Dodge Avenger MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 24 model years and 1,723 tests, the Dodge Avenger passes its MOT 70.5% of the time. All cars of a similar age fail 25.7% of the time, so this is 3.9pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (16.0%) and lighting & signalling (14.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, ball joint and flexible brake hoses — position lamp alone was recorded 154 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 18.3% in the 30-60k band and 32.0% in the 150k+ band, a 13.7-point spread.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.5pp more often than petrol ones (31.1% vs 27.6%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 36.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 28.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 30.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Avenger model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 144 | 70.1% | 29.9% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 1,103 | 70.3% | 29.7% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 451 | 70.7% | 29.3% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.0% | 276 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.9% | 257 |
| 3 | Brakes | 12.3% | 211 |
| 4 | Steering | 5.9% | 102 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.5% | 94 |
| 6 | Tyres | 5.3% | 92 |
| 7 | Visibility | 3.8% | 66 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.2% | 55 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 154 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 142 |
| 3 | Flexible brake hoses | 119 |
| 4 | Track rod end | 108 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 81 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 78 |
| 7 | Pins and bushes | 61 |
| 8 | Wheel bearings | 55 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 36.6% | 631 |
| 2 | Brakes | 35.8% | 617 |
| 3 | Tyres | 26.7% | 460 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 19.9% | 343 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 14.3% | 247 |
| 6 | Other defects | 11.5% | 198 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 175 | 18.3% |
| 60-90k | 482 | 27.4% |
| 90-120k | 563 | 31.6% |
| 120-150k | 329 | 35.3% |
| 150k+ | 153 | 32.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 938 | 31.1% |
| Petrol | 785 | 27.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 526 | 28.1% |
| 2022 | 433 | 31.6% |
| 2023 | 341 | 30.8% |
| 2024 | 233 | 26.6% |
| 2025 | 190 | 30.0% |
What to check before buying a Dodge Avenger
- Suspension (16.0% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (14.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (12.3% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Dodge Avenger?
70.5% of the 1,723 Dodge Avenger MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 29.5% fail rate, across model years 1998–2021.
What does the Dodge Avenger most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 16.0% of tests, then lighting & signalling (14.9%).
How much does mileage affect Avenger MOT results?
Fail rates run at 18.3% for cars in the 30-60k band and 32.0% for 150k+, a 13.7-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Avenger more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 27.6% of the time against 31.1% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,723 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.