2008 Dodge Avenger problems & reliability
831 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Dodge Avenger, alongside 6 safety recall campaigns. 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.
24 complaints report injuries (34 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2008 Dodge Avenger vehicles were involved in 64 fatal crashes with 37 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 236 | 28% |
| Electrical System | 219 | 26% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 138 | 17% |
| Engine | 115 | 14% |
| Air Bags | 96 | 12% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 61 | 7% |
| Unknown OR Other | 46 | 6% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 42 | 5% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 31 | 4% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 26 | 3% |
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.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 70,000 miles (middle 50% between 46,000 and 106,000 miles), based on 710 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“My 2008 Dodge Avenger airbag light has been on for a while, I believe that’s something that is defective and should be fixed by the manufacture. I’d called a dealership and was told it was not a recall and therefore not covered. When the wipers are turned on in the morning and then turned off, they continue to wipe…”
Electrical System · filed Nov 9, 2025
“Breaking system failed, it is available for inspection, I told the state trooper what happened along with several police officers, they agreed that the breaking system was not supposed to lock up which caused the car to skid several feet and the end results are that a very bad wreck happened which left my car…”
Service Brakes · filed Oct 26, 2025
“The recalls associated to my vehicle are the same exact problems I am experiencing. My car is stalling and stalled on the highway. I couldn’t accelerate and had to drive with my hazards.”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Apr 7, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit
Audit Query AQ10001 · opened Nov 18, 2010 · closed Dec 28, 2015
Technical service bulletins
59 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2008 Dodge Avenger. The 10 most recent:
ACTUATOR - A/C AND HEATER
103954 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 2, 2025
ACTUATOR - A/C AND HEATER
104087 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 2, 2025
Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service…
9100226 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 15, 2023
Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service…
9100226 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 15, 2023
Transmission Kit with Torque Converter 1. All Promaster (VF) 3.6L/62TE equipped vehicles. If the transmission bracket to the transmission case fasteners are removed during servicing, the fasteners (Part Number…
9004009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 7, 2021
(Revision A) No Start No Crank ? Starter Will Not Engage And There Are No Related Codes Or Concerns
S1121000006RevA · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 19, 2020
(Revision A) No Start No Crank ? Starter Will Not Engage And There Are No Related Codes Or Concerns
S1121000006 Rev. · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 19, 2020
THROTTLE BODY For clarification, only use 68414676A$ on 2010 & earlier vehicles as supply is limited.
9004268 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 24, 2020
THROTTLE BODY For clarification, only use 68414676A$ on 2010 & earlier vehicles as supply is limited.
9004268 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 24, 2020
Disinfectant Solution Recommended for COVID-19
23-015-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 30, 2020
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 2008 Dodge Avenger has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns — 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 2008 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.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 70,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.