Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (door latches, locks, hood and tailgate latches).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Dodge Avenger owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that the front driver's side door failed to latch securely. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 07V104000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages) and 07V414000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages). The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recalls. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that the front passenger side door failed to latch and the door ajar warning light remained illuminated. If the door were not secured, it would swing open while making any turn. In addition, the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 07V414000 (latches/locks/linkages). The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 152,147.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that the door latch would not latch in order to remain closed. The door ajar warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the door latch assembly failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 155,000.
This was a sudden failure. My family and I enjoy a great day at a theme park, we head back to the parking garage to head home. We get in our four door 2008 Dodge Avenger and it will not shift out of park. The vehicle turns on great, I check the emergency brake, I turn on the car, turn off the car and the shifter will not budge out of park. I call a towing service and he said this happens with a lot of Dodge avengers and sebrings. He had to pull the trim off where the shifter is located and push this pink release down and the shifter moved freely. I contacted a Dodge dealership and they said it will cost me $200.00 which is ridiculous! I went online no recall, but I found thousands of other people who are having the same issue. This issue needs to be addressed to Chrysler and get a [redacted] recall on these vehicles. Thank you.
I went out to my car to leave work and I started my car as usual. I tried to shift out of park and I couldn't move the shifter. I tried everything suggested to me and I couldn't find how to bypass it in the owner's manual. (the service tech finally showed me how to do it once it was fixed) I finally called to have it towed to a close dealership where they fixed it. The gear shift mechanism broke. There is a pink plastic piece that holds the spring that activates the shift lock and the hook that actually holds the spring broke. The entire module needed to be replaced costing $69.35 for the part and approximately $129 for labor. After researching the incident online, I found out this is a major recurring problem for the Dodge Avenger, it could be avoided if the part was made out of metal and not plastic.
Very many 2008 Dodge avengers are having an issue with the gear shifters getting stuck in park, including mine. (see website at the link pasted for proof: http://www.carcomplaints.com/Dodge/Avenger/2008/transmission/gear_shift_module_lock_up.shtml) since my car was just under the 36,000 mile cutoff for the factory warranty I was able to get the dealership to cover towing and fixing it for free. However, this apparently happens pretty often with these cars so what am I going to do the next time this happens and the time after that??? There is a spring attached to a pink button on the gear shifter that keeps popping off of everybody's car. There needs to be a major recall on this!!
2008 Dodge Avenger r/t. AWD. The door locking mechanism fails. The door will not stay closed nor will it lock. The Dodge dealership fixed it once for $100.00. After a few months, it happened again. Door flies open, will not stay closed. Took the car back to the dealership, now they want $211.00 to try and fix it a different way because the factory clips (required) aren't working. They hope (but will not guarantee) that this will fix the problem. Called Dodge, they will look into it, (so rudely put)! Not concerned with the door flying open. They actually told me to make sure my children wear their seat belts so if it happens again, they won't fall out of the car.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the front passenger's side door unlatched independently. The contact maneuvered to the side of the road where a bungee cord was used to secure the interior door handle. There were two recalls associated with NHTSA campaign id numbers 07V414000 (latches/locks/linkages) and 07V104000 (07V104000) however, the vehicle was not included. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 128,000.
Tl contact owns a 2008 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that the driver side front door latch would not secure the striker; when the door was closed, it would bounce back. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the contact referenced recall 07V414000 (latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch) but was told that the vehicle was not included; the vehicle was not inspected when the complaint was filed. The vehicle was not repaired. The current and failure mileages were approximately 52,000.
Purchased my 2008 Dodge Avenger in April 2008 and have had nothing but problem after problem with it first the air bags were recalled then the latches on the doors were recalled. The tire pressure sensor light just never goes off most recently the fuel pump went on the vehicle costing me close to 700 and now the alternator which is going to cost me another 600. What kind of vehicle did Dodge build. This is some bs an all of this is while the vehicle only has about 65000 miles or less n it.
Related recalls
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.
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…
Door Lock & Latch complaints in other Avenger years
Frequently asked questions
How common are door lock & latch problems on the 2008 Dodge Avenger?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the locks & latches of the 2008 Dodge Avenger, 3% of the model year's 844 complaints. The component named most often is doors › latch (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Dodge Avenger door lock & latch problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 07V-414 (latch, Sep 12, 2007); NHTSA recall 07V-104 (latch, Mar 15, 2007). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2008 Dodge Avenger door lock & latch problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 55,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 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.