2011 Dodge Avenger Owner Complaints

Window Defrost and Passenger Heat /Air. While either in motion or while driving, no heated air exits the passenger side of the windshield defroster, nor the passenger window defrost, lower and center console vents. Heated air only exits the driver's side windshield and driver's side dash vents. Problem persists through all cabin air modes and circulations. This safety issue affects visibility and passenger safety by failing to defrost/defog windows and keeping cabin temperatures near or below freezing during cold weather (blowing cold air into the cabin).

NHTSA ID

11705315

Incident

Sep 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. Additionally, the passenger’s side seat headrest exploded. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 13V282000 (Electrical System, Air Bags) and 11V315000 (Steering). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 205,000.

NHTSA ID

11530149

Incident

Jun 19, 2023

Mileage

205,000 mi

Vehicle turns off while driving sometimes starts up sometimes not! Doesn't give a warning replaced multiple things afraid of the car doing it in a turn everything shuts down power steering and everything!

NHTSA ID

11524740

Incident

Mar 10, 2022

Heater on the passenger side of the vehicle blows out cold air while driver side blows out hot air like it's supposed to. By having cold air being blown out, this causes the windshield and windows on the passenger side of the vehicle to fog up causing visibility issues.

NHTSA ID

11509591

Incident

Jan 23, 2021

The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that the check engine warning light and air bag warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the cruise control, buttons on the steering wheel, and occupant restraint control were malfunctioning. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V668000 (Seat Belts, Air Bags) and the recall repair was completed. The contact stated that the air bag and occupant restraint warning light remained illuminated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 171,998.

NHTSA ID

11480485

Incident

May 4, 2022

Mileage

171,998 mi

Throttle Body changed 3 times still stalling and poor acceleration problems very unsafe stalls out of no where very frustrated also changed electronic pedal and battery Lighting signs still comes on and stalls very dangerous!

NHTSA ID

11454755

Incident

Feb 15, 2022

Vehicle will shut off while driving, has happened numerous time's, horn randomly honks by its self, it take numerous attempts to get the car started once it shut off, and now it's locked In limp mode and won't leave second gear

NHTSA ID

11446464

Incident

Jun 16, 2021

Window Defrost and Passenger Heat /Air. While either in motion or while driving, no heated air exits the passenger side of the windshield defroster, nor the passenger window defrost, lower and center console vents. Heated air only exits the driver's side windshield and driver's side dash vents. Problem persists through all cabin air modes, and circulations. This safety issue effects visibility and passenger safety by failing to defrost/defog windows and keeping cabin temperatures near or below freezing during cold weather (blowing cold air into the cabin

NHTSA ID

11445970

Incident

Nov 1, 2021

Window Defrost and Passenger Heat /Air. While either in motion or while driving, no heated air exits the passenger side of the windshield defroster, nor the passenger window defrost, lower and center console vents. Heated air only exits the driver's side windshield and driver's side dash vents. Problem persists through all cabin air modes, and circulations. This safety issue effects visibility and passenger safety by failing to defrost/defog windows and keeping cabin temperatures near or below freezing during cold weather (blowing cold air into the cabin). Manufacturer is aware but has yet to recall the issue even though reports are widespread for their vehicles in this model and dealership states it is a known issue.

NHTSA ID

11445892

Incident

Oct 1, 2019

The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH, the rear turn signals became inoperable. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V282000 (Electrical System, Air Bags) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 27,000.

NHTSA ID

11433848

Incident

May 15, 2012

Mileage

27,000 mi

Hot air from drivers side and cold air from passenger side. I live in maine. I had a couple rough winters because we couldn't find out what it was. I found out what it is but I can't find a garage to put it in. This is a server visibly concern. The trunk and inside the car leaks above the windshield causing the car to smell musty and cause mold. Above the windowsheid where it leaks is causing Moisture inside and making the visibility almost impossible at times. This car has had two owners with less then 100,000 miles. Family owned

NHTSA ID

11426743

Incident

Jun 1, 2019

WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE BATTERY, CHECK ENGINE, TIRE PRESSURE, AND TRACTION LIGHT ALL CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN EVERYTHING (RADIO, INSTRUMENTS PANEL, SPEED ODEMETER ETC...)WHEN OFF IN THE CAR AND THEN THE A/C STARTED BLOWING. IT KEPT DOING THIS OFF AND ON THE WHOLE TIME DRIVING. THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON. SO FAR I HAVE CHANGED THE BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, AND THE BRAKE SWITCH SENSOR AND IT'S STILL DOING THE SAME THING. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON THE HWY. I ALSO GOT AND CHECK ENGINE SCAN DONE ON THE VEHICLE. THE ONE I COULD FIX I FIXED ALL BUT THE TIPM

NHTSA ID

11413192

Incident

Apr 18, 2021

Mileage

132,000 mi

MY CAR DOESN'T START. I'VE BEEN HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS SINCE LAST YEAR. I'VE BEEN TOLD 3 TIMES THAT IT WAS THE ALTERNATIVE SO I'VE BOUGHT 3. THEN I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE CORDS ON MY BATTERY SO I FIXED THAT. NOW I'M CURRENTLY GETTING IT LOOKED AT WHICH I THINK IT IS THE TRANSMISSION OR STARTER. I'VE ALSO BOUGHT TWO BATTERIES. LAST WEEK WEN I WENT TO THE STORE A GIRL CAME UP TO ME AND ASKED DO I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR I TOLD HER YES SHE SAID HER MOTHER HAS THE SAME CAR AS I DO AND TOLD ME THAT SHE HER CAR KEEPS TURNING OFF AND WANT CRANK. SHE SAID SHE PUT SO MUCH MONEY INTO THE CAR THAT SHE JUST HAD TO GET ANOTHER ONE. SO I KNOW THAT IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING WRONG BECAUSE I'M ALSO HAVING THOSE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS AND I KEEP MY CAR UP VERY WELL.

NHTSA ID

11407540

Incident

Apr 10, 2021

A KNOWN ISSUE WITH 2011 DOGE AVENGER WHERE THE HEATER CORE GOES BAD .IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE AND SHOULD BE COVERED BY DODGE. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY $1K OUT OF POCKET . I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF FORUMS STATING THE PROBLEM AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN ADDRESSED . RIDICULOUS BY DODGE.

NHTSA ID

11389411

Incident

Aug 25, 2020

I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT ARE OPEN. THIS VIN IS ALSO ON THE BUYBACK LIST AND I'VE CALLED TWO LOCAL DEALERS TO ASK ABOUT IT AND THEY WON'T GIVE AN ANSWER BUT 'WE CAN TRADE IN'. I'VE ALSO CALL FAC. I BOUGHT IT CERTIFIED USED.

NHTSA ID

11388580

Incident

Dec 11, 2011

MY CAR STALLED 3XS HAS TO REPLACE IGNITION CONTROL SWITCH. MY HEAT DOESN'T WORK ON PASSENGER SIDE. MY LIGHTS FLICKER AS I ACCELERATE ON EXPRESSWAY OR EVEN ON THE STREET NOW. MOTOR ON PASSENGER WINDOW WENT OUT

NHTSA ID

11388270

Incident

Aug 20, 2020

Mileage

142,000 mi

"WINDOW DEFROST AND PASSENGER HEAT /AIR. WHILE EITHER IN MOTION OR WHILE DRIVING, NO HEATED AIR EXITS THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER, NOR THE PASSENGER WINDOW DEFROST, LOWER AND CENTER CONSOLE VENTS. HEATED AIR ONLY EXITS THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD AND DRIVER'S SIDE DASH VENTS. PROBLEM PERSISTS THROUGH ALL CABIN AIR MODES, AND CIRCULATIONS. THIS SAFETY ISSUE EFFECTS VISIBILITY AND PASSENGER SAFETY BY FAILING TO DEFROST/DEFOG WINDOWS AND KEEPING CABIN TEMPURATURES NEAR OR BELOW FREEZING DURING COLD WEATHER (BLOWING COLD AIR INTO THE CABIN)."

NHTSA ID

11384303

Incident

Oct 31, 2019

MY CAR KEEPS TURNIN GOFF WHILE DRIVING AND SLOWING DOWM. AT 80 I WAS DRIVING AND MY CAR TURNED OFF AMY TIMES

NHTSA ID

11378050

Incident

Jul 17, 2019

AIR BAG LIGHT DRIVERSIDE BEEN ON FOR MONTHS DRAIN MY BATTERY NOW AIR BAG LIGHT GOES OFF ON

NHTSA ID

11378036

Incident

Nov 2, 2020

BACK IN 2019 ON THANKSGIVING WE HAD A CAR ACCIDENT DRIVING STRAIGHT ON ROUTE 17 IN ESSEX COUNTY BECAUSE THE WHEEL BEARINGS WENT OUT TO QUICKLY WE REPLACED THEM A YEAR LATER IT DID ALMOST DID THE SAME THING BUT WE CATCH IT IN TIME ARE MECHANIC SAID IT SHOULDN'T HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR WHEEL YOUR WHEEL BEARING 10 MONTHS APART WE WENT THROUGH 3 ALREADY AND IT'S ASKING ME TO PUT A DATE FROM WHEN IT HAPPEN I'LL PUT THE FIRST TIME AND THE NEXT TWO THE NEXT DATE IT HAPPEN 9/23/2020/10/20/20 IT'S ALSO DOING SOME WEIRD SLIDING IN THE BACK END OF THE VEHICLE

NHTSA ID

11376359

Incident

Nov 23, 2019

Mileage

94,000 mi

ALL THE SUDDEN MY DASH DEFOGGER ON PASSENGER SIDE AND PASSENGER DEFOGGER ARE BLOWING COLD AIR AND DRIVERS SIDE IS WARM. GOOGLED ISSUE AND IT SEEMS TO BE A BIG THING

NHTSA ID

11364779

Incident

Oct 17, 2020

Mileage

7,463 mi

JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR YESTERDAY. THE HEAT DOES NOT WORK BLOWS OUT COLD AIR ALL THE TIME. THE HEAT JUST QUIT WORKING RIGHT BEFORE WINTER IS ABOUT TO START. I'VE BEEN READING THIS EXACT PROBLEM WITH MANY OTHERS.

NHTSA ID

11362995

Incident

Oct 5, 2020

Mileage

78,242 mi

HEAT AND DEFROST ON PASSENGER SIDE BLOWS OUT COLD AIR ONLY. REPLACED ACTUATOR AND NO CHANGE. DRIVERS SIDE WORKS AS IT SHOULD.

NHTSA ID

11360868

Incident

May 25, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE AVENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND LOST POWER. THE ENGINE AND TRACTION WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFTS ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY CABLE BOX BURNED AND WAS ALSO REPLACED BY THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT SEEM FULLY REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 170,000.

NHTSA ID

11354033

Incident

Sep 9, 2020

Mileage

170,000 mi

CAR HAS NO HEAT ON PASSENGER SIDE AND A LITTLE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. IN MY INVESTIGATION THE HEATER CORE FROM THE FACTORY HAS SOME BAD SPOTS ON THE INSIDE THAT CAUSE METAL TO BUILD UP INSIDE HEATER CORE CAUSING THIS ISSUE. IN THE WINTER MAKES IT SOMETIMES IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE OUT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD BECAUSE IT WILL NOT DEFROST THE WINSHIELD. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL BY DODGE. IT HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS DRIVING ON ANY ROAD. THIS IS AN ISSUE KNOWN BY DODGE AND THEY DONT WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

NHTSA ID

11353857

Incident

Nov 1, 2018

Mileage

99,000 mi