2013 Dodge Avenger Complaint Log

Headrest deployed

The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the check engine and oil warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that after releasing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle lost motive power and eventually stalled. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed back to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 134,625.

Was driving on hwy when vehicle loss power, was able to quickly pull over. Turned vehicle off and restarted vehicle. Got back onto the hwy ,vehicle loss power again, this time it wouldn't turn over. Replaced fuel pump,replaced valve timing sensor, crank sensor, replaced battery, replaced ignition switch and antitheft oem {replaced 5X}, reprogrammed vehicle 3X's, bought new key to program to vehicle. After $1500.00 still not fixed, dealership has had the vehicle for well over a month. The dealership contacted the manufactured company, manufactured company said it was a faulty orc part. The manufacture company was suppose to send the dealership the new orc part and still hasn't done so, dealership says its on back order and there isn't no eta for the part to arrive.

Powertrain fail , airbag failed to deploy

The passenger side head rest popped out on it's own. Was parked when it happened.

The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the interior light turned on independently, the control panel started blinking, and the radio became inoperable. Additionally, the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was steered into a parking lot, where it was turned off but failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with an electrical failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 117,829.

2 days after purchasing my vehicle I was driving getting my speed up approximately 45 mph when the vehicle started to lunge forward and nothing was under the gas pedal and it stalled. I pulled it over to the side of the road. It started back up within 2 to 3 minutes. Drove fine for about another 20-25 minutes and then did it again. I put fuel treatment in it. It seemed to drive better the next day but then I did it again. I had it towed to a service department where they did a complete vehicle inspection- no codes were thrown $2500 later- picked up vehicle and later that evening it starts blowing smoke out from under the dash- Towed back to Service department- $300 later- pick car up and she breaks down within 10 minutes- TOWED AGAIN- ,$450 later ---- the vehicle loses all connection and stalls while going 45 to 70 mph- without warning - on the interstate- UNSAFE for EVERYONE on the road not just the dumb owner. WHY IS MY VIN NUMBER NOT ASSOCIATED TO ANY OF THE 5 RECALLS? 3 OF WHICH ARE DEALING WITH THE EXACT ISSUES I AM HAVING!!! I have spent every last penny I have on this and still ... Safety Hazard

Put gear shift into park position while parking car. Car did not register that it was supposed to be in park and stayed in drive. Gear was stuck and was unable to shift. Turned car off and car would not turn back on, as well as the shifter not being able to move

the catalytic converter is making my engine run rough and can't get it inspected because of it. It's costing me more to run the vehicle and I can't afford to get into an accident when the engine stalls.

Both head rest which is attached to airbags or have airbags in them I don’t know but the exploded open. Headrest could have exploded while someone was in the seat and got head injuries. No problem has not been confirmed by anyone but myself,husband and self employed mechanic, I didn’t know what to do. No, no type of warning before it happen. Passenger one exploded January 2025, driver exploded about May 2025.

Total electric glitching car will not turn over.

The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the warning lights on the instrument panel flashed on and off. The contact stated that the horn was inadvertently honked while the vehicle was losing motive power. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V282000 (Electrical System, Air Bags); and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 123,000.

I was driving my car and the active headrests on the driver side and passenger side both deployed prematurely. I wasn't in any collisions and the headrests deployed. It was very unexpected when they went off as i was driving to school it put both my safety and my sisters safety at risk when they deployed. As stated previously i am unsure as to why they went off as i was never involved in any collisions. There were no warning lamps or any messages prior to them deploying.

The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated while driving 50-55 MPH, the vehicle stalled and lost power steering functionality. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road by using physical strength. The vehicle was restarted after several attempts. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start later the same day. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V552000 (Engine); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 162,000.

Driver side head rest exploded.

On May 10, 2024 my passenger headrest deployed on its own. I went to work, came back to my car for lunch and heard a pop and saw my passenger headrest deployed. No accident, no one hit my car, just my car parked. I did some research and found a recall for my make and model. I contacted the dealership that I bought the car and was told there's no recall and my problem is mechanical. I contacted another dealership and they couldn't find the recall, but was willing to set up an appointment. I took my car to the dealership and was told, yes there was a recall, but the headrests were fixed. They also stated my car was out of warranty so the repair would be at my expense. The headrests are obviously a continuous problem. I am now concerned that my headrest could pop while I am driving and result in injury to my head and neck. I am concerned that I could end up getting into a accident or even die from an unexpected deployment that possibly cause a blackout or concussion. I zip tied my headrests since dealerships are refusing to fix the problem for free. They even told me to contact you. Please help me.

The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that while her son was driving approximately 40 MPH, the front driver's side headrest restraint deployed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not yet contacted. The contact stated that the same failure had previously occurred on the front passenger’s side headrest restraint. The cause of the previous failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and the engine seized. The low oil pressure warning light illuminated. The contact checked all the vehicle fluids and stated that fluid levels were adequate. The contact was driving on the highway when the failure occurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed of an unknown recall however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 155,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the passenger's side headrest deployed aggressively, striking the passenger in the head. The passenger did not receive medical attention. The contact stated that the plastic inside the headrest bent the bar, causing the headrest to deploy. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,600.

Recently bought the car about two months ago and ever since I’ve had it, it was randomly cut off anywhere and anytime and when it cuts off the power steering goes out and it makes it hard to control but I had mechanics that I know personally look at it, and they cannot figure it out no one can figure it out And also the control valve for putting the gas in the car is messed up and I seen that there was a recall for that and as I’m riding down the road, the horn just blows out of nowhere consistently and it could also scare you while you’re driving and that’s dangerous and thank you

The TIPM failed causing the car to shut off and not start again. The problem has been confirmed by Upstate Auto. There was a recall on the TIPM but it was not replaced instead some occupant restraints were replaced instead and now the manufacturer does not make the TIPM part anymore.

I urgently need your assistance regarding a critical and unsafe situation concerning the PCM/ECU. Recently, while driving, my car began to shudder as if it was on the verge of stalling. To add to the alarming situation, every warning light on the dashboard illuminated. The speedometer and thermostat suddenly stopped functioning, leaving me without crucial information about the vehicle's speed and temperature. This not only compromised my safety but also made it impossible to gauge the car's performance. In response to this hazardous scenario, I immediately pulled over to a stop. Sadly, the car shut off, and despite my attempts, it has refused to restart ever since. The inability to restart presents a severe safety issue and has left me stranded without transportation. Compounding this ordeal, several auto shops have tried to address the PCM/ECU connectivity issues with no success. This recurring problem, combined with the recent dangerous episode on the road, underscores the urgency for resolution. I am deeply concerned about the potential risks posed by the malfunctioning PCM/ECU and the compromised safety of both myself and others on the road. The inability to accurately monitor speed and temperature could have dire consequences if left unaddressed.

The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate and then stalled. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted and was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced and a tune-up needed to be performed. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, who performed the tune-up and replaced the fuel pump; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 13V043000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and 13V552000 (Engine); however, the VIN was not included in the recalls. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 149,000.

Beginning in September 2023, my parking brake light would periodically light up even when the parking brake was not engaged. At the time, I didn't think much of it. This persisted until the middle of January 2024. Beginning in mid January 2024, my parking brake light, traction control light, and ABS light were all lit up on my dashboard. I took my vehicle into my mechanic on January 30, 2024 and they diagnosed it as an ABS internal module failure. They said they were unable to make the repair and said that I would need to take it into a Dodge dealership. I then took it to my local Dodge dealership on February 2, 2024 and they also diagnosed the problem as an ABS internal module failure. The dealership told me that the particular module needed was under "Engineer Review" at Chrysler. They said that any ABS module currently on the market for my vehicle were considered "defective" and that I would need to wait for the Engineer Review to be completed in order to receive a new, correctly working ABS module. I was told by both my regular mechanic, as well as the dealership, that my car was dangerous to drive in its current condition. I was told by both the dealership and a Dodge customer service representative that this Engineer Review would be completed in April 2024. It is now June 10, 2024 and the Review still has not been completed and I am still without a working ABS module for my vehicle. I am unwilling to put my safety, my child's safety, and the safety of other drivers at risk by continuing to drive a dangerous vehicle. Because of this, I have not been able to drive my vehicle since the beginning of February. After continuous calls and emails to Dodge, I was told the Review would be completed between 4/20/24-4/25/24. I later found out this estimated completion date was incorrect. I have been given no new timeline of when this Engineer Review is to be completed and when I will be receiving a new part.

The AHR in the drivers side headrest of my 2013 Dodge Avenger randomly deployed and will not reset. I believe it to have a common defect in that, under normal conditions, the AHR can deploy without any warning and strike the back of the occupant’s head. This condition is caused because the AHR contains a “cheap” plastic bracket that acts as a trigger mechanism and holds the spring loaded release in place, the drivers state. Chrysler used an inferior and inexpensive form of plastic which can crack and break down prematurely. There are hundreds of thousands of Chrysler vehicles equipped with the defective AHR and there is no way of knowing when the AHR in the headrest will spring forward. According to a the Chrysler class action, the following vehicles contain the AHR defect: 2010-2018 Dodge Journey; 2010-2011 Dodge Nitro; 2010-2012 Jeep Liberty; 2010-2017 Jeep Patriot or Compass; 2010-2012 Dodge Caliber; 2010-2018 Dodge Caravan; 2011-2018 Dodge Ram C/V 2011-2018 Dodge Durango; 2011-2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee; 2010-2014 Sebring/Avenger; 2011-2018 Chrysler Town & Country; 2011-2018 Chrysler 200; and 2011-2018 Chrysler 300. The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation in September 2019 called “Active Headrest Inadvertent Deployment,” where the government organization reviews consumer reports of inadvertent deployment of the AHRs, according to the Chrysler class action lawsuit. I maintain that Chrysler has known about the defects since 2010 but did not provide this information to the public. The Larry H Miller dodge in centennial co is telling me after having my car for over a week they aren’t responsible for this and won’t cover the repair.

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.

The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after 5 minutes. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the coolant temperature sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V552000 (Engine) however, the VIN was not included. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 202,000.

The heater in my vehicle continues to not work. Blows out cold air constantly. Unable to defrost my windshield, difficult to see out of a frosted over windshield.

The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that there was smoke coming from the exhaust system. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact referenced Emissions recall U67. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer and had not been repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 104,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that the power window switch on the driver’s side door occasionally failed to respond while depressed. The contact stated that the A/C system would blow hot air through the vents. In addition, the A/C was recently charged, and the spread pan was repaired months prior. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the Total Integrated Power Module (TIPM) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.

The contact's cousin owns a 2013 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated while she was sitting in the front passenger’s side seat, the headrest air bag was deployed independently. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact sustained a concussion and a cervical sprain and sought medical attention the following day. No Police report was filed. The contact continued driving to the destination. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The headrest in front passenger side made a loud noise and opened. It's scared me, because I had no clue what the noise was from at the time. It was night time and all I can say is thank God no other cars were near me...I probably would have wrecked. I'm very thankful that my son was not sitting there when it happened. There were no lights or warnings and I never knew that could happen let alone know the headrests could pop open. The vehicle has not been looked at our inspected. I seen there was a recall on this but after entering my Vin, it says this car has no active recalls.

The throttle body system keeps failing and causing my ETC light to come on. This causes the car to lose speed and almost stalling while driving. Thus happens out if no where and while driving the car will automatically slow down on it own and won't let me accelerate which is very dangerous when driving on the highway or trying to make a turn and your car stops accelerating. I have had the throttle body replaced multiple times and it never resolves the issue.

Engine stalls when driving without warning due to a faulty Totally integrated power module which also causes a host of other electrical failures such as headlights not turning off, passenger window not rowing down, heat only working on high setting, windshield wipers going haywire, radio volume disappearing off the display and not working then reappearing and a total power dim and then surge while driving. This is the most dangerous car I’ve ever been in, and I’m disgusted to see that NHTSA already knows about these faulty units and Chrysler has already had lawsuits and recalls on these TIPM units in the Cherokees and Durangos.

There are days the car will not start. The engine will try and turn over but never starts. (2) There have been several times while driving the car that the car will just turn off while driving. The car is very difficult to steer to pull it off the road for safety. The car will leave me stranded for at least an hour before it will start again. (3) The heat on the passenger side only blows out cold air. There is no heat on that side. (4) The car will start clicking in the dashboard for no apparent reason. This is baffling cause I have no idea what it is or what it is trying to do.

The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH the vehicle shut down completely and an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the mechanic stated that the gasket was leaking and that an unknown gasket (P2173). The vehicle was repaired but the failure continued. The manufacturer was contacted, and the manufacturer was contacted, and no assist was provided. The failure mileage was 185,489.

While driving and the headrest airbag exploded.

My husband a I were driving down the highway and all of a sudden a loud sound a bam the air bag in the passenger seat blew open and dang near gave my husband whiplash. Also I have had the thermostat replaced 3 times in 2 years and the car is still overheating. The ABS sensor will not go off and its like the emergency brake is stuck. I can be driving and when I try to stop it is like its locking up.

Car shuts down in middle of driving has a knock or shaking under hood

The contact’s cousin owns a 2013 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who drained the fuel system; however, no failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 13V043000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and 13V552000 (Engine) however, the VIN was not included in the recalls. The failure mileage was approximately 139,317.

The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph, the driver seat headrest restraint was erroneously deployed. The contact indicated that during the incident the vehicle had not crashed or abruptly stopped to cause the headrest restraint to deploy. During the incident, the contact sustained an injured neck. No medical treatment was required. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 133,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that while entering a friend's driveway at an undisclosed speed, there were flames coming from underneath the hood. The contact exited the vehicle and contacted the fire department. The fire department arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. A police and fire department reports were filed. The vehicle remained at the friend's residence and was not yet deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and requested proof of ownership. The failure mileage was approximately 157,000.

Car stalls while driving

Back of the headrest on driver and passenger seats are broke. Back of headrest popped out away from the front of the headrest. Recalls on other dodge avengers for this same issue just not my particular car.

3/24/2022, Mileage 102742. Airbag light intermittently turns on and off.

I am always having to buy a starter or battery because it is always saying that it is bad. Also the throttle light is on now and it is making the car act up and it will not go.

Sensor fail to indicate car was overheating. Car shut off in the middle of highway with no indication. No warning that the vehicle was going to shut down. Vehicle is brought into the dealership this is what they stated on the order.T. CHECK AND ADVISE found vehicle has no compression. further diagnosis found when adding water to coolant system, cylinders # 2 and 3 filled up with water and water poured out between cylinder head and block. head and block are warped beyond repair. needs engine Yes over 50 times No warning sign Vehicle just shut off in the middle of the highway. When I review this incident on line you have several complaints stating that it’s been an ongoing issues with this making model car.

Car will randomly stall when parked. Car will randomly lose second through sixth gear when starting up. Issue is likely to rectify if car is restarted.

The cars heat only works on one side, which causes the windshield and windows to become foggy which is a safety issue while driving

The heating/Defrost System on the car is no longer working. After checking online there appears to be many of the make and model that has this problem due to poor design of the heater core which allows the heater core to corrode and plug much earlier than it should. Because of this problem you cannot keep the front windshield and side windows cleared during the winter. This car only has 62,000 miles.