2008 Dodge Avenger problems
Owners have filed 1,238 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Dodge Avenger. Electrical system is the most reported problem area, at 18% of complaints. After that come engine (14%) and drivetrain & axles (12%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 1,238 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 18% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 63 and 40
- Injuries and deaths
- 54 and 1
- Typical mileage
- 76,000 miles 1,047 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 75 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 113 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 201 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 163 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 152 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 114 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 100 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 71 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 22 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 24 |
| 200k+ miles | 12 |
What the data shows
Among the 1,047 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 76,000 miles. For electrical system specifically, the median reported mileage is about 91,000 miles (187 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 63 complaints mention a crash; 40 complaints mention a fire; 54 injuries reported; 1 death reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2008 ranks 1st most-complained-about out of 13 model years of the Dodge Avenger with enough data (722 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 6 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
The contact owned a 2008 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that while her grandson was driving at an unknown speed, he lost control of the vehicle. The contact was informed by the police officer, that the vehicle flipped 4 times and the driver was not wearing his seat belt, which caused the driver to be ejected from his seat and was found half inside the cab and half outside the driver's side window. The contact stated all the other air bags deployed, except the front driver side airbag.
Loud noise or ticking burning smoking blow out on bridge months prior had to manually shift my car into its grinding gears
I was exiting out of a parking lot in town and traffic was back up and at a standstill. As I attempted to turn left a car tried passing the stopped traffic in a no passing zone. The vehicle hit the front of my car, totaling it. The bumper was on the ground , radiator sideways, hood crinkled, fenders destroyed. My airbags did not deploy. The car that hit me was going fast and caused major damage. Taylorville police department police report number 15-341
At 51000 miles on my 2008 dodge avenger, started smelling antifreeze odor inside the car. Eventually the check engine light and electrical light indicator illuminated and the car ran extremely rough and started to run hot. Eventually engine would lose power then shut off and not be able to restart for a couple of hours. Did not appear to be losing radiator fluid. Took to the dealership and found that the thermostat housing, (made out of plastic) was cracked and it was leaking antifreeze from that point.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge avenger. While driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate when the brake pedal was depressed. The electronic throttle control warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be cleaned. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the alternator needed to be replaced.