2008 Dodge Avenger: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed Apr 12, 2023 · Electrical, Engine · MI · fire

I was idling at a stop light when I noticed my car began to smoke shortly after the check engine, check oil and the battery alert all simultaneously came on. I then pulled over to a near alleyway when a burst of flames arose from the hood of the car.

Filed Mar 27, 2023 · Electrical, Engine · 250,000 miles · MN

The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Avenger. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The battery, the check engine, and the throttle body warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the contact noticed an abnormal odor while the vehicle was parked. The contact noticed there was smoke coming from underneath the hood. The contact's father lifted the hood and removed the positive (+) charge cable from the battery. The contact's father replaced the battery and the alternator; however, the failure recurred while driving. The contact's father replaced the alternator for the second time. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Numbers: 08V152000 (Electrical System) and 07V426000 (Fuel System, Gasoline), however, the dealer confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 255,000.

Filed Apr 8, 2019 · Body, Electrical · 130,000 miles · MI · fire

On 3-31-19 me and my 2 daughters were driving on expressway, I started smelling burning and seen smoke coming from hood on driver side of car, it appeared to be coming from the engine under hood and pulled to side of road. I turned car off and I told kids to get out and we walked down expressway. I told kids to stay there and went to walk back to open hood and check it, on my way back to it, it had started on fire. I went back to my kids and called police. Within ten minutes the whole car was engulfed in flames.

Filed Aug 3, 2017 · Electrical · 112,750 miles · PA · fire

Started car at home and heard pop and saw smoke coming from under hood and when opened hood shock tower cover was on fire

Filed Oct 5, 2016 · Electrical · 150,000 miles · OH · fire

I was driving down 480 highway my car started smoking and shut off I had it towed my computer motherboard caught fire! Thank god it didn't cause me to wreck and get killed

Filed Jul 14, 2015 · Electrical · 34,924 miles · AR

While driving into the city I notice the smell again of burning plastic, the air conditioner switch was hot and stuck in the high position. I had to break away the knob to the lower position of the fan speed to stop the burning smell and then off. This is the second switch ive had to replace since I've has this car ive also found other people also having the high position of this switch fail due to the contact getting hot due to its inability to carry the current required for the fan at high speed. This current caused the old switch contacts to over heat and melt the plastic. I told landers dodge about this the first time it failed and they said it was just a bad switch,,and now a second one? No theres something wrong with the design of the switch contacts that it keeps burning these out! Ive also had the lighter short out, the center contact moved and shorted against the negative of the housing , it got hot enough to melt the ceramic isolator before wire fuse went. Ive saved ll the parts.

Filed May 29, 2014 · Electrical · 150,000 miles · IL · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge avenger. The contact stated that immediately after starting the vehicle, flames started to emit from the drivers side speaker. The contact stated that she used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire. There were no injuries reported. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 150,000. Updated 8/12/14*cn the consumer stated the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but, refused assistant because the vehicle was repaired before it was inspected. Updated 08/21/2014

Filed Aug 23, 2012 · Engine · 50,000 miles · TX · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge avenger. The contact stated that the air conditioner failed. The contact also stated that the engine caught on fire, in which he beleived was directly related to the air conditioning failure. The contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer for inspection where they advised that there were no failures found within the vehicle. The failure later recurred and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 50,000.

Filed Nov 2, 2011 · Engine · 56,100 miles · PA · fire

I was driving on a turnpike when I heard a loud explosion and my car started to shake violently and smoke was pouring out of the engine compartment. I slowed the car down and immediately pulled over to the shoulder. I got out of my car and opened the hood of the car and there was a fire coming out of both sides from underneath the engine. I had just had my oil changed the week prior and when the engine caught on fire it was from all the oil that sprayed out. I had the car towed and when the insurance adjuster and the mechanic looked at the engine they said that is was purely engine failure from mechanical reasons and not from a collision of any kind that caused the engine to blow up.

Filed Aug 12, 2011 · Electrical, Engine · 47,000 miles · IL · fire

I have a 2008 dodge avenger that burst into flames all of a sudden when I was headed home from work during rush hour on a city street doing between 25-30 miles an hour. There was no warning when a man started shouting for me to get out of the car. In another half an hour my kids would have been in the car. This is the third time I've heard of this happening with this chrysler made car, yet the insurance is giving me the run-a-round. I'm sure with instructions from chrysler. I need them to pay up, I need to be able to get to work and take my children to day care. I could have been killed cause there is obviously a defect in the engine or fuel system.

Filed Jun 4, 2011 · Engine · 76,000 miles · TN · fire

On tuesday may 31,2011 at 8:00 am I was driving about 40 mins when I approached a stop light. I turned the A/C on and noticed a plastic smell. I turned into the gas station to investigate. In less than two minutes my entire engine compartment was in flames. The car is a total loss. My vehicle was not included in the recall that could have prevented this. Dodge is responsible!

Filed Dec 22, 2010 · Electrical, Visibility · 15,000 miles · MD · fire

A/c is blowing out hot air, I was told by the dealership that I needed to get a replacement computer component. I told them at the time that my car has only 70000+ plus miles and that should not be replaced plus I had older cars and people with older cars never once had to get the AC fix and they have over 150000 to 200000 miles on their car. Mean while back several years ago, my car caught on fire do to hay falling in the road, therefore all wiring/equipment under the hood got replaced. Currently my driver side seat belt does not stay fasten all the time.