1997 Dodge Avenger: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 1997 Dodge Avenger
On the 1997 Dodge Avenger, the failure owners report most often is control arm, ball joint or bushing failure, with 19 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 95,000 miles. Overall it scores 65 out of 100, high risk for a 1997.
High risk for a 1997 — 88th riskiest of the 243 1997 vehicles we can rate. 109 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What owners report breaking
Owners have reported 26 named failure modes on the 1997 Dodge Avenger, and the three most-reported carry 35% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure leads with 19 reports and about 0.6 per 1,000 vehicles.
Other brake problem follows with 10 reports, median 115,000 miles.
Other wheel or tire problem follows with 9 reports, median 95,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into suspension (23), brakes (19) and wheels (9).
At what mileage it happens
20 of the reports on the 1997 Dodge Avenger came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 95,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 10% by 50,000 miles and 55% by 100,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 90,000 and 100,000 miles, which alone holds 30% of the dated reports.
10% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, so this is mostly a story about older, higher-mileage cars.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 26. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
How bad it is when it goes
Across the named modes, 8 mention a crash and 6 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 5.39, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: control arm, ball joint or bushing failure at $400–$2,200, other brake problem at $300–$1,800, other wheel or tire problem at $200–$1,500 and other engine problem at $300–$4,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
13% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure | suspension | 19 | 4 | — | 100k | — | 0.6 | $400–$2,200 | High |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 10 | 2 | — | 117k | — | 0.3 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 9 | 3 | — | 96k | — | 0.3 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Other engine problem | engine | 5 | 1 | — | 140k | — | 0.2 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 5 | 1 | — | 109k | — | 0.2 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Head gasket failure | engine | 4 | 1 | — | 71k | — | 0.1 | $1,400–$4,000 | Critical |
| Premature brake pad or rotor wear | brakes | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Wiring harness or short circuit | electrical | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 3 | 1 | — | 82k | — | 0.1 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $200–$900 | High |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 3 | 1 | — | 30k | — | 0.1 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 3 | 1 | — | 93k | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 3 | 1 | — | 140k | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 2 | 1 | — | 6k | — | 0.1 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Manual clutch or hydraulics failure | transmission | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $900–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Wheel bearing or hub failure | drivetrain | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Strut, shock or spring failure | suspension | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $500–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Windshield cracking | glass | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 14 | 3 | — | 93k | — | 0.5 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 1997 Dodge Avenger draws about 3.6 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 81st percentile of complaint rates among 1997 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 30,292 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 1997 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure
While driving at 45 MPH consumer heard a loud snapping sound coming from the front of the vehicle. Also, the front tires were squealing and bouncing severely. Consumer lost control of the vehicle, and it rolled into a ditch on the right side. Dealer examined the vehicle, and determined that the upper and lower ball joints needed to be replaced.*ak
While driving at 45 MPH consumer heard a loud snapping sound coming from the front of the vehicle. Also, the front tires were squealing and bouncing severely. Consumer lost control of the vehicle, and it rolled into a ditch on the right side. Dealer examined the vehicle, and determined that the upper and lower ball joints needed to be replaced.*ak
Other brake problem
Recuring problems with brake vibration and fast wear, also with suspension repair, was twice quoted for a full replacement of front suspension. Have not done this yet. Major problems with engine electical and check engine light. Have replaced wires and plugs 2-3 time per year. Replaced engine coil once to fix problem with spark plugs arching and burning up. Problem was solved temporarily. Problem is back 3 months later. Chugging and sputtering.
I have a 1997 dodge avenger some of my problems I have not fixed I am about to go broke. I have more problems with my tires, brakes, and rotors. The paint is chipping off my car in spots. My tires wear fast, my airbag is loose the cover on it. My brakes are awful I have to replace them a lot. I love my car but there is too many problems....
Other wheel or tire problem
I have a 1997 dodge avenger some of my problems I have not fixed I am about to go broke. I have more problems with my tires, brakes, and rotors. The paint is chipping off my car in spots. My tires wear fast, my airbag is loose the cover on it. My brakes are awful I have to replace them a lot. I love my car but there is too many problems....
Recuring problems with brake vibration and fast wear, also with suspension repair, was twice quoted for a full replacement of front suspension. Have not done this yet. Major problems with engine electical and check engine light. Have replaced wires and plugs 2-3 time per year. Replaced engine coil once to fix problem with spark plugs arching and burning up. Problem was solved temporarily. Problem is back 3 months later. Chugging and sputtering.
Recalls on the 1997 model year
NHTSA has issued 6 recall campaigns covering the 1997 Dodge Avenger, affecting an estimated 30,822 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover exterior lighting:headlights, exterior lighting and fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
42,540 vehicles 2009-05-11- Defect
- Dope, inc. Is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
- Consequence
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on july 28, 2009. Owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
16,270 vehicles 2009-04-07- Defect
- Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
- Consequence
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on may 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
222 vehicles 2007-07-26- Defect
- Certain airtex fuel pump module assemblies, p/n e7081h, sold for use as replacement equipment for the vehicles listed above. The wall of the flared fitting of the fuel pump is not thick enough to prevent the mating threaded fittings from bottoming out before an adequate seal is achieved. This condition may result in leakage of fuel at the connection of the vehicle fuel line and the fuel pump module assembly.
- Consequence
- In the presence of an ignition source, a fuel leak could result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Airtex will notify owners and replace the fuel pumps free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during july 2007. Owners can contact airtex automotive at 800-880-3056.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
4,029 vehicles 2006-07-17- Defect
- Certain tradesonic combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- Consequence
- Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Tradesonic will notify owners and replace the lamps free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during july 2006. Owners may contact tradesonic at 626-934-8884.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
393,796 vehicles 2000-12-18- Defect
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT
1,083 vehicles 1997-08-08- Defect
- The headrest guide bracket was improperly welded to the seat back frame on the passenger side seat back assemblies only.
- Consequence
- 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.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 1997 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
How 1997 compares with the other years
High risk for a 1997 — 88th riskiest of the 243 1997 vehicles we can rate. Every score on this site is a rank inside its own model year, which is what makes a 2004 and a 2019 comparable at all.
Across the 12 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2000 comes out best at 56 and 2008 worst at 74, with 1997 itself at 65.
If the model year is negotiable, 2000 and 1999 score lower than 1997 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 1996–2000 generation specifically, 2000 is the strongest year at 56 and 1997 the weakest at 65.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 1996-2000 generation, 2000 Dodge Avenger scores best at 56 and 1997 Dodge Avenger worst at 65.
What this page cannot tell you
109 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 109 reports, 20 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 18% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Dodge Avenger?
The most-reported failures are control arm, ball joint or bushing failure (19 reports, median 100,000 miles), other brake problem (10 reports, median 115,000 miles) and other wheel or tire problem (9 reports, median 95,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 1997 Dodge Avenger reliable?
It scores 65 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 88th riskiest of the 243 1997 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 1997 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Dodge Avenger is best?
Within the 1996–2000 generation, 2000 scores best at 56 out of 100 and 1997 worst at 65. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed