If a Mopar oil filter is not available, use a filter that meets or exceeds USCAR36 specification and is compatible with semi and full synthetic oils.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2010 Dodge Avenger engine problems
severe Owners of the 2010 Dodge Avenger have filed 15 NHTSA complaints about the engine, typically surfacing around 80,000 miles at roughly $3,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
15
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
| Model year | engine complaints |
|---|---|
| 2008 Avenger | 91 |
| 2009 Avenger | 5 |
| 2010 Avenger (this page) | 15 |
| 2011 Avenger | 20 |
| 2012 Avenger | 36 |
| 2013 Avenger | 54 |
| 2014 Avenger | 20 |
1fire
When does it fail?
Of the 15 engine complaints filed for the 2010 Dodge Avenger, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA engine complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 14 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
(Revision A) No Start No Crank ? Starter Will Not Engage And There Are No Related Codes Or Concerns
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗THROTTLE BODY For clarification, only use 68414676A$ on 2010 & earlier vehicles as supply is limited.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗NAG1 (5A580) Valve Body As per Warranty Bulletin D-13-22, please use R2108213A$ valve body for all Warranty (W), Mopar (M) and Mopar Vehicle Protection (F) claims.~ Assembly also includes Filter (52108325AA) and Gasket (52108332AA).~
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Part Description: Valve Body Assembly Issue Description: Valve body design was changed between 2010MY and 2011MY applications. To prevent mix matching valve bodies and solenoid packs the connectors are color coded.~ Valve bodies with a white connector can be used on 2010, 2009, 2008..., model years. Valve bodies with a gray connector can only be used on 2011, 2012, 2013..., model years.~ Solenoid packs with a white connector are used with 2010, 2009, 2008..., model years. Solenoid packs with a gray connector are used with 2011, 2012, 2013..., model years.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Stalling ranks as the dominant failure. Owners across the mileage spectrum—from 34,000 to 180,000 miles—report sudden engine shutdowns while driving at various speeds, with some incidents accompanied by a flashing check engine light. Many stalls are intermittent and occur repeatedly over months; vehicles typically restart on their own or after sitting a few minutes, leaving dealers unable to reproduce the fault.
Throttle response problems cluster around loss of power and unresponsive accelerator pedal. One owner had the vehicle capped at 30–35 mph despite full throttle input; crankshaft sensor, throttle body, and all spark plugs were swapped without resolution. Dealerships quote $800+ for engine teardown diagnostics with no guarantee of cure.
A few owners report serious issues: burned exhaust insulation puncturing the plastic fuel tank at 80,000 miles, a radiator fan motor that blew rather than a fuse years earlier, and antifreeze leaking from the reservoir cap. One owner's HVAC blows hot on the driver side and cold on the passenger side; replacing the blend door actuator didn't fix it.
Early-mileage concerns include a coolant overheat scare at idle (17,774 miles) and persistent antifreeze seepage from the reservoir top (5,200 miles), both flagged to dealers who found nothing wrong.
Same Dodge Avenger engine reports on nearby years: 2008 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013
Failure modes owners describe
Stalling - random, intermittent
Engine shuts down without warning while driving at various speeds; vehicle may restart on its own or after a few minutes. Multiple owners report this recurring over weeks or months. Some instances accompanied by check engine light or ETC warning light.
When: 34,000–180,000 miles; occurs intermittently over extended periods
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stalls while driving; Check engine light flashing; ETC warning light illuminated; Vehicle restarts after sitting or on its own; Stalling occurs at complete stop or while in motion
Codes mentioned: Crank shaft position sensor failure, Throttle body injection unit failure, ETC (Electronic Throttle Control) failure
Repairs/costs cited: Crank shaft sensor replacement; throttle body replacement; ETC replacement; owners report dealership unable to reproduce failure on diagnostic visit
Throttle unresponsive / loss of power
Accelerator pedal does not produce expected engine response; vehicle limits speed or loses motive power randomly. One owner reports vehicle would not exceed 30–35 mph despite pressing gas pedal fully. Sensors and throttle body were replaced without resolving the issue in some cases.
When: 80,000+ miles
Symptoms owners cite: Accelerator unresponsive; Vehicle will not accelerate above 30–35 mph; Random loss of motive power; Engine knock when stalled; Knocking engine noise while stopped
Codes mentioned: Crank shaft sensor fault code, Cylinder 1 and 4 misfire codes
Repairs/costs cited: Crank shaft sensor replacement; throttle body cleaning; all spark plugs replaced; issue persisted in one case; dealership quoted $800 engine teardown with no guarantee
Exhaust insulation burn-through / fuel tank damage
Exhaust insulation burned during high-engine-revving in snow-stuck situation, causing plastic fuel tank to develop holes. Cabin filled with smoke; fuel odor detected during driving. Owner concerned about fire risk.
When: 80,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Cabin filled with smoke; Fuel odor detected; Holes in plastic fuel tank
Repairs/costs cited: Exhaust insulation burned; plastic fuel tank damaged with holes
Radiator fan motor failure
Snow entered radiator fan and caused motor to blow out instead of a fuse. Owner has driven for years with one radiator fan motor inoperative. Noted as potential fire concern.
When: Occurred several years before 80,000 mile complaint
Symptoms owners cite: Radiator fan motor blown out; Only one radiator fan operating
Repairs/costs cited: Fan motor blew instead of fuse; vehicle not repaired
Coolant reservoir leak
Top of antifreeze reservoir leaks antifreeze while vehicle parked. Owner took vehicle to authorized dealer six times; technicians could not diagnose and stated leak was normal. Not repaired.
When: 5,200 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Antifreeze leaking from reservoir top
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer stated leak was normal; not repaired
Engine overheat / coolant flow issue (idling)
While idling in park, temperature gauge jumped to hot and beeping sound heard inside vehicle. Flowing coolant sound from front end. Issue resolved when shifted to drive. Dealer unable to reproduce.
When: 17,774 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Temperature gauge spiking to hot while idling; Beeping sound inside vehicle; Coolant flowing sound from front end; Normal operation when shifted to drive
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to reproduce; additional investigation conducted at dealer
Heating system malfunction (blend door actuator)
HVAC blows heat on driver side and cold air on passenger side. Owner replaced blend air door actuator but issue persisted. Vehicle now overheats while still blowing cold air until moving; delay in heat output even while driving. Owner notes other Avenger owners report same issue.
When: <UNKNOWN>
Symptoms owners cite: Heat on driver side, cold air on passenger side; Vehicle overheats with cold air still blowing; Delayed heat output even while driving; Asymmetrical cabin temperature
Repairs/costs cited: Blend air door actuator replaced; issue persisted
Synthesized from 15 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Dodge avenger. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked when he noticed that the top of the antifreeze reservoir was leaking anti freeze. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on six occasions, but the technicians were unable to diagnose the failure and stated that the leak was normal. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was…
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Dodge avenger. While driving approximately 10 MPH, the vehicle lunged forward, the engine seized, and the etc warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician diagnosed that the etc needed to be replaced. The failure occurred once. The dealer and manufacturer were made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 49,200.
Engine light came on. Got it diagnosed and code suggested changing the crank shaft sensor. Purchased part and had it installed by an independent mechanic. An hour later the engine light returned and the engine knocked while stopped at a red light and the car turned off. The car would not go above 35 MPH. I was able to restart the car and drove it to a second mechanic. The codes suggested changing…
Had engine trouble with your 2010 Dodge Avenger?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2010 Dodge Avenger?
It's a meaningful issue. 15 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $3,100.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 15 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 41,150 and 133,745 miles, with the median around 80,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 41,150; a quarter make it past 133,745. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2010/Dodge/Avenger.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.