Dodge Durango problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 9 model years (2018–2026), NHTSA has logged 786 owner complaints and 18 safety recalls for the Dodge Durango. That averages 15.2 complaints per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical (index 0.38 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Midsize SUVs segment it ranks #1 of 14 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest); the segment average is 52.5.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
The trend is improving. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models run 80% below the 2018 and 2019 models (6 early complaints per model year versus 31).
The 2021 model year has the highest rate (35.1 complaints per year) and the 2024 model year the lowest (5.0). Model years 2018 and 2021 run at least 50% above this model's average of 15.2 complaints per year on the road across its tracked model years. The 2024 model year runs at least 40% below this model's average of 15.2 complaints per year on the road.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Lighting (24.0% of complaints), followed by Electrical (23.4%) and Engine (14.1%). Lighting complaints are 15.5 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 44 complaints (5.6%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 30 injuries and 0 deaths.
In the last 12 months owners filed 197 complaints versus 164 in the previous 12 months — up 20%. The 2021 model year generated the most recent reports (64). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 45 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 18 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2022 (5), 2 fixable over the air. 2 NHTSA investigations have covered this model, 1 still open; the latest is “Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture” (engineering analysis, opened 2021-09-17, still open).
It has fewer complaints per year than every other tracked model among Midsize SUVs, including Nissan Pathfinder, Honda Passport, Kia Sorento and Chevrolet Traverse.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 ▲50%+ | 233 | 26.5 | 0.66 | 24 | 5 | Electrical | View › |
| 2019 | 143 | 18.4 | 0.46 | 20 | 4 | Lighting | View › |
| 2020 | 75 | 11.0 | 0.27 | 17 | 2 | Lighting | View › |
| 2021 ▲50%+ | 203 | 35.1 | 0.87 | 64 | 8 | Lighting | View › |
| 2022 | 58 | 12.1 | 0.3 | 21 | 7 | Lighting | View › |
| 2023 | 38 | 10.0 | 0.25 | 22 | 2 | Lighting | View › |
| 2024 Fewest complaints | 14 | 5.0 | 0.12 | 9 | 0 | Engine | View › |
| 2025 Too new to rank | 8 | 4.5 | 0.11 | 6 | 0 | Electrical | View › |
| 2026 Too new to rank | 14 | 14.0 | 0.35 | 14 | 0 | Unspecified or other | View › |
▲50%+ = 50%+ above this model's average yearly rate. “Too new to rank”: under two years on the road, so the model year cannot be named the one with the fewest complaints yet. 1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 197 · Previous 12 months: 164 Within ±30% year on year
Problem areas
Lighting ›
189 · 24.0% · 15.5 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Electrical ›
184 · 23.4% · 1.49 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Engine ›
111 · 14.1% · 0.63 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Unspecified or other ›
53 · 6.7% · 0.75 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Brakes ›
53 · 6.7% · 1.12 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Transmission / powertrain ›
46 · 5.9% · 0.5 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Body & structure
36 · 4.6% · 0.5 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Airbags & seat belts
33 · 4.2% · 1.11 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Other
25 · 3.2% · 1.72 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Fuel system
22 · 2.8% · 0.65 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Wheels, tires & suspension
16 · 2.0% · 0.81 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Steering
13 · 1.7% · 0.26 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Driver-assist systems
5 · 0.6% · 0.11 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 45 months
What owners report
The vehicle was involved in a collision that resulted in deployment of the frontal airbag system. After obtaining the vehicle following the collision, I observed what appears to be an abnormal deployment of the front passenger airbag.
The vehicle fails to start reliably. I have made all the necessary repairs in an attempt to have the car to start reliably. I have replaced items that the average owner would think are normal wear-and-tear items around the starting system.
Bought vehicle new with almost no miles from Dodge Dealer in [XXX] (Paramus Dodge) After 3000 miles I start noticing hard kick when selecting gear from Park to Drive or Reverse gear with noise coming from underneath vehicle almost sounds like broken U joint.
On [XXX], my 2018 Dodge Durango GT (145,076 miles) developed abnormal braking characteristics immediately following a preventive brake-fluid flush performed by Jim Browne Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Dade City, Florida.
Driving down the I-10 early morning there was a loud bang, didnt notice anything in the road ahead of me so I kept driving for another mile or so until I heard something dragging. Activated my trunk camera and saw sparks flying.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Midsize SUVs
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dodge Durango | 786 | 15.2 | 0.38 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 18 | Lighting |
| 2 | Nissan Pathfinder | 596 | 19.2 | 0.48 | Worsening | Rising | 12 | Engine |
| 3 | Honda Passport | 759 | 24.8 | 0.61 | Improving | Rising | 17 | Electrical |
| 4 | Kia Sorento | 1,446 | 33.7 | 0.83 | Stable | Rising | 18 | Engine |
| 5 | Chevrolet Traverse | 1,738 | 42.0 | 1.04 | Stable | Within ±30% year on year | 14 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 6 | Ford Edge | 2,244 | 44.4 | 1.1 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 20 | Engine |
| 7 | Toyota Highlander | 2,162 | 45.8 | 1.13 | Improving | Rising | 21 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 8 | Hyundai Santa Fe | 2,092 | 58.4 | 1.45 | Worsening | Rising | 27 | Engine |
| 9 | Honda Pilot | 2,945 | 63.4 | 1.57 | Stable | Within ±30% year on year | 27 | Engine |
| 10 | Ford Explorer | 3,270 | 64.0 | 1.59 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 77 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 11 | Subaru Outback | 3,816 | 71.8 | 1.78 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 15 | Body & structure |
| 12 | Kia Telluride | 2,014 | 74.3 | 1.84 | Improving | Rising | 17 | Body & structure |
| 13 | Jeep Grand Cherokee | 3,477 | 82.4 | 2.04 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 53 | Electrical |
| 14 | Hyundai Palisade | 2,471 | 105.3 | 2.61 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 16 | Airbags & seat belts |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 18
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 0
- Over-the-air fix: 2
Safety recalls: 2018 (5) · 2019 (4) · 2020 (2) · 2021 (8) · 2022 (7) · 2023 (2) · 2024 (0) · 2025 (0) · 2026 (0)
Investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture Open
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupt…
- Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment Closed
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19014 on September 9, 2019, to investigate 128 consumer complaints alleging that the Active Head Rest (AHR) inadvertently deployed without the occurrence of a crash or other rear impact event in model year (MY) 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles.When ODI opened the investigation, ODI was aware of thirteen alleged injuries.A small …