1996 Dodge Avenger Complaints

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH FRONT BALL JOINTS FAILED. CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO CHECK. THEN, CONSUMER MANAGED TO DRIVE HOME. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

MY PAINT IS FOGGING, I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING TO KEEP IN GOOD CONDITION BUT TO NO AVAIL! I AM REALLY UPSET OVER THIS!! AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST MY CAR AND THEN I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT OTHER DODGE AVENGERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM!! WHEN MY FRIEND BOUGHT HIS AVENGER AND IT HAD THE SAME FOGGING EFFECT I HAD REACHED THE END OF MY ROPE!!! I WAS INFORMED IT IS GOING TO COST ANYWHERE FROM $500- $1500 TO FIX IT! WHY SHOULD I PAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WHEN I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING TO KEEP MY CAR IN GOOD CONDITION? PLEASE HELP!!!

IN THE AM ON 9/15/03 ON THE FREEWAY TRAVELING ABOUT 65 MPH, LATERAL ARM BROKE OFF ON THE LEFT SIDE OF MY CAR, CAUSING THE LEFT TIRE TO PUSH UPWARDS INTO THE FENDER AND THE AXLE TO SNAP IN HALF. I HAD TO PUT THE CAR INTO PARK AT 40 MPH TO GET IT TO STOP SO I WOULD NOT HIT THE CONCRETE BARRIER OR THE I-5 SIGN. DODGE DID PAY FOR THE CAR TO BE REPAIRED, BUT NOT MORE THAN 2 WEEKS LATER THE CAR BEGAN TO MAKE A NOISE WHILE REVERSING AND WHILE GOING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD, THEY TOLD ME THIS IS THE BRAKES, BUT ANOTHER MECHANIC SAID THAT IT IS THE LATERAL ARM AGAIN. DODGE IS REFUSING TO PAY TO FIX IT AND WHEN I BROUGHT THEM THE CAR THEY DID NOT VISUALLY INSPECT THE CAR, THEY ONLY TOOK IT ON A TEST DRIVE. I HAVE BEEN HAVING ANXIETY ATTACKS EVERYTIME I HEAR THAT NOISE, MY BACK AND SHOULDER HAVE BEEN IN PAIN AND I HAVE SEEN A SPECIALIST BECAUSE OF THIS. AND TO BE QUITE HONEST I JUST DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE MYSELF. ALSO, THE FRONT BRAKE ROTARS ARE WARPED AND THIS IS THE 2ND TIME...

THE CAR (1996 DODGE AVENGER ES) WAS IN TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE. THE DEALER CALLED TO INFORM ME THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE READY TO FALL OFF THE CAR AND NEEDED REPLACED AT A COST OF $260. I ASKED IF THIS WAS THE SAME BALL JOINT THAT WAS COVERED IN AN EARLIER RECALL. AFTER A LONG PAUSE, THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS, AND THAT THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT (FIX AT NO COST TO ME). A SECOND SERVICE APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED FOR A WEEK LATER. THE CAR WENT IN, AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS. WHEN I PICKED THE CAR UP, I DROVE OFF THE LOT AND IMMEDIATELY HEARD A CLANKING NOISE WHEN EVER I HIT A BUMP WITH THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL. I INSPECTED THE CAR MYSELF AND FOUND A LARGE CRACK IN THE FRAME AROUND THE FRONT-MOST UPPER CONTROL ARM MOUNTING BOLT ON THE RIGHT FRONT STRUT TOWER. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE SERVICE WRITER REMARKED BOY, THAT IS THE LARGEST CRACK I'VE EVER SEEN. YOU SHOULDNT DRIVE THAT CAR BECAUSE THE WHEEL COULD FALL OFF. I SUPPOSE THE BA...

SPEEDOMETER, MILEAGE, AND TACHOMETER RARELY WORK. SOMETIMES THE NEEDLE ON THE SPEEDOMETER WILL FLUCUATE BACK AND FORTH,WILDLY, AND OTHER TIMES STICK ON A SPEED. AT TIMES THE TACHOMETER WILL WORK AND SO I CAN JUDGE MY SPEED. THE FUEL GAUGE WAS NOT WORKING, UNTIL THE FUEL FILTER AND PUMP WERE CHANGED IN FEBRUARY, BUT IF ALL THE OTHER GAUGES ARE NOT WORKING, THEN IT ALSO STOPS.*AK