Most common 2008 Dodge Avenger problems
Share of the 844 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Dodge Avenger complaints by model year
Best Avenger years: 2007, 2000, 2009. Years to avoid: 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 1995. Compare all years →
2008 Dodge Avenger recalls (6)
Electrical system › Wiring
Chrysler is recalling 180,963 my 2007-2008 sebring and Dodge avenger vehicles equipped with a standard tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). Unused electrical connectors for the TPMS May become corroded and could short circuit, which can cause a variety of conditions including engine no-start, dead battery, an inoperative…
Remedy: Dealers will seal the wires for the TPMS free of charge. The recall began on April 15, 2008. Owners May contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system › Radiator assembly
On certain vehicles equipped with 2.4 liter engines, the engine coolant May be drawn into the left radiator cooling fan motor connector.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the connector for contamination or damage, install a wiring harness overlay, and replace the fan motor free or charge. The recall began on November 19, 2007.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
On certain vehicles with all wheel drive, the fuel tank straps were improperly manufactured and could separate. This can cause the fuel tank to loosen and leak fuel.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel tank retention straps free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during October 2007. Owners May contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
On certain vehicles, the front door latch cable May become partially unseated from the interior release handle housing possibly causing the latch to stick in the unlatched position or the lock function to become inoperative.
Remedy: Dealers will add a secondary retention feature to both front doors. This action will supersede and expand a previous safety recall (please see 07v-104). The recall began on October 29, 2007.
Air bags › Frontal
On certain passenger vehicles, the front seat track position sensors utilized for the air bag system May not function properly.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the front seat track position sensors and replace them free of charge. The recallbegan on June 18, 2007. Owners May contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
On certain passenger vehicles, the front door latch cable May become partially unseated from the interior release handle housing causing the door latch to stick in the open position and not be secured to the striker.
Remedy: This action is superseded (please see 07-v414.) dealers will add free of charge a secondary feature to both front doors to prevent the door latch cable ferrule from becoming unseated at the interior front door release…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2008 Dodge Avenger:
Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit
On November 18, 2010, NHTSA's Recall Management Division (RMD) opened an audit query (AQ10-001) to investigate recall remedy completion by rental car companies on safety recall campaigns.It was expected to provide the agency an indication of how completely and how quickly rental car fleets perform necessary recall-related remedies on the vehicles owned and then rented/leased for use on the roadways.RMD queried three…
What 2008 Dodge Avenger owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 240 →
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start up after multiple attempts. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer and the contact was informed that the failure was related to the key. The key was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
Hi my name is [redacted] and I'm 28 years old and a full time single mom of 2 girls 24/7 and in February I bought a 2008 Dodge Avenger 2.7 and the day I drove it home the check engine light came on and well long story short there it took them a month to "fix" the issue and 3 days later after getting my car back after NOT having it for a month the check engine light came on again...needless to say here it is almost September 7 months later and there has many endless problems and the car dealership will not return my phone calls or texts or emails about my car and wanting to trade it in for another one on there lot !!! They are crooked people and shouldn't be a business I have so much proof
Electrical system all 220 →
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The battery, the check engine, and the throttle body warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the contact noticed an abnormal odor while the vehicle was parked. The contact noticed there was smoke coming from underneath the hood. The contact's father lifted the hood and removed the positive (+) charge cable from the battery. The contact's father replaced the battery and the alternator; however, the failure recurred while driving. The contact's father replaced the alternator for the second time. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 08V152000 (Electrical System) and 07V426000 (Fuel System, Gasoline), however, the dealer confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. …
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start up after multiple attempts. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer and the contact was informed that the failure was related to the key. The key was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
Engine & cooling all 177 →
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The battery, the check engine, and the throttle body warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the contact noticed an abnormal odor while the vehicle was parked. The contact noticed there was smoke coming from underneath the hood. The contact's father lifted the hood and removed the positive (+) charge cable from the battery. The contact's father replaced the battery and the alternator; however, the failure recurred while driving. The contact's father replaced the alternator for the second time. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 08V152000 (Electrical System) and 07V426000 (Fuel System, Gasoline), however, the dealer confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. …
I was idling at a stop light when I noticed my car began to smoke shortly after the check engine, check oil and the battery alert all simultaneously came on. I then pulled over to a near alleyway when a burst of flames arose from the hood of the car.
2008 Dodge Avenger engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 30 / 24 |
| 2.7L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 27 / 22 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 26 / 19 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 24 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Dodge Avenger a good car?
Based on 844 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Avenger rates avoid: 5.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Avenger at the same age. It is one of the Avenger years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Dodge Avenger?
The transmission & drivetrain — 240 complaints, 28% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the electrical system (220) and engine & cooling (177).
How many recalls does the 2008 Dodge Avenger have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2008 Dodge Avenger, the most recent from April 2, 2008 (wiring). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Dodge Avenger?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007, 2000 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 1995. See the full Dodge Avenger years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Dodge Avenger problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 29% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.