Your vehicle report
1997 Dodge Avenger
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 83
- Received Apr 1997 to Apr 2012
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Airbags fail to deploy in crashes10 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Ball joints wear out and fail9 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Front brake rotors warp and wear early7 complaints · 8.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #00V421002Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. If the rubber boots on the lower lateral arm ball joints of the front suspension were damaged during assembly, dirt and water can intrude. Also, mmc has added the potential of leaking moisture, which can cause the ball stud to corrode.
- Recall #97V081002The headrest guide bracket was improperly welded to the seat back frame on the passenger side seat back assemblies only.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 15 crashes, 0 fires, 19 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 8 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 5 |
| 1998 | 12 |
| 1999 | 13 |
| 2000 | 9 |
| 2001 | 16 |
| 2002 | 11 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 7 |
| 2005 | 6 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 83 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 10 | 12% | – | |
| Ball joints wear out and fail | 9 | 11% | – | NHTSA recall #00V421002 |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 7 | 8.4% | – | |
| Alloy wheel rims crack and lose air | 5 | 6.0% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 5 | 6.0% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 4 | 4.8% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 4 | 4.8% | – | |
| Suspension struts and shocks wear out early | 3 | 3.6% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #00V421002December 18, 2000393,796 vehicles affected
suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. If the rubber boots on the lower lateral arm ball joints of the front suspension were damaged during assembly, dirt and water Can intrude. Also, mmc has added the potential of leaking moisture, which Can cause the ball stud to corrode.
This condition could cause the lower lateral arm ball joint to separate, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. This campaign supercedes mmc's previous safety recall campaign, see 99V-066.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the lower lateral arm ball joint for wear. Ball joints that exhibit wear beyond the established tolerance will be replaced with newly designed lateral arm ball joints. Ball joints that are within the established tolerance will be cleaned and a special sealant will be applied to prevent intrusion of moisture.
NHTSA recall #97V081002August 8, 19971,083 vehicles affected
seats: front assembly: head restraint
The headrest guide bracket was improperly welded to the seat back frame on the passenger side seat back assemblies only.
The headrest support bracket Can break, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the passenger seat back assembly with a new assembly.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1997 Dodge Avenger.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN