had become very bad, to the point where the entire front half of the car was ablaze. The only thing that stopped the out of control vehicle was a wire fence in the divider between the service road and main highway. The insurance company and manufacturer are currently in the process of investigating. The fire department took at least 15-20 mins to respond which caused the vehicle to become severely damaged to the point where it is now extremely difficult to ascertain a cause. My insurance only covered my car loan and now I am out money for the down payment on a new vehicle. This situation is very serious. There could have been children or elderly persons in the vehicle who could have died. Please help me investigate this issue. I consider myself lucky to still have my life and evaluate the situation as having initiated a duty to keep others safe from dangers of the same.
- Sayville, NY, USA
Purchased a brand new 2008 Avenger and have had problems with the brakes from the get go. Can feel brakes surging through the steering wheel. Took it in and was told that brakes wasn't covered under the warranty. Replaced all brakes and had rotors turned and problem started again right away. And now also whenever you brake hard the brake light comes on and stays on.
- Bonne Terre, MO, USA
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Avenger. The vehicle stalled constantly when she attempted to engage brake pedal and when she turned the vehicle off the brakes would reset. She took the vehicle to the dealer and they would not offer her any assistance with trading in the vehicle. She contacted the manufacturer. The manufacturer told her that she had to take the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed. The failure mileage was 350 and the current mileage was 48,000.
- Morrison, IL, USA
I purchased a used 2008 Dodge Avenger from enterprise car rental less than a year ago. Since then I've replaced the brakes twice, the car stalls out when coming to a stop, delayed response on acceleration & now I cant get the car out of park. I was shocked to google so many complaints about this vehicle. I contacted Chrysler Dodge recall line and was informed until your office investigate these issues my car and others like me will have to dish out hundreds of dollars or drive unsafe. I was even more shocked to hear this stupid process when the company is aware there is a big problem. There has to be a better way to make these big company's take responsibility before there is a incident, crash or injury. Chrysler has made its money so why must hard working us americans that support american made cars have to get hurt or killed to get this moving when there's so many complaints?
- Norcross, GA, USA
I have a 2008 Dodge Avenger that brakes are bad. The vehicle has been taken to Dodge several times for service and the brakes only last 2 months before they go out again. Fortunate for me I have not had any accidents yet with this vehicle and the braking system going out. Dodge has replaced the entire braking system and still I have this problem and refuse to believe that their is a safety issue with this particular vehicle and I have tried to contact the service manager, GM of the waldorf Dodge and Chrysler but no one has resolved this problem or even has gotten back to me on this issue. I have several receipts for parts that were replaced on the car and can provide them upon request the receipts have the part numbers on them.
- Waldorf, MD, USA
During the cold, wet winter months in Michigan, I began to notice that my 2008 Dodge Avenger was having trouble running when the brakes were applied. In December while exiting the expressway and coming to a stop at a light my car stalled. Now it seems every time it rains or we get a drastic change in temp when the break is applied to come to a stop, to slow down for a turn or pulling into a parking space the call will stall and all control of the vehicle is lost so to loss of power steering. It was taken to the dealership in February and kept for 3 days and the dealership could not get the vehicle to stall. No repairs were done and it continues to stall daily.
- Roseville, MI, USA
I was traveling in my '08 Dodge Avenger SXT w/my son making a left hand turn around a corner & vehicle just turned off by itself w/O warning. Went head on into oncoming traffic & went up onto a curb. Put vehicle into park & restarted it. The vehicle has to date shut off on us 6 X's. the even when incident happened was we were just driving the car-going home. The vehicle gives no signs, beeps or warnings that it is going to shut off. It just shuts off by itself. It has occurred a total of 6X's so far. I took the vehicle-which is still under original factory warranty-to the Dodge dealership & notified the dealership where vehicle was purchased of the issues w/the vehicle. There are also recalls that were not fixed & electrical issues as well as transmission, brake & tires issues that are still as of this date not repaired because they "could not duplicate the problem". the dealership had the vehicle for 13 days before telling me the computer needed to be "flashed". they did that & car still stalls out when stopped @ stop signs or lights. They told me they do not know why it turned off on me & why the steering locked up & brakes locked up when it turned off. So therefore they cannot tell me that they know why the car has died & that the issue is even fixed! they will not say that it will not turn off on us again. I have researched online several sites (popular mechanics, etc.) & see that I am not the only one this has happened to. I bought this car to be able to have a safe, reliable & dependable car for me & my son. My son has cerebral palsy so I have to drive in this car. I feel that its 50/50 when we get in this car & that everytime could be the time when we're going 50 on the interstate in a turn & the car turns off & we hopefully don't die! I feel that this car has a major defect or flaw in its design somewhere. I love the car but I am scared to drive it now. I do not want me or my son to die in this car! its only a matter of time before someone does. Thank you.
- East Peoria, IL, USA
- Jacksonville , FL, USA