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2011 Dodge AvengerProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 209 owner complaints about the 2011 Dodge Avenger, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 16V-668 the manufacturer reports only 38% of affected cars repaired.

2011 Dodge Avenger
49
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.0× the Avenger median · #6 of 13 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 38%Owner complaints20920 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage71kElectrical system, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through December 16, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2011 Dodge Avenger has problems

209 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system412
Engine381
Air bags3510
Visibility/wiper231
Seat belts203
Suspension161
Vehicle speed control141
Power train140
Steering101
10 other systems436

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2011 Dodge Avenger recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

38%repaired · 2018 Q4

Air bags

Recall 16V-668 · Sep 15, 2016 · 1,435,625 vehicles · 550,005 repaired

Risk. If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

71%repaired · 2015 Q1

Air bags

Recall 13V-282 · Jul 2, 2013 · 442,320 vehicles · 316,037 repaired

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating the deployment of the active head restraints, their non-deployment could increase the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Steering: column

Recall 11V-315 · Jun 8, 2011 · 11,096 vehicles

Risk. A MISSING OR INCORRECTLY INSTALLED RIVET COULD COMPROMISE THE ABILITY OF THE STEERING COLUMN TO SUPPORT THE OCCUPANT LOADS IN THE EVENT OF A FRONTAL CRASH,…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Dodge.

Mileage at failure

When do electrical system problems start?

71kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 30 electrical system complaints. 73% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
5under 30k miles22under 100k miles8100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2011 vs. every other Avenger year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Avenger median. How we score

'95'96'97'98'99'00'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2011 Dodge Avenger safety ratings

2011 Dodge Avenger 4 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Rollover: 4 stars (11.8% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2011 Dodge Avenger, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Engine stallPE12016 · closed Oct 15, 2012
    No recall
  2. Active Head Rest Inadvertent DeploymentPE19014 · closed Feb 25, 2026
    No recall
In owners' words

What Avenger owners report

Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

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…
Complaint 11530149 · Jul 3, 2023 · 205,000 miles
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!
Complaint 11454755 · Mar 1, 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
Complaint 11446464 · Jan 6, 2022

Own a 2011 Avenger?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.