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Dodge AvengerModel year report

2014 Dodge Avenger Problems

Compared with other Dodge Avenger years

Typical for this model

45/100 0.9× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
205filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
50,000miles, 144 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
4 / 5stars overall
EPA fuel economy
23 mpgcombined, 2.4L 4-cyl FWD · 20 city / 30 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2014 Dodge Avenger (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2014 Avenger most often write about the active head restraints firing on their own while parked or driving, and about air bag warning lights, including after the occupant restraint control recall repair was done. A second cluster of complaints covers the electronic throttle body: stalling, loss of power and throttle warning lights, often between about 30,000 and 90,000 miles. Cooling and heater-core problems, seat belt buckles that release on their own, and front-end electrical faults also appear repeatedly.

  1. Seats

    Head restraint deploys by itself

    • 27 complaints (13%)
    • median 78,000 mi at 6.0 yrs old (19 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2016–2026

    Owners describe the active head restraint on the front seats popping open or snapping forward with no impact, sometimes while the car is parked and sometimes while driving. They report broken plastic clips or a fractured spring, the headrest no longer locking back into place, and a jolt to the head or neck when it happens. Dealers generally told owners the vehicle was not covered by a recall and quoted a repair; several owners noted the restraint was not repaired. Spread from about 20,000 to 150,000 miles, with many reports in the 50,000-100,000 mile range.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Sit in both front seats and press the head restraint to confirm it is locked and does not move freely; look for cracked plastic around the posts. Ask whether either head restraint has been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “On june 28, 2019 around 5:15pm central time, I was on the highway 60 MPH driving home from work and heard a loud noise around my head area, after stopping to check what made the noise I noticed my driver side head rest had ejected, I checked for a recall for the head rese and nothing was noted about it.”

    NHTSA complaint #11228656, filed 2019-07, 117,200 miles

    “Both of my headrests deployed without any type of collision. The first happened a few months ago, my passenger side deployed overnight when the car was parked in the carport. The plastic clips were broken. Then on 7/15/2020, the drivers side headrest deployed at some point during the 8 hours my car was parked at work. Thankfully no one was in the seat either time because that would have resulted in injury. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11339880, filed 2020-07, 85,000 miles
  2. Engine

    Stalling, loss of power, throttle warning light

    • 45 complaints (22%)
    • median 40,000 mi at 3.7 yrs old (42 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2014–2023

    Owners describe the electronic throttle control light coming on with the car stalling, shuddering or refusing to accelerate past about 10-30 mph, sometimes at highway speed with the engine shutting off entirely. Repairs reported include throttle body replacement, computer or harness replacement and PCM replacement, with several owners saying the problem came back. Some dealers found no fault codes. Mostly between about 30,000 and 90,000 miles; a few reports at very low mileage.

    What to check: Test drive from a stop and at highway speed, watching for hesitation or a flashing throttle light. Ask for service records showing whether the throttle body or PCM has already been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was driving on the beltway and the car just stalled. I was doing 70 MPH at the time. The car randomly stalls/won't crank and it has less than 4000 miles on it. I just purchased the car and have been back and forth to the dealership and they will not help me. It shuts off with no warning and all the gauges get stuck. I am afraid for my life and I can't get in touch with the manufacturer. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10658553, filed 2014-11, 700 miles

    “I was driving my car and as I came to a light my car started to idle really rough like it was going to stall the rpms went all the way down to almost 200rpm then I put the car in neutral and hit the gas a bit so it wouldn't stall and it revved up to 1000 RPM and then shut off completely and the electronic throttle control light flashed at me . Then I restarted my car and there were no lights on . The car was idleing really rough. I have the 2.4l I-4. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10862795, filed 2016-05, 39,000 miles
  3. Air bags

    Air bag light on, air bags not deploying

    • 46 complaints (22%)
    • median 47,000 mi at 3.8 yrs old (21 state mileage)
    • 12 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2016–2024

    Complaints describe the air bag warning light flashing or staying on while driving, and air bags that did not deploy in crashes. Several owners had the occupant restraint control recall performed and report the warning light returning afterward; others were told the part was unavailable or that their VIN was outside the campaign. Some also describe a front air bag deploying with no crash. Mostly reported between roughly 20,000 and 120,000 miles, sometimes within days of a recall repair.

    Recall 16V668000

    What to check: With the ignition on, confirm the air bag light goes out after the bulb check; ask for documentation that recall 16V668000 was completed and whether the lamp has returned since.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Takata recall I got a letter for a safety recall on my 2014 Dodge Avenger sxt for safety recall #61/ NHTSA 16v-668 - occupant restraint controller. Everything was going fine until june 1st when all sudden when driving my air bag icon would flash on and off. Tried bring it back to local dealership that had fixed the recall saying something was wrong and that I had just brought the car in not long ago for a recall. They looked it up and seen that I was just in but wouldn't just look at car for the issue.”

    NHTSA complaint #11100565, filed 2018-06, 94,000 miles

    “Ever since I bought the car from the dealership, the air bag light turns off and on while driving, minutes apart from each other. Never had my airbags deployed fortunately.”

    NHTSA complaint #11325746, filed 2020-05, 23,000 miles
  4. Other or unknown

    No heat or defrost on passenger side

    • 20 complaints (10%)
    • median 63,000 mi at 5.3 yrs old (15 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2015–2021

    Owners report the passenger side blowing cold while the driver side heats normally, leaving the passenger window and windshield unable to defrost in winter. Dealers described a clogged heater core, in some cases attributed to debris from the engine's cooling passages, and said repair was not covered under warranty. Owners also mention the engine overheating and the cooling fan not running. Reported from roughly 60,000 to 150,000 miles, mostly in cold-weather use.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: With the engine warm, set heat to full on both sides and check that the passenger vents and windshield defroster produce hot air; ask whether the heater core or cooling system has been serviced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The passenger side of my Avenger is blowing nothing but cold air. The heater and defrost on the drivers side works great. In winter driving the passenger side window will not defrost and this causes a very dangerous situation. I have read where many others have had the same problem and chrysler corp. Will do nothing about it. I believe it has something to do with debris coming from the water jackets around the engine. It is not the blender door as I have had it checked. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11170582, filed 2019-01, 50,000 miles

    “On november 3rd my car over heated. I have to get it towed away to the dealership. Same dealership I bought my car from. After they diagnosed my car they said the hose broke and over heating melted my sensors. They asked me $773.55 for repairing. On good faith I took my car from the dealership. Just after 2 weeks, a day before thanks giving my car over heated again. Again I have to get it towed away again to the dealer ship. My car has been in the shop for more than 12 days. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11052084, filed 2017-12, 2 miles
  5. Seat belts

    Seat belt buckle releases on its own

    • 31 complaints (15%)
    • median 64,000 mi at 4.2 yrs old (14 state mileage)
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2016–2023

    Complaints describe the front seat belt buckle unlatching on its own while driving or under braking, and belts that take several attempts to click in. Some owners connect the problem to the seat belt and air bag recall; others were told their VIN was not included in the campaign. Mostly reported between about 75,000 and 160,000 miles.

    Recall 16V668000

    What to check: Buckle and unbuckle each front belt several times and pull firmly on the latched belt; ask whether the buckles have been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My seatbelts will unlatch whenever it feels like it, the seatbelts won't go in by themselves anymore, amd this all happened after we fixed the recall. Then all in a year the throttle body quit working, the alternator stopped working, it will not keep a charge, and sometimes when your driving for no reason at all the inside lights will dim and brighten. This all happens while in motion except the battery constantly dying even though the alternator and battery are new.”

    NHTSA complaint #11351724, filed 2020-08, 130,000 miles

    “Takata recall. Seat belts will not click and come undone randomly. My car went limp and would not drive over 10 miles per hour due to mechanical failure while driving. Also the car shut off another day while on the highway in motion. Car needed to be towed to vip. Suspension system required replacement.”

    NHTSA complaint #11047264, filed 2017-11, 100,000 miles

Buying note. Check the air bag lamp and seat belt buckles on a test drive, inspect both front head restraints for cracked mountings, and confirm the occupant restraint recall was completed. Service records for the throttle body and cooling system are worth asking for, since owners report repeat visits for both.

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.

NHTSA recorded 205 consumer complaints for the 2014 Dodge Avenger. 144 of the complaints include a mileage, and 49% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 50,000 miles. Of all complaints, 20 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 10 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 135 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 6 Dodge Avenger model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 45 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Transmission and drivetrain (12), Fuel system (7), Body and structure (7), Suspension (7), Exterior lighting (5), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (3), Wheels (2), Tires (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “I was not notified of this recall! I logged onto my credit karma (today 3/14/2018) and they notified me that 3 recalls were issued for this vehicle back in 2016. Additionally, my husband was in an accident on 11/29/2017 and the air bags did not deploy. He was a tboned from someone who ran a stop sign and is suffering from neck and back issues caused from this accident.”

NHTSA complaint #11079073, filed 2018-03, 50,000 miles

Engine: “I keep my car maintained on schedule. I took my car for a routine oil change, was advised of needing to do a flush. Ever since the flush was done, my car has not driven or performed as should have. The check engine light went on and does not go off. I do more highway than city driving so it isn't noticed on highway. The vehicle does run rough at a stop, as a stop sign or red light.”

NHTSA complaint #11207953, filed 2019-05, 90,588 miles

Seat belts: “Takata recall. Also I would like the brakes and or the rotors be investiagated as well. I had to have the brakes repaired 3x times since 2016 for the same reason with in 3to 4 months of each other and the rotor replaced . I saw that I am not the only one have this complaint as well as the roofing material is coming off and the car seems to be having a slight electrical issue where we lose power.”

NHTSA complaint #11010293, filed 2017-07, 55,000 miles

Electrical system: “There has been a loud whistling/squealing noise coming from the left front end of the car since 1/5/15 and has not been able to be repaired. Also I was driving and in the process of making a left hand turn into a parking lot my car shut itself off in the middle of the turn. An accident almost occurred because of this. …”

NHTSA complaint #10704003, filed 2015-04, 6,402 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

49% of the 144 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 23,590 and 80,000 miles.

15%0–1012%10–2522%25–5021%50–7517%75–10012%100–1502%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (144 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 50,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’14’1646’18’20’22’24’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2014 Dodge Avenger. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Avenger · sedan FWD★★★★☆5 / 3424 · 11.8% risk

Neighbouring years: 2013: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2014 Dodge Avenger version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Avenger FWD2.4L 4-cyl4-speed automatic212924$2,800
Avenger FWD2.4L 4-cyl6-speed automatic203023$2,900
Avenger FWD3.6L 6-cyl · flex-fuel6-speed automatic192822$3,050

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2014 Dodge Avenger → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 135 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 135 bulletins →

Other model years of the Dodge Avenger

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
201420550,000142345 · TypicalFalling
201354871,000542396 · MoreFalling
201255470,000342390 · MoreFalling
201120978,0003—2350 · TypicalFalling
201016375,0003—2243 · TypicalFalling
20096779,5002—220 · FewerFalling
200883270,0006—22100 · MoreFalling
20002254,4371—20—Stable
19996264,1001—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19985883,0002—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19978394,5002—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1996157128,0002—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1995196109,4782—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Dodge Avenger model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2014 Dodge Avenger?

Owners of the 2014 Avenger most often write about the active head restraints firing on their own while parked or driving, and about air bag warning lights, including after the occupant restraint control recall repair was done. The issues reported most often: Head restraint deploys by itself; Stalling, loss of power, throttle warning light; Air bag light on, air bags not deploying.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2014 Dodge Avenger have?

NHTSA recorded 205 consumer complaints for the 2014 Dodge Avenger as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2014 Dodge Avenger is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 69 complaints (34% of the total), followed by engine with 42.

Has the 2014 Dodge Avenger been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2014 Dodge Avenger do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2014 Dodge Avenger 4 out of 5 stars overall. Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2014 Dodge Avenger get?

The EPA rates the 2014 Dodge Avenger (Avenger, 2.4L 4-cyl) at 23 mpg combined, 20 city and 30 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,900 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2014 Dodge Avenger reported?

Among the 144 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 50,000 miles and the middle half falls between 23,590 and 80,000 miles; 49% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.