1997 DODGE AVENGER Complaints

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THERE WERE TWO OCCUPANTS IN THE VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS IN THE FRONT DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT 45 MPH, AND THE VEHICLE WENT INTO A DITCH. BOTH OCCUPANTS SUFFERED HEAD TRAUMAS. CONSUMER CONTACTED CHRYSLER, AND WAS TOLD BY THE MANUFACTURER IN WRITING THAT THE AIR BAGS WERE NOT SUPPOSE TO DEPLOY. *AK

(1) 1997 DODGE AVENGER WAS DRIVEN (2) LEFT SIDE LOWER BALLJOINT FAILED (PULLED OUT OF LATERAL CONTROL ARM), WHEEL TURNED TO THE LEFT, CONTACTEDFENDER, PULLER AXLE OUT OF TRANSMISSION. THIS ALL HAPPENED AT PARKING LOT SPEED.*AK (3) CAR WAS TOWED TO MY HOUSE THEN DODGE DEALER AFTER I LEARNED OF PREVIOUS RECALL ISSUES. DODGE GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF $1,200 FOR REPAIRS (THAT INCLUDED PERHAPS FREE REPLACEMENT OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS PENDING APPROVAL FROM CHRYSLER REP. CHRYSLER REP WAS A NO SHOW AND COULD NOT COMMIT TO A DAY THAT HE COULD INSPECT THE CAR. I REPAIRED THE CAR MYSELF (NEW LEFT AND RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARMS, A REBUILT AXLE, AND TRANSMISSION OIL. I NOTIFIED CHRYSLER OF THE ABOVE EVENTS. THEY DO NOT WANT TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR PARTS (NAPA PARTS). THEY OFFERED TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND REPLACE THE CONTROL ARMS AND AXLE. I ALREADY PAID FOR THEM AT NAPA. I STILL NEED TO TAKE IT FOR AN ALIGNMENT.

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD SNAPPING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE FRONT TIRES WERE SQUEALING AND BOUNCING SEVERELY. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND IT ROLLED INTO A DITCH ON THE RIGHT SIDE. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

RECURING PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE VIBRATION AND FAST WEAR, ALSO WITH SUSPENSION REPAIR, WAS TWICE QUOTED FOR A FULL REPLACEMENT OF FRONT SUSPENSION. HAVE NOT DONE THIS YET. MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE ELECTICAL AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. HAVE REPLACED WIRES AND PLUGS 2-3 TIME PER YEAR. REPLACED ENGINE COIL ONCE TO FIX PROBLEM WITH SPARK PLUGS ARCHING AND BURNING UP. PROBLEM WAS SOLVED TEMPORARILY. PROBLEM IS BACK 3 MONTHS LATER. CHUGGING AND SPUTTERING.

I HAVE A 1997 DODGE AVENGER SOME OF MY PROBLEMS I HAVE NOT FIXED I AM ABOUT TO GO BROKE. I HAVE MORE PROBLEMS WITH MY TIRES, BRAKES, AND ROTORS. THE PAINT IS CHIPPING OFF MY CAR IN SPOTS. MY TIRES WEAR FAST, MY AIRBAG IS LOOSE THE COVER ON IT. MY BRAKES ARE AWFUL I HAVE TO REPLACE THEM A LOT. I LOVE MY CAR BUT THERE IS TOO MANY PROBLEMS....

DEALERSHIP WILL NOT HONOR RECALL CONCERNING LOWER AND UPPER BALL JOINTS BECAUSE IT WAS A SALVAGE VEHICLE. *AK

ABS BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED DUE TO THE PUMP MOTOR, CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. *AK IF THE ABS LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF, THE LIGHT GOES OFF. WHEN HE STARTS THE VEHICLE AND THE ABS KICKS IN, THE ENGINE WOULD STALL. THE PUMP MOTOR WAS CORRODED WHICH CAUSED ONE OR MORE WHEELS TO LOCK UP. PROBLEM IS UNPREDICTABLE ON DRY OR WET PAVEMENT. FAILURE OCCURRED IN ICE OR SNOWY CONDITIONS. CONSUMER NOTED THE ABS FEATURE DIDN'T HAPPEN, THE BRAKES LOCKED. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED SEVEN MONTHS LATER WHEN DODGE DECIDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE FOR $300. DOLLARS LESS DUE TO THE APPROACHING WINTER. CONSUMER FEELS THE DEFECT IS THE MANUFACTURER'S FAULT AND WANTS TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIR. *PH

WHEN I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IT HAD 53,925 MILES. I NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS HAD SOME TYPE OF HAZE (OR MOISTURE) INSIDE OF THEM. I WENT TO THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER AND ASKED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID THE LIGHTS ARE A SEALED UNIT AND THAT IF I WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE NEW ONES THEY WOULD BE $325 EACH. THE PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHTS IS NOT SO MUCH THAT THEY ARE AN EYE SORE, BUT THAT THEY ARE A SAFETY HAZARD. THE MOISTURE ON MY HEADLIGHTS NEVER GOES AWAY. THEREFORE, AFFECTING THE BRILLIANCE OF THE LIGHT EMITTING FROM THE BULB. I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH HIGH-BEAMS ON TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE ROAD. THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM WITH ONLY MY VEHICLE. I SEE MOISTURE INSIDE OF ABOUT 80 PERCENT OF THE AVENGERS I PASS ON THE ROAD. THE COVERAGE OVER THE HEADLIGHT LENSES JUST GETS WORSE AS TIME GOES BY. THE LIGHT EMITTING FROM THE HEADLIGHTS BECOMES DIMMER AND DIMMER. WITH REGULAR BEAMS AT NIGHT, IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE EVERYTHING A DRIVER IS SUPPOSED TO. THESE HEADLIGHTS ARE A BIG PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. THEY ARE A SAFETY HAZARD THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF. PAYING $750 TO FIX A MANUFACTURERS' SAFETY DEFECT IS NOT REASONABLE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS. MR

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WITH A CONCRETE WALL AT 60 MPH IMPACT, AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AKI

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAD A RATTLE THAT SEEMED TO EXTEND THROUGH THE ENTIRE VEHICLE, DEALER STATED THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE BRAKES, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER DECLINED THESE REPAIRS, THE DEALER LATER FOUND THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A CRACKED ENGINE MOUNT, THEY FOUND A CRACK ON THE REAR RIGHT SIDE AND ANOTHER ON THE LEFT FRONT SIDE, CONSUMER HAD ANOTHER INSPECTION IN WHICH ANOTHER PERSON STATED THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES OR MOTOR MOUNT, THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE LOWER CONTROL ARM JOINTS, CONSUMER HAD RECALL REPAIRS PREVIOUSLY, 00V421002, THE INDEPENDENT GARAGE MADE REPAIRS TO THE JOINTS AND THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER EXPERIENCING ANY OF THE PROBLEMS, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC