The Dodge Durango is the brand’s sole-surviving SUV, a 3rd-row ‘family hauler’ with an optional V8. Debuting in 1998, the Durango has since seen its share of problems, with some years being better to avoid altogether.
Key Points
- The Dodge Durango is a three-row SUV produced since 1998.
- For its first 12 years and two generations, the Durango was based off the mid-size Dakota pickup.
- The Durango moved to the highly praised Jeep Grand Cherokee unibody platform in 2011.
- The first three years of each generation were plagued with many complaints and recalls.
Though Things Started Out Rocky, Dodge has Proven it Can Build a Solid SUV
We’ve previously picked our favorite and most recommended models and covered the history of the Dodge Durango through its three generations.
Things have not always been perfect for the Durango however, and poor sales numbers, increased recalls, and complaints led to a discontinuation of the nameplate, if only for one year.
Avoid the 5.2L Magnum in First-generation Durango Models
The first-generation Durango was a truck-based vehicle with its roots tracing back to the Dodge Dakota mid-size pickup. By today’s standards, it rode rough and had many comfort shortcomings due to this architecture, most notably the small third-row seat thanks to the solid rear axle and leaf-spring suspension.
Despite its initial popularity, quality and reliability stumbled out of the gate. The old saying goes, “never buy the first year of a vehicle” for a reason. This statement could be amended to include the first three years of the Durango’s production as National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) registered complaints totaled 1,022, 2,043, and 1,111 for the first, second, and third years, respectively.
Chief among complaints were issues with the engine, with many citing sudden drops in oil pressure which resulted in engine failure and damage on 1998 models. 1999 saw an increase in registered NHTSA complaints citing total engine failure of the Magnum V8 while operating the vehicle. Stories ranged from the engine dying at a full stop, to failure while in motion. 2000 model year Durango models saw more of these same engine failure complaints, though they began to decrease in volume.
Various recalls were issued on these year model vehicles, but none specifically addressed the sudden drop in oil pressure or frequent stalling of the 5.2L Magnum V8.
In the 2000 model year, Dodge shifted away from the 5.2L Magnum V8, in favor of a larger and more powerful 5.9L Magnum V8. Registered complaints reduced drastically for subsequent year models equipped with the new 5.9L.
Despite the issues plaguing the first couple years of production, the first-gen Durango was by far the best selling of any single generation of Durango to date, with annual sales double that of the current model.
Interiors Catch Fire in the Early Models of the Second Generation
For the second generation, Dodge again based the Durango on the Dakota mid-size pickup, using the same frame, many body panels, and powertrain as the Dakota.
Once again, the Durango was plagued by initial reliability issues with the first years of a new design, earning the 2004 model the label of worst model year Durango by Car Complaints.
With 1,105 registered complaints with the NHTSA, the 2004 Durango received the “Avoid Like the Plague” badge of disgrace from Car Complaints for repeated instances of catching fire. By April 2007, enough complaints were reported that Daimler Chrysler issued a recall for the integrated circuit in the instrument panel that could overheat and cause an interior fire. In total, 328,424 vehicles ranging from 2004-2006 model years were impacted by this recall.
According to Car Complaints, the typical repair cost for a 2004 model Durango is $5,090, most commonly related to complete engine replacement at 115,100 miles.
The IIHS has no record of crash testing for the entirety of the second-generation Dodge Durango, leaving shoppers to use their own judgment regarding the safety of this vehicle in the event of a crash.
It is worth noting that as the second generation soldiered on in production, the registered complaints did drop off drastically for the 2007 model year and beyond however, so did sales. Peak sales of the second generation appeared in the 2004 calendar year at 137,148 and tapered off to a measly 3,521 in CY 2009 and a minuscule 572 units sold in CY 2010.
These diminishing sales figures led to the discontinuation of the nameplate for the 2010 model year, before being revived as a unibody crossover SUV for 2011.
Further Stumbling On First-year Models: The Third Generation
With the outright discontinuation of the Dakota pickup, the new Durango rode on a stretched version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee platform for its 2011 revival, marking the first time in Durango history the SUV was built with a car-like unibody structure.
Sharing a platform architecture with the Grand Cherokee proved to be a major improvement for the Durango. Ride and vastly improved over the truck-based boxed frame of previous generations. Another benefit found from sharing a platform with the Grand Cherokee is safety. The Durango won IIHS Top Safety Pick Awards for the first four years of its third generation.
We praised the third generation in our article highlighting the best years, however, as has been the case with new Durango models, the first years of the new platform proved problematic.
With recalls totaling 8, 10, 11, and 11 for the 2011 through 2014 model years respectively, it is clear Dodge still had some kinks to iron out with their new design. These recalls varied from loss of power braking, fuel pump failures, or electrical shortages.
Later years saw a marked decrease in open recalls and reported complaints, starting with the 2015 model year.
It is wise to remember recalls are very common in the automotive industry and can be severe issues. You should use the VIN search provided by Vehicle History to look for any potential issues or recalls during your vehicle search.
Dodge Durango Years to Avoid at All Cost
While seemingly no vehicle is immune to issues in their first few years on the market, the first model years of each generation of Durango always garnered the most need for repair versus those manufactured towards the end of the generational lifecycle.
Watch out for 1998-2000, 2004-2006, and 2011-2014 models for this reason.
From our time researching the history of the Durango, it is clear first-generation models with the 5.2L Magnum V8 are the most problematic of the early Durango models, but that engine was replaced in 2000 with a more reliable 5.9L.
We can safely say that the second generation should be avoided in its entirety, with the 2004 model year be the most problematic. It is hard to say just how much the decreasing sales played into later second-gen models recording lower registered complaints, but the fact remains that for the entire second generation, sales declined sharply to the point of discontinuation of the Durango at the end of this product cycle.
Early versions of the current Durango suffered from electrical issues surrounding the power module, which led to several recalls to correct the issue. By the 2015 model year, Dodge had most of the issues worked out with the current third-generation Durango. If you are looking for a reliable third-gen Durango, avoid the 2011-2014 models and stick with something newer.
Photos: Dodge
