1996 Dodge Avenger Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Avenger years
- More complaints than other years 8th of 15 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 157 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Dodge Avenger. That ranks 8th out of 15 Avenger model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is suspension (59 complaints, 38%), typically at around 129,000 miles. Complaints mention 19 crashes, 3 fires, 14 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 157owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 19complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Dodge Avenger problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension problems | 59 | 38% | 129,000 | “ball joint” (42%) | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 24 | 15% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 22 | 14% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 21 | 13% | 121,251 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 13 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 10 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 10 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 8 | 5% | 131,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 6 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 5 | 3% | 131,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Dodge Avenger recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: 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.
Risk: This condition could cause the lower lateral arm ball joint to separate, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Lower contrtol arm ball joint (RQ00015) — opened Aug 2, 2000, closed Apr 20, 2001, led to recall 00V421001.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I was driving and the right front control lowerball joint broke. This is the third time this has happened. I called dodge dealer.they said they fix it once. They won't do it again. Well if the problem still having they need to fix it right. I could of been killed. Something needs to be done about…
The lower control arm on the left side is going and i've gone to deluca chrysler in haverhill ma twice and both times told me that it was already serviced and when i asked him what side was serviced he couldn't answer me and i asked him if they could check my since it should still be covered under…
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 dodge avenger. In 2005, while driving approximately 55 mph, the contact lost control and the vehicle pulled to the right. She depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle would not stop. The vehicle crashed into a dirt hill. She had the vehicle towed to a repair shop and…
I was driving out of a fast food restaurant, and without any sign or warning my tire snapped off my axle! The service department at the local dodge dealership was closed so i had to have my car towed to another place that also works on my car whenever i have problems. The part that needed to be…
Per two separate recall notice i received from daimler chrysler, i brought my 1996 dodge avenger into a dealership to have the lower lateral arm ball joints inspected and resealed. Upon taking it to the dealership they inspected and both times they told me no further work was needed. Specific…
Other Dodge Avenger years
← 1995 Avenger · 1997 Avenger →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 Avenger | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 Avenger | 205 | 1 |
| 2013 Avenger | 548 | 5 |
| 2012 Avenger | 554 | 3 |
| 2011 Avenger | 209 | 3 |
| 2010 Avenger | 163 | 3 |
| 2009 Avenger | 67 | 2 |
| 2008 Avenger | 831 | 6 |
| 2007 Avenger | 2 | 4 |
| 2000 Avenger | 22 | 1 |
| 1999 Avenger | 62 | 1 |
| 1998 Avenger | 58 | 2 |
| 1997 Avenger | 83 | 2 |
| 1996 | 157 | 2 |
| 1995 Avenger | 196 | 2 |
See all Dodge Avenger problems by year, every Dodge model, or the Dodge VIN decoder.
Similar Dodge models
Embed this 1996 Dodge Avenger badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Dodge Avenger?
Owners most often report suspension, engine and engine cooling, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, suspension, accounts for 59 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Dodge Avenger?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Dodge Avenger a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Avenger model years, the 1996 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.