What 553 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Dodge Avenger

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 11699661

I was driving and I stopped at a stop sign. When I got ready to go, the car stalled and stopped and wouldn't start. After 30 minutes, it started but I ended up having it towed. My mechanic was able to replicate it after putting the car in the sun, running it for 10 minutes and then driving it. When the mechanic tried to look at it, he couldn't find anything to cause it to stop. I look it to the dealership. They were unable to replicate it or find the problem. It seems to happen when the car gets hot it stops without warning. Other people in the Dodge Avenger online group have experienced the same thing. The horn also keeps beeping without warning and the airbag sign is on. I think all of these items are connected. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11677692

I have been unable to get the safety belt part for the recall. Additionally, it keeps saying I need to replace the gas cap and even the dealership cant help me.

NHTSA ODI 11608207

I was driving to the store and out of nowhere my car completely shut down the lights engine everything my steering wheel locked and I couldn't apply my breaks

NHTSA ODI 11578375

While driving for about 50miles, the electrical system failed, I lost power to the entire vehicle, steering was hard, brakes hard as well. as I pulled over, the car started back up. Next day car drove fine. Few days later the car cut off at red light in the middle of the intersection while other cars almost hitting me. Changed the fuel pump out because fuel pump would work at times. No one hurt, no incident report made. Car been intermittently cutting off after I think the car is running fine. No fault codes, no loose connections, no warning the car just cut off. I is becoming very dangerous and scary to drive but its the only vehicle i have and I have been spending money trying to figure this ghost out.

NHTSA ODI 11562756

Was driving and horn just start going off

NHTSA ODI 11486206

The vehicle will shut off in the middle of driving and you lose complete power to the vehicle. Then after it sits for a few hours it will start back up with no issue. I had my vehicle at the dodge dealership 2 times for them to tell me they can't figure it out and that they get alot of avengers with the same issue. But since it's not throwing a code they aren't able to fix it. I also explained that when it shuts off when you are trying to start the car it sounds like it is going to start but it just keeps turning over but won't start and the lightening bolt light comes on at that time. The dealership said they checked everything to see if it was my battery or alternator but everything they checked was good. They said this is a known problem with these cars and the only thing they can advise is to get rid if the vehicle because there isn't a fix for it. Someone is going to get hurt from this issue I have almost been hit numerous times when the vehicle shuts off with no warning. This has been happening a few times a year the whole time I have had this vehicle

NHTSA ODI 11448278

My TIPM is failing. Due to this, my vehicle stalls randomly with no repair codes being shown after stalling. Everything from the battery to the catalytic converter has been replaced to no avail. I even almost was killed on the freeway coming home from work one morning because the vehicle stalled after running fine for a couple of weeks. This has been going on for almost a year and I have replaced so many things on this car I basically should have just cut my losses and purchased a new one.

NHTSA ODI 11442655

My wipers stop in the middle of the windshield when it’s pouring outside. Now my horn won’t turn off! I was told that it’s the TIPM and it’s a known issue with my car.

NHTSA ODI 11435070

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE AVENGER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE HEATER FAILED TO DISTRIBUTE AIR AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO SEE OUT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ACTUATOR, PANEL, AND KNOB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WALLY ARMOUR CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (1950 W STATE ST, ALLIANCE, OH 44601, (330) 422-8602) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE HEATER CORE. THE HEATER CORE, THERMOSTAT AND ACTUATOR WERE REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. AFTER A SECONDARY DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

NHTSA ODI 11398413

VEHICLE IN LIMP MODE AND WON'T SHIFT GEARS PROPERTY. STARTED AFTER A PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A ISSUE UNTIL I HAD IT FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN STARTED THE LIMP MODE AND THEN DRIVING IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. BECAUSE IT WON'T CHANGE GEAR AND GOING UP A HILL IS IMPOSSIBLE WHEN IT WON'T CHANGE GEARS. OR SPEED UP.. IT SLOWS DOWN INSTEAD.

NHTSA ODI 11389904

MY 2012 DODGE AVENGER HAS CONTINUED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, THE FIRST IS THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER WINDOWS. THEY WON'T ROLL DOWN OR ONCE DOWN WON'T ROLL UP. SECOND MY INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL ALL OF A SUDDEN TURN ON BY THEMSELVES AND FLICKER, THIRD, FLICKERING. I HAVE TRIED REPLACING THESE POSSIBLE BROKEN PARTS BUT IT HASN'T FIXED THE PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ODI 11389200

VEHICLE GOES INTO TRANSMISSION LIMP MODE OUT NO WHERE CAUSING VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN AND LOCK INTO 1ST GEAR. WHILE DOING THIS THE VEHICLE IS INCAPABLE OF PICKING UP SPEED OR MAINTAINS SPEED SAFELY OF OVER 20 TO 25 MILES PER HOUR. DIAGNOSTIC CODE IS P0882 ON MY CODE SCANNER STATING POSSIBLE LOOSE PIN CONNECTION OR CONNECTIONS, LOW VOLTAGE TO TRANSMISSION CONTROL TIPM ( TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE ), TCM ( TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE ) ETC., CAR WAS IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY AND WOULD NOT ACCELLERATE TO BEYOND 20-25 MILES PER HOUR MAX AS CAR WILL NOT UPSHIFT. AFTER CHECKING ALL CONNECTIONS I RESET AND ERASED CODE AND CAR DROVE A FEW MILES NORMALLY AND SHIFTING PROPERLY BEFORE DOING SAME AGAIN WITHIN 5 MINUTES. HAD CAR TOWED 25 MILES HOME AT NIGHT. SPOKE TO SERVICE TECH AT LOCAL DODGE DEALER. HE STATED THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THESE MODEL CARS ALL THE WAY THRU THE NEW DODGE CHALLENGER. AND MYSELF I STATE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS YOU UNEXPECTEDLY CAN NOT AVOID SLOWING DOWN AND YOU CAN NOT SPEED UP TO AVOID A REAR END COLLISION BY OTHERS DRIVING BEHIND YOU

NHTSA ODI 11388770

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE AVENGER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE VENT WAS NOT PROVIDING WARM AIR. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND AN UNKNOWN COMPONENT WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 126,000.

NHTSA ODI 11377558

THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER AND DIM WHENEVER I ROLL THE WINDOWS UP AND THE CAR SEEMS TO PUTTER AT THE SAME TIME, THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR DOESN'T BLOW HEAT WHEN THE CAR IS SET TO BLOW HEAT IT ONLY BLOWS COLD AIR ALL THE TIME, THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON A FEW WEEKS AGO FOR NO REASON AND WON'T GO AWAY AFTER ALL MAINTENANCE REPAIRS. THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE SHOP MULTIPLE TIMES AND SEVERAL MECHANICS HAVE TOLD ME THEIR IS NO SEVERE ISSUES WITH THIS CAR. BUT ALL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS KEEP HAPPENING AND I'VE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR AND JUMP START THE BATTERY TWICE. I'VE COME TO THE CONCLUSION OF JUST FILING A COMPLAINT ON THIS WEBSITE.

NHTSA ODI 11372748

MY CAR IS BLOWING COLD AIR OUT OF THE PASSAGE SIDE VENTS, THEN WARM ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, WHEN I RUN THE AC, AT IDLE OR DRIVING. THE AC NOW ONLY BLOWS COOL AIR OUT THE PASSENGER SIDE, AND WARM OUT THE DRIVER'S SIDE. WHEN I TURN THE CONTROL KNOBS, THE FAN WILL BLOW HIGH ON NUMBER 1. I BELIEVE THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE AS WELL, WHEN I HAVE ON THE HEADLIGHTS, AND ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW, THE LIGHTS DIM, THEN RETURN TO REGULAR BRIGHTNESS. THERE IS A CLICKING NOISE FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS IN THE PASSENGER SIDE DASH FOR THE FIRST 10 SECONDS, WHEN STARTING THE CAR. MY BEST GUESS IS HEATER CORE OR ACTUATOR ISSUES. I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THESE CARS, PLEASE RECALL THE 2012 DODGE AVENGER SXT PLUS, TO FIX THE ISSUES AT HAND. THANK YOU

NHTSA ODI 11341469

MY AC HAS STOP BLOWING COLD I HAVE CHANGED COMPRESSOR, ACTUATORS, N CONTROL MODULE AND STILL AIR ISN'T BLOWING COLD. CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN AC STOP WORKING PROPERLY.

NHTSA ODI 11340616

HELLO, THE ABOVE MENTIONED VEHICLE, WAS AT GLENDALE DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP, IN GLENDALE, CA, FOR A TOTAL OF SEVEN FULL DAYS. THEY WERE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHY THE (HORN), CONTINUES TO GO OFF EITHER, MOVING OR STANDING STILL.*BF THEY PUT IN THE FOLLOWING PARTS: (SWITCH SPEED) FOR $50.00 (SWITCH HORN) FOR $127.60 (HARNESS STEER) FOR $158.00 PLUS THE COST OF DIAGNOSIS $195.00 AFTER ALL OF THIS I WAS FINALLY TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDS A (TIPMCGW) , WHICH I WAS GIVEN AN ESTIMATE OF $1,900, PLUS LABOR. I WAS TOLD THIS PART IS LOCATED UNDER THE FUSE BOX, AND CONTROLS ALL THE FUNCTIONS IN THE VEHICLE. THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A WEAR AND TEAR PART, ESPECIALLY WHERE IT IS LOCATED, NOT SURE WHY IT WOULD GO OUT UNLESS FAULTY. THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE HORN. IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE TO HAVE THE HORN CONNECTED, BECAUSE IT KEEPS GOING OFF. IT'S ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE NOT HAVING THE HORN CONNECTED, WHILE DRIVING. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME THIS THIS ISSUE *TR THE CONSUMER STATED THE HORN ISN'T WORKING AND CONSUMER DOESN'T HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 1,900.00 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11326275

THE HORN HAS A ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE, WHICH CONTINUES TO HONK, WHILE DRIVING, OR STANDING STILL. YOUR DODGE JEEP CHRYSLER DEALER IN GLENDALE, NOW TELLS ME, THAT THERE IS A SHORT, AND HE KNOWS THAT THE SWITCH IS BAD, AS IT CONTINUES TO HONK WHEN THE HORN IS CONNECTED. NOW THIS DEALER IS CHARGING ME ANOTHER $900., BUT NOT SURE IT WILL FIX PROBLEMS. THIS IS THE WORST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED, IT IS A DEATH TRAP, WAITING TO HAPPEN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11325150

MY CASE# [XXX], SHOP WAS NOT ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND THERE APPEARS TO BE A SHORT SOME WHERE IN THE COLUMN OF THE STEERING WHEEL. MY HORN HAD TO BE DISCONNECTED JUST SO IT DOESN'T CONTINUE TO BLOW WHILE I AM DRIVING. MY NERVES HAVE GOTTEN VERY BAD, LISTEN TO THIS HORN CONTINUALLY BLOWING, CAR CAN BE PARKED, OR MOVING. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 11323451

ON APRIL 7TH 2020 I WAS DRIVING UP A HILL IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. WHEN I GOT TO THE PEAK OF THE HILL AND I WENT TO TURN LEFT, THE CAR SHUT OFF AND THERE WAS NO POWER. I HAD TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND RESTART THE ENGINE. IT STARTED IMMEDIATELY. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IT HAS HAPPENED ON THIS HILL, AT ALMOST THE SAME TIME IN THE MORNING. IT'S ALWAYS WHEN IT'S COLD AND HAS BEEN RAINING. IN TOTAL MY CAR HAS STALLED OVER 6 TIMES, ALWAYS EARLY MORNING, ON A HILL, AND IT'S COLD AND/OR RAINING.

NHTSA ODI 11321479

I CHANGED THE 3 BLEND DOOR ACTUATORS AND I'M NOT STILL NOT GETTING HEAT AIR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY CAR, ONLY DRIVERS SIDE. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11316282

IN THE LAST 3 YEARS MY VEHICLE HAS STALLED 5 TIMES. TODAY WAS THE 5TH TIME. I WAS ON A HILL ABOUT TO TURN ONTO ANOTHER STREET, AND AS I STARTED TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, THE CAR TURNED OFF. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER WITH NO POWER. I TURNED THE CORNER THEN PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO START IT UP AGAIN. I WAS DRIVING ONLY ABUT 5 MILES PER HOUR ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET THANKFULLY. THE WEATHER WAS COLD BUT NOT RAINING. ALL 5 TIMES THAT THE CAR HAS STALLED IT HAS BEEN A COLD MORNING, AND I WAS ON AN INCLINE

NHTSA ODI 11307457

WHEN HEAT IS ON DRIVER SIDE VENT BLOWS HOT AIR. PASSENGER SIDE AND FRONT WINDOW DEFROST DOES NOT.

NHTSA ODI 11300908

2012 AVENGER SE WITH JUST UNDER 100K MILES. THE HEAT IS NOT WORKING. BLOWING COLD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND BARELY HEATING UP ON THE DRIVER SIDE. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ON SEVERAL MESSAGE BOARDS, THIS IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER ISSUE WITH THE HEATER CORE. I HAVE FLUSHED THE SYSTEM MULTIPLE TIMES AND IT IS NOT GETTING BETTER. THIS ISSUE IS NOT DUE TO NOT MAINTAINING THE CAR. THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT AND I HAVE CALLED DODGE AND WAS NOT GIVEN ANY ASSISTANCE. I FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AS THERE ARE A LOT OF THESE CARS HAVING THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11298044