What 209 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Dodge Avenger

ON 7/24/2020 I WAS INVOLVED IN AN A FRONT END ACCIDENT. AFTER TAKING IT TO A COLLISION CENTER THEY WENT DIRECTLY THROUGH THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE INSURANCE SOMPANY AGENT INDICATED THEY TOTALED OUT THE CAR DUE TO AN AIR BAG ISSUE. THE CLOCK SPRING IN THE STEERING WHEEL CAUSED THE AIR BAG LIGHT TO TURN ON, THEY ALSO INDICATED THE THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AND A SEATBELT MODULE. THE AGENT SAID THAT WOULD BE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPLACE AND IT'S NOT SAFE FOR THE ROADS SO THEY TOTALED THE CAR OUT.

NHTSA ODI 11342714

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THIS HAS HAPPENED I BELIEVE ATLEAST 3 TIMES NOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN WHILE DRIVING NOT SURE IF A SPECIFIC SPEED BUT I WAS GOING ATLEAST 50 MPH EACH TIME, THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMS TO LOCK UP FOR A GOOD SECOND OR TWO WHICH IS A LONG TIME WHEN YOUR GOING THAT SPEED. IT'S EXTREMELY SCARY AND THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT HAPPENED OR NOT THAN IT HAPPENED AGAIN NOT SURE HOW LONG AFTER AND THAT'S WHEN I WAS LIKE OK MAYBE THAT STEERING WHEEL DID LOCK UP BEFORE THAN WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN I KNEW FOR SURE IT WAS REALLY HAPPENING CAUSE I HAD A FRIEND IN PASSENGER SEAT WHO WITNESSED THIS . NOW IT'S BEEN A WHILE AND MY CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN WON'T START AND MY STEERING WHEELS WILL NOT LOCK . I'VE REPLACED SENSORS TRIED DELETING CODES . THE CODES I GOT WERE WRONG IMMOBILIZER KEY AND LOW VOLTAGE . DOING AS MUCH RESEARCH AS I HAVE FOR THE LAST WEEK BUYING AND TRYING THINGS I'VE SEEN A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS IS A SECURITY ISSUE AND IT CAN SHUT YOUR CAR OFF AS YOUR DRIVING NORMALLY.THIA IS DANGEROUS AND FOR AS MANY COMPLAINTS HOW IS THERE NO RECALL ON THIS

NHTSA ODI 11341028

CAR HAS PROBLEMS PICKING UP SPEED WHEN PUSHING PEDAL IT SLOWLY PICKS UP SPEED, WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION AND I PUSH ON BRAKES OR I AM BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE CAR SHUTS OFF. ALSO SOMETIMES WHILE CAR IS RUNNING I NOTICE IT WON'T GO OVER A CERTAIN SPEED IT JUS WON'T ALLOW ME TO DO OVER 50 MPH AND CAR STARTS TO OVER HEAT BUT NORMALLY I PULL OVER TURN THE CAR OFF AND START IT BACK UP AND IT DRIVES NORMAL AGAIN , UNTIL THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AGAIN IT MYSTERIOUSLY JUST HAPPENS AGAIN WHENEVER IT DECIDES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11328435

PASSENGER'S SIDE OF VEHICLE BLOWS COLD AIR WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE BLOWS HOT AIR. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MOST ALL 2011 THRU 2014 DODGE VEHICLES, OF WHICH DODGE IS AWARE OF. THE HEATER CORE IS CLOGGED WITH LEFT OVER FILINGS AND DIRT FROM THE ENGINE WHEN IT WAS MADE. IT IS A MAJOR JOB TO REPLACE THE HEATER CORE. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE A RECALL AS IT IS A PROBLEM CREATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MADE.

NHTSA ODI 11321017

I AM HAVING BACK SUSPENSION PROBLEMS WHERE THE CAR FISHTAILS BOUNCES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE SHIFTING FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND IT'S ONCE YOU GO OVER 10 MILES AN HOUR IT CAN HAPPEN GOING OVER A SMALL BUMP IT HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES I'VE HAD TO REPLACE MY ALL MY TIRES THREE TIMES I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR ALMOST TWO YEARS I'VE REPLACED MY SWAY BAR I PRETTY MUCH HAVE REPLACED MY WHOLE BACK SUSPENSION AND IT DID NOT HELP. IT IS WHETHER YOU'RE GOING STRAIGHT OR NOT THE BACKEND STILL SHIFTS ALL THE TIME WHEN YOU'RE IN MOTION WHEN YOU'RE SITTING STILL YOU DON'T FEEL NOTHING I'VE HEARD CRUNCHING GOING OVER BUMPS I'VE HEARD CRUNCHING TURNING THE WHOLE BACK SUSPENSION IS A PIECE OF CRAP. OTHERWISE I LOVE THE CAR BUT THAT IS SOMETHING YOU GUYS NEED TO INVESTIGATE ON THE CAR I FEEL SO UNSAFE I FEEL LIKE MY CAR IS JUST GOING TO ROLL OR I'M GOING TO FLIP IT OR SOMETHING IF I'M GOING INTO A FULL TURNS AT ALL WHILE IN MOTION

NHTSA ODI 11308795

THE CAR ONLY HAS HEAT COMING OUT OF 1 VENT AND IT'S WARM NOT EVEN HOT. I'VE HAD LINES FLUSHED, ACTUATORS AND BLEND DOOR REPLACED AND IT STILL DOESN'T WORK. WHEN IT'S COLD THE CAR DOESN'T GET ABOVE 40 DEGREE'S. IT'S UNACCEPTABLE AS I HAVE 2 KIDS AND CAN'T HAVE THEM IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES. APPARENTLY THIS IS A DEFECT WITH THE VEHICLE AND DODGE/CRYSTLER REFUSES TO FIX IT

NHTSA ODI 11301027

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE AVENGER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND TURNING SIGNAL INDEPENDENTLY ACTIVATED. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE SEAT BELT AND AIR BAGS WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V315000 (STEERING) AND 16V668000 (SEAT BELTS, AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO (SCOTT EVANS CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM LOCATED AT 2280 BANKHEAD HWY, CARROLLTON, GA 30116) WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

NHTSA ODI 11298479

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT LOCK ONCE I PUT IT ON. THE REST WORK JUST FINE.

NHTSA ODI 11290139

THE HEATER ONLY SOMEWHAT WORKS. THE DRIVER SIDE BLOWS LUKE WARM AIR IF LUCKY AND PASSENGER SIDE BLOWS ICE COLD. THIS CAUSES DANGEROUS DRIVING DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY INSIDE CAR. HAVE REPLACED THERMOSTAT 3 TIMES AND HAD SYSTEM FLUSHED AS ADVISED. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH BOTH AC/HEAT SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE. ANTIFREEZE ALSO LEAKS FROM FRONT OF CAR AND INTO DRIVER SIDE FLOOR BOARD

NHTSA ODI 11286563

THE PASSENGER SIDE BLOWS COLD AIR WHEN THE HEAT IS ON. IT DOESNT DEFROST THE WINDOW ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHICH IS THEN A SAFETY HAZARD FOR ME AND PEDESTRIANS. THE PASSEGER SIDE VENTS BLOW COLD AIR REGARDLESS OF IF IM MOVING OR NOT MOVING.

NHTSA ODI 11277965

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR WILL STALL OUT; I WAS DRIVING ON 3 LANE HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 70 MPH AND WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET IT OFF TO THE SIDE DUE TO NO POWER STEERING. ANOTHER TIME I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT AND WHEN LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I PRESSED ON ACCELERATOR THE CAR STALLED AND A TRASH TRUCK NEARLY RAN INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER THE VEHICLE SITS FOR A FEW MINUTES IT WILL RESTART; THEN FAIL AGAIN. REPEAT PROCEDURES AND IT WILL RUN A WHILE LONGER. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE LAST 4 DAYS AT LEAST 3-4 TIMES DAILY.

NHTSA ODI 11277127

WINDOW DEFROST AND PASSENGER HEAT /AIR. WHILE EITHER IN MOTION OR WHILE DRIVING, NO HEATED AIR EXITS THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER, NOR THE PASSENGER WINDOW DEFROST, LOWER AND CENTER CONSOLE VENTS. HEATED AIR ONLY EXITS THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD AND DRIVER'S SIDE DASH VENTS. PROBLEM PERSISTS THROUGH ALL CABIN AIR MODES, AND CIRCULATIONS. THIS SAFETY ISSUE EFFECTS VISIBILITY AND PASSENGER SAFETY BY FAILING TO DEFROST/DEFOG WINDOWS AND KEEPING CABIN TEMPURATURES NEAR OR BELOW FREEZING DURING COLD WEATHER (BLOWING COLD AIR INTO THE CABIN)."

NHTSA ODI 11267792

RIGHT SIDE DEFROST DOESN'T WORK CAUSING LITTLE TO NO VISIBILITY AND POSES A SAFETY CONCERN. DEALERSHIP SAID BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR WAS BAD. REPLACED AND STILL NOTHING. AFTER RESEARCHING FOUND MANUFACTURE DEFECT, THE HEATER CORE CLOGS, WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND DEALERSHIP DENIES ANY DEFECT AND WANTS FULL PRICE TO FIX (OVER HALF THE VALUE OF VEHICLE) I REFUSE TO LET MY CHILDREN RIDE IN THIS VEHICLE DURING WINTER OR COLD WEATHER!

NHTSA ODI 11258659

WHEN I AM DRIVING THE BATTERY LIGHT WILL GO OFF ALONG WITH THE ABS AND THE BRAKE LIGHT. I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO.

NHTSA ODI 11255622

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE AVENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A FENCE TRAVELING AT 30 MPH. THE CONTACT HAD TRIED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL BUT FAILED WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. AS A RESULT, THE BUMPER WAS DISLOCATED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS DAMAGED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE POLICE STATION. THE DEALER THUNDERHAWK AUTO SALES LOCATED AT 638 N INTERSTATE 35, COTULLA, TX 78014 830-399-0559 STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FINE WHEN HE FIRST SOLD THE VEHICLE TO THE CONTACT. THE DEALER LATER TEXTED THE CONTACT TO REMIND HER TO STILL MAKE THE VEHICLE PAYMENTS. THE VEHICLE HAD HAD MANY OF MECHANICAL ISSUE SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11243245

UNABLE TO DEFROST WINDOWS (OR HEAT CABIN) IN COLD CAUSING DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. ALTHOUGH NOT RECALLED, MANUFACTURE DEFECTS ARE WELL DOCUMENTED CAUSING THE HEATER CORE TO PLUG FROM SAND AND CASTING DEBRIS.

NHTSA ODI 11240837

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE AVENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE HORN ACTUATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FLICKERED ON AND OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE RESIDENCE AND THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SMOKE ODOR IN THE CABIN IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DAYTONA DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM & FIAT LOCATED AT 1450 N TOMOKA FARMS RD SUITE A, DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32124, 1450 N TOMOKA FARMS RD SUITE A, DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32124, TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HORN ASSEMBLY, SPEED SENSOR, AND THE TIPM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,999.

NHTSA ODI 11240637

MY HEAT ON MY PASSENGER SIDE NEVER WORKS, IT WILL BLOW AT NOTHING CAUSING ISSUES WITH DEFROSTING PASSENGERS WINDOW AND ISSUE WITH DEFROST ON MY MAIN WINDOW ON PASSENGER SIDE. ALL OTHER VENTS BLOW OUT BUT THAT ONE MAKES A WHISTLE NOISE AND NOTING COMES OUT. IT'S LIKE IT'S BLOCKED, I ASSUMED IT WAS JUST THE CAR, AFTER GOING OVER IN A LANE ON MY PASSENGER SIDE AND HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE BECAUSE I COULD BARELY SEE OUT MY WINDOW TO VIEW MY MIRROR, I LOOKED MORE INTO IT AND HAVE SINCE REALIZED I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE, IN FACT MULTIPLE OTHER COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED AND DODGE HAS DONE NOTHING TO FIX THIS. GET IT TOGETHER!

NHTSA ODI 11234445

VEHICLES AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS, I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID A CODE PULLED INDICATING CIRCUIT 1 IS OPEN, BUT WHEN SEARCHING PARTS IN HIS SYSTEM IT INDICATED THERES NO PARTS FOR FIX AT THIS TIME.

NHTSA ODI 11231752

HEAT ONLY BLOWS HOT ON DRIVERS SIDE - PASSENGER SIDE BLOWS COLD AIR. TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP 01/18 THEY REPLACED THE HEATER CORE AND FLUSHED THE SYSTEM. 11/18 DOING THE EXACT SAME THING. ALREADY COST $1200, TOLD THAT IT IS THE COOLANT AND THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE HEATER CORE UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT IS CLOGGED. IF IT IS THE COOLANT THEY PUT IN WOULDN'T THAT STILL BE COVERED? THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE DEFROSTER ON THAT SIDE ALSO ONLY BLOWS COLD AIR!

NHTSA ODI 11208571

DASHBOARD LIGHTS UP WITHOUT WARNING; DEALER FAILED TO CORRECT OR REPORT WHEN FIRST PURCHASED VEHICLE IN 2011. NOW IN 2019, DEALER DENIES RECORD DESPITE HAVING GIVEN US LOANER JEEP AND CHRYSLER 200 IN SEPARATE OCCASIONS. IN 2019, CAR LIGHTS UP RANDOMLY, ENGINE STOPS WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY OR IN REGULAR STREET TRAFFIC OR TURNING AT AN INTERSECTION, AND DEALER REPORTS UNABLE TO CORRECT. EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS. WORTH A LAWSUIT. DASH LIGHTS UP, ENGINE SHUTS OFF, STEERING WHEEL LOCKS, CAR SOMETIMES STARTS AGAIN BUT NOT ALWAYS. WE PAID THE DEALER TO FULLY REPLACE THE CRANK SENSOR BUT THAT ISN'T FIXING IT. TPM SENSOR WARNING APPEARED AND ISN'T GOING AWAY DESPITE DEALER STATING IT SHOULD. REPLACING PSI SENSOR DID NOT CORRECT THIS SYSTEM WARNING EITHER. DEALER SAID WARNING APPEARED 518 MILES BEFORE WE TOOK IT IN BUT THE ERROR OCCURRED ON 5/12/19 AND WE TOOK IT IN ON 5/14/19, ONLY DRIVING ABOUT 15 MILES FROM 5/12 - 5/12/19. EITHER DEALER LIED OR INFO ISN'T BEING HELD ON COMPUTER'S MEMORY. TIRED OF ALMOST GETTING CRASHED INTO BECAUSE THE CAR RANDOMLY DIES.

NHTSA ODI 11208537

HEATER BLOWS HOT AIR ON DRIVER SIDE AND COLD AIR ON PASSENGER SIDE.

NHTSA ODI 11205251

FOR THE 3RD OR 4TH TIME MY CAR HAS SUDDENLY LURCHED/JERKED FORWARD FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. THE FIRST TWO TIMES I WAS AT A RED LIGHT INTERSECTION AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY JERKED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING OR EXPLANATION. I RESEARCHED IT ONLINE AND FOUND SIMILAR ISSUES WITH OTHER DODGE OWNERS. SOME MENTIONING THE THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR. I'M NOT A MECHANIC SO I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE AS TO WHAT IS OCCURRING. THIS LATEST OCCURRENCE CAUSED A MINOR SLOW SPEED 'BUMPER TAG' BUMP TO THE CAR AHEAD OF ME TO THE CAR AHEAD. MY DASHCAM CAPTURED THE INCIDENT. THE DASHCAM VIDEO IS *.MOV FORMAT BUT IS VERY CLEAR IN 1080P WITH SPEED, DATE, AND TIME STAMPED. IF YOU WOULD LIKE THAT I WOULD NEED TO EMAIL THAT OTHER THAN THIS WEBSITE PLATFORM. YOU WILL SEE THE BUMPER COLLISION OCCURRED AT 3MPH. NO MARKS WERE LEFT ON EITHER VEHICLES.

NHTSA ODI 11196610

CAR HAS DIED WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC 5 TIMES BETWEEN 01/22/19 AND 03/06/19. PRESENTED MANY DIFFERENT ISSUES, INCLUDING STALL, NO START, NO CRANK, POOR IDLE. TOWED IN 5 TIMES TO 3 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND DEAD AGAIN. OVER $2000 IN OUT OF POCKET COSTS SO FAR AND THE DANGER TO LIFE SITTING IN A DEAD CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF SNOWSTORMS IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. ALSO SEVERAL TIMES IN BETWEEN WOULD NOT EVEN START IN THE DRIVEWAY. AND MANY OTHER WHAT I REFER TO AS "ELECTRICAL GREMLINS"! ALL TIMES DATES AND OCCURRENCES ARE DOCUMENTED IN WRITING, BACKED UP BY TEXTS AND EVEN SOME SHORT VIDEOS SHOWING DASH WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS AND OTHER ISSUES.

NHTSA ODI 11184492

DEFROSTER VENT IS NOT PUTTING OUT HOT AIR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE. THIS CAUSES THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS AND APPROX. 1/4 OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW TO FOG AND OR FROST OVER CAUSING SERIOUS VISIBILITY ISSUES! VEHICLE CAN BE STATIONARY, IN MOTION, ON THE ROAD, IT HAPPENS AT ANYTIME. VEHICLE REPAIR SHOP SAID IT IS A CHRYSLER MANUFACTURING DEFECT WITH THE HEATER CORE ON THE DODGE AVENGERS. REPAIR SHOP FLUSHED THE HEATER CORE BUT STATED THIS IS A TEMPORARY FIX AS THE ISSUE WILL CONTINUE TO REAPPEAR UNTIL CHRYSLER ADMITS THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND ISSUES A RECALL TO RECTIFY THE DEFECT. DUE TO THE WINDOWS FOGGING AND OR FROSTING OVER IN COLD WEATHER, THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE THAT CHRYSLER NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF ASAP. THIS DEFECT COULD CAUSE ACCIDENTS DUE TO VISIBILITY RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH!

NHTSA ODI 11184497