Dodge Avenger Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2013 draws 8.31 complaints per run and the 1995 3.22, a 2.6-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age, so 76.7% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Electrical System, with 515 complaints, typically at 5.5 years.

Dodge Avenger years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Dodge Avenger — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2014	4.05	178	44	yes
2013	8.31	507	61	yes
2012	7.18	488	68	yes
2011	3.46	180	52	yes
2010	3.67	143	39	yes
2009	2.4	60	25	yes
2008	7.27	662	91	yes
2000	1.73	19	11	yes
1999	1.75	42	24	yes
1998	1.59	43	27	yes
1997	1.89	68	36	yes
1996	3.39	122	36	yes
1995	3.22	145	45	yes

ROWS 13·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2013 Avenger asks a median $3,300, against $5,395 for a 2014, the next model year: about 39% less, so sellers do price some of the trouble in.

Among the 7 Dodge Avenger years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2013, 2008, 2012; the three worth hunting are 1995, 2011, 2010.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Dodge Avenger — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	157	6.2%	covered
1 year	168	12.8%	covered
2 years	269	23.3%	covered
3 years	303	35.2%	you pay
4 years	303	47.1%	you pay
5 years	310	59.3%	you pay
6 years	340	72.6%	you pay
7 years	222	81.4%	you pay
8 years	160	87.6%	you pay
9 years	97	91.4%	you pay
10 years	77	94.5%	you pay
11 years	66	97.1%	you pay
12 years	33	98.4%	you pay
13 years	17	99%	you pay
14 years	19	99.8%	you pay
15 years	6	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 23.3% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 76.7% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 27% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Dodge Avenger, the early trouble is Power Train and Service Brakes — reported at around 4 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Electrical System at 5.5 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Dodge Avenger — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Electrical System	515	5.5 yrs	10	33
Air Bags	507	4.7 yrs	116	4
Engine	396	6.1 yrs	12	15
Unknown Or Other	386	6.2 yrs	11	5
Power Train	326	4 yrs	8	—
Vehicle Speed Control	211	4.7 yrs	8	1
Service Brakes	195	3.5 yrs	27	5
Seat Belts	189	4.3 yrs	31	—

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Avenger's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota Camry draws 5.65, the Honda Accord 4.02 and the Dodge Challenger 3.27, against 4.83 for the Avenger.

FIG.05·Dodge Avenger — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Avenger	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Toyota Camry	20,039	161	1983–2026
Honda Accord	24,369	415	1981–2026
Dodge Challenger	1,696	77	1981–2026
Toyota Prius	12,873	109	2001–2026
Hyundai Elantra	9,090	117	1992–2026
Nissan Altima	15,657	148	1993–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Dodge Avenger

Recalls55 campaigns Fuel economy24 mpg best Common problems3,272 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space16 cu ft Used prices606 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car1995–2014

Frequently asked questions

Is the Dodge Avenger reliable?

By complaints per production run it is worse than typical: 4.83 against 3.73 for the average car, and in the middle of its class rivals.

Which Avenger years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2013, 2008, 2012. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 1995, 2011, 2010. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Avenger problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age. The most reported system is Electrical System, typically at 5.5 years, followed by Air Bags.

Will the warranty cover Avenger problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 23.3% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 27% of the complaints here.

Is the Avenger more reliable than the Toyota Camry?

Yes: 4.83 complaints per production run for the Avenger against 5.65 for the Toyota Camry.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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