2010 Dodge Avenger Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe the electronic throttle body acting up: the throttle light comes on and the car limps, stalls, or surges, sometimes more than once even after replacement. A second recurring theme in the sample is the air bag warning light and, in crash reports, air bags that did not deploy. Many complaints cluster between roughly 60,000 and 150,000 miles, so service history on the throttle body and the air bag warning light matters more than model-year reputation.

1. 1
   Vehicle speed control

   Electronic throttle body failure (throttle light, limp

   • 59 complaints (36%)
   • median 75,200 mi at 5.6 yrs old (54 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2011–2026

   Complaints describe the throttle or ETC light coming on, the engine stalling, and the car dropping to a crawl or refusing to accelerate above 15-20 mph, sometimes without warning at highway speed. Several owners say the dealer or mechanic diagnosed a faulty electronic throttle body and replaced it, in some cases repeatedly, with the same behavior returning. Others report surges or unintended acceleration at a stop or while parking. Spread from a few thousand to about 180,000 miles, with many reports between roughly 35,000 and 110,000 miles, at no particular season.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the electronic throttle body has been replaced and whether the throttle light has come on since; a test drive should include steady throttle at highway speed and a few stop-and-go cycles. A service bulletin discusses which throttle body part number to use on 2010 and earlier vehicles.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “For months now my car keeps stalling I have 62,000 miles. I will be at a stop light and car will stall. It will start back up and then stall again. I took it to the dealer and they could not replicate and said nothing appeared in the codes as there were no issues. I contacted chrysler and they claim they didn't know what the issue was and that they rely on the dealers to diagnose. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11119332, filed 2018-08, 62,000 miles

   “Takata recall 2010 Dodge Avenger. My lights blink on and off inside my car. My throttle control light came on. My car pauses at intersection like its going to just stop. Like it can't make it down the road. I'm worried for my childrens safety also my own.”

   NHTSA complaint #10910990, filed 2016-10, 90,000 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Air bag warning light and air bags not deploying

   • 28 complaints (17%)
   • median 95,000 mi at 7.0 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2012–2024

   Owners describe the air bag warning light staying on, sometimes diagnosed by a dealer as a possible faulty air bag, loose wire or bad sensor. Several complaints report collisions in which the frontal air bags did not deploy, and one describes deployment with no impact. Mostly from about 42,000 miles upward and often above 90,000 miles; the warning light often appears during a turn.

   Recall 16V668000

   What to check: Check that the air bag warning light goes out after the bulb self-test at start-up, and ask whether recall 16V668000 (occupant restraint control module) has been performed on this vehicle by VIN.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “A dashboard warning light is on that indicates a problem with the front air bags. I have a 2010 Dodge Avenger. My mechanic recently advised me to get this checked out as a recall.”

   NHTSA complaint #11341567, filed 2020-07, 103,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2010 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that the air bag deployment light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for a diagnosis and the contact was informed that there was possibly a faulty air bag, a loose wire, or a bad sensor. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure and current mileages were 42,700.”

   NHTSA complaint #10464487, filed 2012-07, 42,700 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Engine stalls or cuts off while driving

   • 32 complaints (20%)
   • median 75,900 mi at 6.3 yrs old (32 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2010–2022

   Complaints describe the vehicle shutting off at speed or at a stop with no warning, sometimes with the check engine light coming on, and restarting only after shutting it off or waiting. Some owners link it to the throttle body or a crank sensor, while others say no cause could be duplicated; one owner reports a faulty PCM diagnosis with the factory part discontinued. Reported across a wide range, roughly 1,000 to 180,000 miles, and recurring on the same car over months.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether there is any stored code history and whether the crank sensor, throttle body or PCM has been replaced; a service bulletin addresses a no-start/no-crank condition, so ask if any related diagnosis was done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My family was on our way out of town when the car suddenly turned off we were in the middle of the highway we had someone push us to the curb and we we cranked the car it started right up but ever since then it's been 5 years now it will cut off whenever! …”

   NHTSA complaint #11315452, filed 2020-03, 140,000 miles

   “While driving my vehicle at 60mph, my gas pedal simply stopped working. My rpms on the dashboard went to 0(zero) and my vehicle began slowing down. I became stranded in the middle of the freeway with cars honking at me. I could not do anything but turning off the vehicle, then turning it back on. When it started up, I began driving for about 1/2 of a mile and it stalled again. I was able to pull off to the shoulder, but the steering became difficult to turn, and so did the brake. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11220868, filed 2019-06, 139,000 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Weak or one-sided heater and defroster output

   • 7 complaints (4%)
   • median 105,000 mi at 9.1 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2017–2020

   Owners describe the passenger side blowing cold while the driver side blows hot, or heat only reaching the driver's vents, so the windshield and side windows fog or frost on that side. Some report the HVAC control head running hot or smoking, and others were told the heater core or blend door actuator needed replacement. Reported from near-new to about 190,000 miles, and most noticeable in cold weather when the defroster is needed.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: With the engine warm, set full heat and defrost and check output at each vent and both windshield sides, then smell for any hot-plastic or electrical odor near the climate controls.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My Avenger blows heat out on driver side and cold air on passenger side. I was told it was the blend air door actuator but I have changed it. Now my car heats up and still blows cold air until I start moving and then it still takes a little while to blow out heat.. I've seen that other owners are having the same issue with their Avenger.”

   NHTSA complaint #11053664, filed 2017-12, 60,000 miles

   “The heat on the whole right side blow cold air when is set in heat while the driver side blow hot air, and the AC/heater control burn even making some smoke pretty scary seen that happened while driving on a city street, I change the control which was $180 and replace myself”

   NHTSA complaint #11062648, filed 2018-01, 5 miles
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission will not engage Drive or slips out of gear

   • 15 complaints (9%)
   • median 90,100 mi at 6.3 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • filed 2011–2022

   Owners report the gear selector getting stuck in neutral or the car shifting into neutral when Drive is selected, and in some cases the transmission failing to shift out of first gear after long drives. Complaints also describe a loss of acceleration diagnosed as transmission failure. Generally reported at higher mileage, from about 100,000 miles up to around 214,000 miles, sometimes after several hours of driving.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: On the test drive, shift through Reverse and Drive several times from a cold start and again after a longer drive, and ask about any transmission service history. A bulletin describes a high-pitched noise from the left side linked to a transfer gear bearing on some 62TE units.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Takata recall the transmission gear selector is stuck in neutral. Gears when our shift into drive or park the dashboard. The gears will not shift into drive but the car will turn on. By reading other complaints it's been a happen thing with Dodge avengers 2010 automobiles it need to be on recall for the transmission gear selector.”

   NHTSA complaint #10823283, filed 2016-01, 130,000 miles

   “The vehicle on three separate turn arounds did the same thing after 3 plus hrs of driving stopping shifting into reverse then drive. Near the end of the rural/local 4 straight hrs transmission appeared to not shift out of first gear. Each time the vehicle came to a complete stop while applying brakes. The car was then shifted into r(reverse) and the brake pedal was released and gas pedal applied approximately. After reaching the reversed turning destination the brake was reapplied and car came to a stop. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11325456, filed 2020-05, 137,900 miles

Buying note. Have an independent mechanic read stored codes and check the throttle body, air bag warning light and transmission behavior on a long test drive before buying, and confirm by VIN whether open recalls have been completed. Given the sample, the throttle body and air bag warnings are the most common negotiating points rather than cosmetic wear.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.