1997 Dodge Avenger problems & reliability
83 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Dodge Avenger, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
12 complaints report injuries (19 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 19 | 23% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 18 | 22% |
| Air Bags | 13 | 16% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 10 | 12% |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 7% |
| Wheels | 6 | 7% |
| Electrical System | 5 | 6% |
| Power Train | 4 | 5% |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 5% |
| Steering | 4 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“We have continued to have problems with these rims. I am about to retire my third wheel from this car. The wheel looks good, but it just can't hold air due to the rim bending right at the bead or outer rim. The rim in question is a 17 inch silver rim on the 97 avenger. It bends way too easily. This car belonged to my…”
Wheels · filed Apr 24, 2012
“I own a 1997 dodge avenger I bought it brand new it has the 2.0 dohc 4 cyl engine the head gasket is leaking on it and I almost ran it out of oil. I have heard that this is a default head gasket from the manufacture on this type of engine my car has been regularly maintained and has real low mileage since I bought the…”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Dec 26, 2006
“1997 dodge avenger hood popped up shattering windshield. *ts there was damage from a previous accident that caused the hood to improperly latch down. *jb”
Latches/locks/linkages · filed Jan 11, 2006
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
72 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1997 Dodge Avenger. The 10 most recent:
Charging System, Battery Diagnostic Tools and Warranty This information only bulletin discusses using the correct test equipment for testing batteries and charging systems, and also warranty reimbursement when battery…
08-049-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 22, 2020
Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of aftermarket parts.
3100519 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of recycled or salvage parts.
3100319 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.
3100619 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of aftermarket parts.
31-005-19 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of recycled or salvage parts.
31-003-19 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.
31-006-19 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Valve Body. These may cause over drive cycling.
R2118796A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 26, 2016
Flash programming failure recovery. *slc
1802002 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 24, 2002
Subject regarding generic scan tool (gst), publication no. 81-170-00008 provided with this technical service bulletin to provide reference information when using generic scan tool on obdii vehicles. *tt
1801201 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 25, 2001
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 1997 Dodge Avenger has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1997 Dodge Avenger?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.