8.5
pretty badTypical Repair Cost:
$400.00
Average Mileage:
35,539 miles
Total Complaints:
12 complaints
Most common solutions:
- not sure (9 reports)
- had to buy a new shifter for $400 (3 reports)
transmission problem
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Dodge dealer.
Helpful Websites About 2008 Dodge Avenger gear shift module lock up
2009Sep 25
Avenger
- Automatic transmission
- 47,912 miles
I'm highly annoyed by this. I discovered it last night at 10:00PM when I had to leave to pick up my kids from the football game. I had to make other arrangements to get them. Now it's Saturday & nobody is open. After researching this problem, I have discovered I'm not the only one. They really need to issue a recall.
2009Aug 22
Avenger SE 4 cyl.
- Automatic transmission
- 38,000 miles
I just purchased this car on Wednesday, August 19th, and today, August 22nd, I went out to run and get a pizza, about two hours before my husband needed to be at work (and he was planning to drive this car), and the car would not go into gear. I kept pushing the brake in, and I turned the car off several times thinking that something would change since I just purchased the car four days ago and it should be like brand new. Nothing changed. I had to wake him up to see if he could figure out why the car would not go into gear. My husband could not get the car to do anything either. I called the dealership, and the car is still under warranty. Still, I'm concerned if this could be the beginning of a load of problems. Four days after we bought the car . . .hmm.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2009Aug 27
Avenger LX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 50,000 miles
THE CAR IS STUCK IN PARK. CALLED DEALERSHIP AND OF COURSE THE SHIFTER IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE LIFETIME POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. SO I CALLED CHRYSLER BECAUSE I FEEL I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS SINCE THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE CAR. THEY TELL ME TO SEND IT TO THE DEALERSHIP SO THEY CAN "DIAGNOSE" THE PROBLEM AND THEN CALL THEM BACK WHEN THEY CONFIRM THAT IT IS THE SHIFTER. OF COURSE THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT THEY WILL COVER IT.
SO I ASKED IF THEY HAVE HEARD OF ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NOT. SO I THEN ASKED IF I COULD SPEAK TO SOMEONE ELSE AND THEY TELL ME THERE IS NO ONE ELSE TO SPEAK TO. SUPPOSEDLY THEY SENT MY COMPLAINT TO THE "RESEARCH" DEPARTMENT. AND IF THEY START TO RECEIVE OTHER COMPLAINTS THEY WILL THEN LOOK INTO ISSUING A RECALL. I CALLED MY FINANCE COMPANY AND LET THEM NO WHAT IS GOING ON BECAUSE FRANKLY I AM NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO PAY FOR THE CAR IF I HAVE TO PAY OVER $300 TO GET A DEFECTED PART FIXED. NOT TO MENTION TOWING COST AND DIAGNOSTIC CHARGE. THEY TELL ME TO CONTACT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OR THE BBB.
I AM SO FRUSTRATED! I FEEL LIKE CALLING THE LOCAL NEWS AND HAVING THEM INVESTIGATE AND PUT THIS ON THE AIR. MY HUSBANDS BOSS' SON HAS A CHRYSLER 300 AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO HIM LAST WEEK, HE PAID OVER $400. THE GUY WHO TOWED HIS CAR SAID THAT WITHIN THE PAST FEW MONTHS HE HAS PICKED UP OVER 30 CARS WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. MY COWORKER WHOS HUSBAND BELONGS TO A DODGE CAR CLUB SAYS 2 GUYS ONE WITH A CHARGER AND ONE WITH A MAGNUM HAD THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPEN. AND THE SERVICE GUY AT THE DEALERSHIP EVEN SAID HE HAS BEEN SEEING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM HAPPENING A LOT. AND EVEN HAD A CHRYSLER 300 YESTERDAY WITH THE SHIFTER LOCKED UP.
DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW I CAN GET CHRYSLER TO PAY FOR THIS? I REALLY TO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY OUT OF POCKET.
2009Aug 10
Avenger
- Automatic transmission
- 42,000 miles
My wife called me at work today on the hottest day so far of the summer complaining that the car would not go into gear. The gear handle was locked in park and wouldn't move. I called a local Dodge dealership and asked the service rep what the problem was and how to go about getting my wife home. His comment was that he has seen this alot in the 2008 Dodge Avenger and she should try rocking the car and to make sure that she was pressing the brake all the way down. Needless to say 3 hours later and a tow truck to the Dodge dealership the car still wont go into gear. Someone out there please tell me what i need to do. I'll be going up to the dealership in the morning as soon as they open, what should I tell them.
2008Jun 02
Avenger
- Automatic transmission
- 34,000 miles
ON Saturday August 1st I took my 2008 Dodge Avenger to Greenway Dodge for an oil change. When I purchased my car almost 2 years ago I purchased the maintenance plan which I later found out only gave me oil changes. Anyway I had an appointment at 9AM that morning. Myself and my 4 year old granddaughter arrived promptly at 9AM. My service advisor Penny came out and wrote up the order and mentioned to me I might need an alignment since I had just put 4 new tires on my car- I asked her what they charge and was told $89.95. I told her no thanks because I get coupons in the mail all the time for 49.95 from places like Good Year etc. She said she would speak to the Service Manager and see if they could do it for that.
My granddaughter and I then went in to wait and sat down to watch TV while they were changing the oil. The service advisor , Penny, came back to inform me a back light out and that the alignment would cost me $59.95. I told her I would get the alignment done somewhere else since they were more expensive but to go ahead and replace the bulb for 19.95. She advised my ready would be ready in just a few minutes.
I continued to watch the TV with my granddaughter until the SA- Penny and the Service Manager Mike Natalie were standing in front of me. They proceeded to tell me that my car would not shift out of park. I just sat there in amazement for a min as I had to have the car towed in at 34,000 miles while still under the original 36,000 to have this replaced once. My car probably has 49,000 right now but since I don’t have the car right now I cannot state the exact mileage. They then proceeded to advise they wouldn’t be able to do anything until Monday when they could verify if this would be covered under the extended warranty and the cost to me would be 100.00 per my deductible under the warranty- Of course I was unaware of the deductible but that is a whole other story. Also when I bought this car it had 22,000 miles on it and my salesman Michael Garrett who I no longer with Greenway told me this was a demo that salesmen used. I was told this was a rental before it was sold to me- If I had known this I NEVER would have bought this car.
Anyway I am left sitting in the service with my 4 year old grandchild so I asked for a rental. I was told they could not authorize a rental until Monday either when they called the warranty company. Penny said “Can’t you find a way home?”- Considering I brought my car in there for an oil change with my car operating correctly- then while in Dodge’s possession the shifter goes and I am left to sit there with no way home and no offer of a rental car.
I have been on the internet and see the numerous issues with the shifters in the 2008 Dodge Avengers so why should I be expected to pay a deductible for a well known issue and one that has already happened to my car so this is now the second time-
Also the Sales Manager there was very proud to tell me they have # 1 customer service in Orlando. How they received that title when they were willing to leave myself and a 4 year old walking down the road to get home when my car was operational when I drove it in there is beyond me
Dodge needs to stand up and do something about this- I am supposed to pick my car up around 500 and pay $100.00 for a well know issue- How is this fair?
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2009Jul 29
Avenger SE 2.4L 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 25,060 miles
This is my fiance' car and she works full time and is a full time college student so in july of last year we bought this avenger and since then i've had to have it at the shop twice. July 29th she was leaving to go to class and realizes that the car is stuck in park she comes in and gets me and being a guy who is pretty knowledable about cars thinks that she isnt depressing the brake so i go out and sure enough it will not budge! So now we're without a car because this P.O.S is broke down once again. Ive been MOPAR only since i was a little kid but this is getting kind of rediculous and something needs to be done i paid good money for this car and have had nothing but headaches from it
2009Jul 06
Avenger 2.4L
- Automatic transmission
- 35,000 miles
I am having the same problem as well awful customer service from the Corpus Christi Lithia Dodge dealership.
On Monday I went to get into my 2008 Dodge Avenger at lunch and found that the gear shift would not go into drive. The shifter would only go into reverse. I then attempted to read the owner�s manual and unlodge the shifter using the override that is installed on the vehicle. After this failed I called Patrick in your used car sales department and requested information regarding the shifter. He was going to have a service guy return my call. This was about noon on Monday. I then drove 3 levels backwards out of my parking garage to get the vehicle onto the street level in order to have it towed. After calling a friend to help we were then able to take the console apart a little further and find the problem which allowed us to bypass the system and get the shifter into gear. It is a small spring that has broken in the shifter guts itself. I then drove the vehicle to Ace Transmission to have it fixed. They were unable to get to the vehicle that day. I returned to work to finish my work day and had to drive to Sandia, Texas in order to borrow another vehicle to drive as I am a single mother. I received a call when I arrived in Sandia, Texas around 6:30 pm from Patrick who informed me the shifter itself was under recall. I told them that I would have the vehicle moved to your dealership in order for you guys to fix it. My vehicle was moved Tuesday afternoon and I spoke to one of your service guys who took down my information. I left the vehicle in your care. I called today to find out a status on your vehicle and first off the girl could not find my car at all! After 10 minutes of them searching for the mysteriously invisible car � she returns to the phone to inform me that the tech is looking at it. Then Daniel Ramos gets on the line and starts talking about the recall on the tire sensors already being fixed. He never mentions the shifter until I inform him that my vehicle is not in there regarding the tire sensors. He says, �oh you have the Avenger that will not shift?� He puts me on hold and finally returns to the phone to inform me that it is not under recall! I am pissed at this point!
This is the worst customer service I have ever experienced at a dealership. I told him that Patrick told me it was under recall and this was the only reason I had the vehicle moved from Ace Transmission to your shop. He basically tells me he doesn�t know what else to say! I requested to be transferred to Patrick wherein I had to leave a message and have yet to receive a call back. My car has been there for 2 days now and they haven�t even looked at it until I called this morning and are now informing me it is not under recall! WE HAVE A PROBLEM! I expect this to be resolved in a very amicable and satisfying way. I then look on line for recalls and find 5 additional recalls that your tech (Daniel Ramos) never even mentions to me. I informed them when I dropped off the vehicle I wanted all recalls fixed. THIS IS THE LAW!! I expect a prompt phone call regarding my vehicle immediately. For your information I am also providing you with a listing of the recalls regarding my vehicle since your dealership cannot seem to keep up with the Dodge literature that is published at their very fingertips!
2009Jun 26
Avenger LX 3.2L
- Automatic transmission
- 41,000 miles
I NOTICED THIS PROBLEM ON LINE. ANY COMPLAINTS FOR DODGE OR ANY RECALLS?????
2009Jun 09
Avenger
- Automatic transmission
- 18,000 miles
just bought it, less than 6 mos. stayed late at work, get it to drive home and won't come out of park. had to get a ride home, ride to work in the morning, tow truck had to DRAG it up.....super annoying, luckily still covered under warranty. and the dealership broke the piece that goes around the shifter!
2008Sep 14
Avenger RT
- Manual transmission
- 50,000 miles
No way should my gear get stuck in park when its only 1 year old. Granted I have a lot of miles on my car, but it is all highway. I had to pay for my own rental and the cost to fix it. Around $700 total. Whats the point in having a new car then???
2008Jul 22
Avenger SE 2.4L
- Automatic transmission
- 9,000 miles
I went out to leave for work and started the car as usual and then proceeded to put in gear and it was locked in park. I tryed to pull it down and broke off the gear shift knob. I was late for work, I had to call a friend at 5:30 in the morning to get a ride. I called my insurance to get it towed to dealer. I went to the dealer after work, they told me what the problem was and put me in a rent car, which they tell me I have to pay for at their cost $35.00 a day. They still haven't received the part. Has any one had this problem with the gear shift module in the 2008 avenger? Please let me know.
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2009Oct 15
Avenger 3.2L
Car would crank with no problem, but would never shift out of park.
Left stranded. Really makes me feel, after reading similar complaints,
uneasy about going out of town or anywhere else for that matter.
Understand there is no recall yet even though many people have had this
problem.
Thanks Chrysler!!!
Joe S.
Diboll, TX, USA
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