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What 204 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Dodge Avenger

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (204)Crash / fire / injury (24)Airbags (69)Engine (42)Seat belts (39)Electrical system (33)Seats (23)Brakes (17)Speed control (15)Steering (14)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (12)Transmission & drivetrain (12)

14 of 204 complaints match · Steering · clear filters

May 11, 2021SteeringTransmission & drivetrainBrakesCrash

JUST BOUGHT THE CAR, WITHIN A MONTH THE BRAKES WERE GRINDING. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THERE WAS A POWER TRAIN LEAK WHICH THEY REPLACED. A FEW DAYS LATER, I WAS AT AN INTERSECTION TURNING AND MY WHEEL COMPLETELY LOCKED, CAUSING ME TO HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. AN OFFICER HAPPENED TO BE ON THE SAME ROAD AND SAW THAT MY CAR WAS ALSO SMOKING AS WELL WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO THE PREVIOUS POWER TRAIN LEAK. I LOOKED AT OTHER RECALLS AND SURE ENOUGH, THERE ARE SOME ON THE 2011-2013 REGARDING STEERING AND BRAKE SYSTEMS AS WELL. THEY DEFINITELY NEED TO CHECK THE 2014 DODGE AVENGER AS WELL FOR SIMILAR ISSUES. NOW THE FRONT PASSENGER AREA AND MY AXEL IS RUINED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI 11416143

Oct 11, 2020SteeringAirbags

MY CAR IS A 2014 DOGE AVENGER THAT HAS THE OCCUPANCY RESTRAIN FAILURE CODE. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THE GM PUT ONLY A CERTAIN NUMBER OF THESE CARS ON THE RECALL LIST: HOWEVER, MY CAR WAS NOT PLACED ON THE LIST. UNFORTUNATELY FOR ME, I AM HAVING THAT ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IF THERE IS ANYTHING POSSIBLE YOU COULD DO TO GET MY RECALL SERVICE BY DODGE.

NHTSA ODI 11363758

Jun 12, 2020SteeringSpeed controlElectronic Stability Control (esc)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 DODGE AVENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN WITH AN ABNORMAL SOUND. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS SLOWLY DRIVEN TO HER RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.

NHTSA ODI 11328562

Nov 7, 2019SteeringAirbagsElectronic Stability Control (esc)Crash2 injuries

I WAS DRIVING THE CAR DOWN THE ROAD WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE WHEELS LOCKED UP AND PULLED HARD LEFT AND MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AS WELL AND I CRASHED

NHTSA ODI 11278733

Jun 19, 2019SteeringBrakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 DODGE AVENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING OUT OF HER DRIVEWAY, THE STEERING SEIZED AND THE BRAKES WERE INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS INTENDED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL VIBRATION IN THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,345.

NHTSA ODI 11221276

Jun 1, 2017SteeringEngine

6.1.17 AT ROUGHLY 7:50AM, MY 2014 DODGE AVENGER LX WITH RALLYE PACKAGE COMPLETELY SHUTOFF WHILE DOING HIGHWAY SPEEDS - 70MPH CRUISE, FLAT LAND. POWER STEERING WAS GONE AND THANKFULLY NO OTHER CARS WERE ON THE ROAD. I PLACED THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO GET IT STARTED TO CONTINUE ON MY WAY TO WORK. OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE'VE EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS ISSUES SUCH AS: RANDOM ACCELERATIONS WITHOUT CAUSE, DUMMY LIGHTS FLASHING OR COMING ON AND THEN DISAPPEARING ON THEIR OWN, ACCELERATION ISSUES WHERE CAR WILL NOT GO OVER 40, ETC. ISSUES HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE REPLICATED AND HAS NOT BEEN BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THAT PURPOSE AS I HAD A FRIEND EXPERIENCE THE SAME AND THE DEALERSHIP TOLD HER THEY COULDN'T RECREATE SO THERE WAS NO ISSUE. I HAVE CONTACTED MY DEALERSHIP AND HAVE AN APPOINTMENT FOR 6.5.17, AND I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED CHRYSLER REGARDING THE ISSUE SO THEY CAN GET A CASE MANAGER ASSIGNED. I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING MYSELF OR MY CHILDREN IN THIS VEHICLE, AS I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL HAVE EXPERIENCED THE ISSUE WITHOUT REMEDY.

NHTSA ODI 10992667

Sep 23, 2016SteeringCrash

STEERING WHEEL JAMMED ALL OF THE SUDDEN OUT OF NOWHERE WHILE IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET AFTER 3 YEARS OF OWNING IT,CAUSING ME TO NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. MECHANIC SAYS RACK AND PINION NEEDED REPLACED AND WAS DANGEROUS FOR THE PROBLEM TO APPEAR OUT OF NOWHERE. ALSO SAID IT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED FOR A 2014 MODEL AND IT WAS A MANUFACTUR DEFAULT BUT OUR WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED 2 MONTHS PREVIOUSLY.

NHTSA ODI 10909369

Dec 11, 2015SteeringBrakesEngineCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 DODGE AVENGER. WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CHECK ENGINE AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO COME TO A HALT. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR BRUISES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE FRONT PASSENGER DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES, BUT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE CRASH SCENE TO AN AUTO BODY REPAIR CENTER WHERE THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE BASED ON THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

NHTSA ODI 10809628

May 21, 2015SteeringElectrical systemEngine

THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON NOW FOR OVER A 1 YEAR. MY CAR ENGINE JUST SHUTS OFF FOR NO REASON. I HAVE TAKEN IT IN HAD IT TOWED IN AND MULTI DODGE DEALERSHIP MECHANICS LOOKS AT IT. NOBODY CAN FIGURE OUT WHY IT DOES IT. THEY HAVE DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM LOTS OF TIMES BUT DON'T KNOW WHY IT HAPPENS. EVERY MECHANIC REFUSES TO DOCUMENT IN THE SYSTEMS THAT THIS IS HAPPENING BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIX THE PROBLEM BUT I MAKE THEM ALL RIGHT ON MY COPY OF THE SERVICE PAPERWORK THAT THEY DID DUPLICATE IT AND WHAT THEY DID TO PROTECT ME.THE ONLY THING THEY HAVE EVERY CHANGE IS THE ERG VALVE BUT IT STILL HAPPENS TO THIS DAY. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 10717776

Feb 7, 2015SteeringWheelsElectronic Stability Control (esc)

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY I NOTICED A PULLING/SHAKING OF THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF THE CAR DID NOT WANT TO FOLLOW MY CONTROL. IT WILL ALSO FEEL AS IF IT WANTS TO ATTEMPT TO STALL OR SWITCH GEARS WHILE DRIVING *JS

NHTSA ODI 10681864

Nov 17, 2014SteeringElectrical systemSpeed control

I WAS DRIVING ON THE BELTWAY AND THE CAR JUST STALLED. I WAS DOING 70 MPH AT THE TIME. THE CAR RANDOMLY STALLS/WON'T CRANK AND IT HAS LESS THAN 4000 MILES ON IT. I JUST PURCHASED THE CAR AND HAVE BEEN BACK AND FORTH TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WILL NOT HELP ME. IT SHUTS OFF WITH NO WARNING AND ALL THE GAUGES GET STUCK. I AM AFRAID FOR MY LIFE AND I CAN'T GET IN TOUCH WITH THE MANUFACTURER. BECAUSE I HAVE TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY TO GO TO WORK I AM AFRAID IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN I DON'T HAVE A WAY TO GET TO AN EMERGENCY LANE AND IT IS GOING TO CAUSE A FATALITY. NO ONE WILL TELL ME WHERE TO TURN AND THIS IS MY ONLY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10658553

Aug 17, 2014SteeringSuspension

WHEN DRIVING THE CAR IT SWAYS SIDE TO SIDE AND ALSO KICKS TO THE RIGHT WHEN GOING OVER RAILROAD TRACKS AT APPROX. 15 MPH.I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH BOTH HANDS FIRMLY ON THE WHEEL SO THAT IT DOES NOT PULL ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10625872

May 14, 2014Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 DODGE AVENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN MOVING TO THE RIGHT AND THE CONTACT HAD TO USE BOTH HANDS WITH FORCE IN ORDER TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE NOR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130. UPDATED 7/22/14*CN

NHTSA ODI 10588318

Mar 20, 2014Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 DODGE AVENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD SWERVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS CAUSING THE FAILURE BUT DECIDED TO PERFORMED AN ALIGNMENT AND ROTATED THE TIRES. THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,129.

NHTSA ODI 10573814

Working with the data? Download all 204 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 28, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2014 Dodge Avenger verdict →