2013 Dodge Avenger Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Avenger years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 15 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 548 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Dodge Avenger. That ranks 3rd out of 15 Avenger model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (154 complaints, 28%), typically at around 64,000 miles. Complaints mention 26 crashes, 10 fires, 42 injuries. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 548owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 26complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 154 | 28% | 64,000 | “seat belts air” (13%) | — |
| Engine problems | 120 | 22% | 90,000 | “cold air” (8%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 102 | 19% | 87,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System problems | 98 | 18% | 70,000 | “cold air” (9%) | — |
| Seats problems | 60 | 11% | 87,000 | “head rest” (33%) | — |
| Seat Belts problems | 52 | 9% | 50,500 | “seat belts air” (35%) | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 42 | 8% | 87,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 37 | 7% | 41,941 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 34 | 6% | 62,800 | — | — |
| Power Train | 32 | 6% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 28 | 5% | 75,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 27 | 5% | 86,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 19 | 3% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 12 | 2% | 67,613 | — | — |
| Structure | 11 | 2% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 1% | 109,768 | — | — |
| Wheels | 8 | 1% | 5,100 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 7 | 1% | 23,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 1% | 33,111 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 3 | 1% | 103,350 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 1% | 139,317 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 0% | 47,613 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 0% | 5,004 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Firerelated | 1 | 0% | 157,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 65,225 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 Dodge Avenger recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive; seats:front assembly:head restraint
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2012 Jeep Liberty and 2012-2013 Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger vehicles. A component within the occupant restraint controller (ORC) may fail and prevent the active headrests from deploying in the event of a rear-end crash.
Risk: If the active headrests do not deploy in certain rear-end crashes, the front seat occupants have an increased risk of injury.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ORC as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 4, 2017. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is T56.
Air bags; seat belts:pretensioner; air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 200, 2010 Chrysler Sebring, 2010-2012 Dodge Caliber and 2010-2014 Jeep Patriot, Compass and Dodge Avenger vehicles. The Occupant Restraint Control (OCR) module may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.
Risk: If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCR, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners that parts are not available yet were mailed on October 26, 2016. The recall began on August 15, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S61.
Engine
Problem: Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2013 Dodge Avenger and Chrysler 200, and model year 2014 Jeep Compass and Patriot vehicles equipped with 2.4L engines. Due to abrasive debris in the balance shaft bearings, these engines may have a loss of engine oil pressure, possibly resulting in an engine stall or engine failure.
Risk: If the engine stalls while driving it may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine balance shaft module, free of charge. The recall began on December 24, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N52.
Air bags; electrical system
Problem: Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Sebring and 200 vehicles manufactured June 28, 2011, through December 13, 2012; model year 2011-2013 Dodge Avenger vehicles manufactured June 25, 2011, through January 14, 2013; model year 2011-2012 Dodge Nitro vehicles manufactured June 17, 2011, through December 15, 2011; and model year 2011-2012 Jeep Liberty vehicles manufactured June 17, 2011, through August 15, 2012. Electrical over-stress of a resistor in the occupant restraint control module may lead to the non-deployment of the active head restraints during a rear impact collision.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating the deployment of the active head restraints , their non-deployment could increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will flash the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) or replace the occupant restraint control module, as needed, free of charge. The recall began on November 19, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N38.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2013 Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger vehicles manufactured from October 30, 2012, through November 2, 2012. These vehicles may have a gas tank that has a broken control valve in the fuel tank assembly.
Risk: A broken control valve in the fuel tank assembly may lead to an engine stall or fuel leakage. An engine stall while driving may contribute to a vehicle crash. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, may result in a fire.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel tank assembly and replace any affected control valves, free of charge. The recall began on April 4, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753.
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
- Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment (PE19014) — opened Sep 9, 2019, closed Feb 25, 2026.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Unknown, all i know is that i leave my car to go play basketball and 3 hours later i come back and its popped out randomly.
Was driving on hwy when vehicle loss power, was able to quickly pull over. Turned vehicle off and restarted vehicle. Got back onto the hwy ,vehicle loss power again, this time it wouldn't turn over. Replaced fuel pump,replaced valve timing sensor, crank sensor, replaced battery, replaced ignition…
Headrest deployed
Both head rest which is attached to airbags or have airbags in them I donât know but the exploded open. Headrest could have exploded while someone was in the seat and got head injuries. No problem has not been confirmed by anyone but myself,husband and self employed mechanic, I didnât know what…
The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the check engine and oil warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that after releasing the…
Other Dodge Avenger years
← 2012 Avenger · 2014 Avenger →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 Avenger | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 Avenger | 205 | 1 |
| 2013 | 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 Avenger | 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 2013 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 2013 Dodge Avenger?
Owners most often report air bags, engine, unknown or other problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 154 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Dodge Avenger?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 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 2013 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.