Dodge plans to milk its rough and tough image and we can see that it now has an offering in the midsize sedan segment too. The 2014 Dodge Avenger is a car that hides a lot of handling potential as well as brute power under its haunches. We cannot say something too bad about its reliability either because it has reported 189 complaints along with 1 recall this year. Dodge Avenger airbag problems are common but that was what the recall fixed. With prices starting at an MSRP of $20,170, it goes head to head against the Chevrolet Cruze, the Nissan Altima, and the Toyota Corolla. In this category, one can argue that the Avenger promises unbeatable value for money, although it is not quite as modern as its rivals. Let us find out more about the Dodge Avenger problems through this article.
2014 Dodge Avenger User Complaints and Problems
Mechanical problems:
- Several owners have reported that there is a problem with the alternator of the car and it can often show up as an issue during startup.
- Many cars have stalled or lost motive power on multiple occasions. This seems to be a common problem plaguing many engines from Dodge. Also, this has occurred in a large number of vehicles of the same model and we feel that there should likely be a Dodge Avenger engine recall that completely solves the issue.
- Power steering failures are rare but often catastrophic. According to many people who have had these cars, the failure may start as a lack of assistance but completely give out in a short while.
- The brake system produces loud screeching noises that produce a lot of wear and tear. This ends up being an unnecessary expense.
- There have been a large number of complaints regarding excessive oil conversion and the problem seems to be with the piston rings.
- Many owners are dissatisfied with the transmission system of this car as it is erratic in terms of shifting and delivers a rough performance..
Electrical system problems:
- The electrical system can shut down very randomly including HVAC, radio, backup camera, and the instrument cluster. This is a very common Dodge Avenger electrical problem and has affected a lot of cars.
- Several people have faced issues with the infotainment system of the car shutting down and restarting while being driven.
Interior problems:
- In a few cars, the sunroof spontaneously shattered, sending glass shards inside the cabin.
- There have been several quality issues inside the car including trim pieces breaking away which is completely unacceptable.
Safety problems:
- The airbag service warning light is a common sight in the Dodge Avenger and many owners have been unable to solve the issue through dealerships.
- In many accidents, the airbags have failed to deploy but we feel that the manufacturer has taken enough steps to address this through a recall.
- The seatbelt indicator has also produced a lot of problems in identifying the presence of passengers.
2014 Dodge Avenger Recalls
|
S. No. |
Date |
NHTSA Campaign Number |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
15th September 2016 |
16V668000 |
Airbag/seatbelt pre-tensioners may be disabled |
Due to a short circuit in the Occupant Restraint Control module, the safety systems may be disabled |
Dealers will replace the OCR, free of cost. |
Should you buy the 2014 Dodge Avenger?
The Dodge Avenger was introduced as a more affordable alternative to a Charger and manages to bring some excitement to the midsize sedan segment. We could say that the quality provided is subpar considering that many cars have reported quality control issues but at the end of the day, it is no practical car that offers a good V6 engine if you have the budget for it. In terms of reliability, we cannot say that it is bad in any respect because the car has mostly reported problems with the airbag and the manufacturer has fixed most of them through recalls. One can have complaints regarding the refinement of this car and that would be a valid point, especially for the four-cylinder engines but other than that, it does not have many negatives.
