Electrical, exterior lighting and engine issues among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
The 2019 Dodge Durango wasn’t just built with a busy family in mind, but also claims to have plenty of power for an exciting ride. Even the automaker claims that the Durango offers “pummeling performance,” but many owners can’t agree. This SUV seems to struggle with the engine, electrical system and exterior lighting.
Click on other model year to view more problems: 2020 2021
If performance is going to be the top-selling feature of the Durango, then it better be able to back up the claims with a reliable engine.
This NHTSA review proves otherwise. “I arrived home and parked my car under my carport at 8:30 p.m. At 12:30 a.m. I heard loud popping noises and smelled smoke. I went outside to see my 2019 Dodge Durango with 9,021 miles on fire. The hood of the truck was fully engulfed with fire. The fire caught onto the house and my neighbor’s home.”
It turns out the Dodge is aware of engine concerns. Service Bulletin #9003680 discusses a possible oil leak from the rear engine seal retainer or windage tray. While it’s unclear if this defect caused the fire, or something else, it’s evident that this model doesn’t live up to the hype. Instead of a “pummeling performance,” maybe it should be labeled “flaming performance.”
ON 4.17.19 WHILE I AM DRIVING THE CAR WITH MY FAMILY ( 3 PEOPLE ) FROM LIMA LINDA TO RANCHO CUCAMONGA , WE HAD TOTAL 3 X EPISODES OF THE ENGINE OFF SUDDENLY WITHOUT GIVING WARNING AT ALL. WHAT REALLY SCARE US THE CAR STOP AT ALL SUDDEN DUE TO ENGINE OFF WHEN WE ARE DRIVING ON FREEWAY 10.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | |
| Exterior Lighting | |
| Engine | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | |
| Power Train | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Air Bags | |
| Steering |
There are just as many defects occurring within the electrical system on the Durango.
Here is just one of the Cars.com reviews that discuss problems. “I literally hate everything about this vehicle. Where do I begin? The car turns itself off at stop signs and turns back on when you press the gas pedal. The navigation goes back and forth from standard measurements to metric system. I’m sure there is a way to pick metric or standard, but after spending 30 minutes in a parking lot trying to figure out how, I gave up. When I picked up my brother from the airport, I couldn’t open the back hatch until I turned the car off. The park assist beeps when I am in reverse and there is something in front of the car. When you first start the car, the heated seat (gross) and heated steering wheel turn on automatically and I have to manually turn them off. If a passenger wants to type something into the navigation screen it will not allow you to do so until the vehicle comes to a complete stop. Dodge needs to stop overthinking EVERYTHING. I can’t express just how much I truly HATE THIS CAR.”
It’s hard to tell how the owner feels about this SUV. It turns out that electrical system problems run rampant on this Dodge model. The company couldn’t even get the radio and backup camera working the way it should. Service Bulletin #08-003-19 REV.C talks about all kinds of troubles that require an update to correct. One possible concern is green horizontal lines that show up on the backup display. Any of these disturbances make reversing quite difficult and annoying. While experiencing the over-the-top levels of performance offered by Dodge, owners also get to figure out glitches and strange noises. It sounds like a fun adventure, especially when the cabin is filled with lots of kids.
I WAS DRIVING MY NEW DURANGO ON I-95 NORTH FROM FREDERICKSBURG, VA TO WOODBRIDGE, VA, WHEN I HIT A BUMP ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD FLICKERED VERY FAST ABOUT 15 TO 20 TIMES, THEN THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AND THEN QUICK ACCELERATING ON IT’S OWN.
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There are just as many complaints about the exterior lighting, which needs to operate correctly if owners want visibility at night.
Here is an Edmunds review expressing disgust. “Do not buy this truck! Issues with lighting and will not be covered. Good luck with customer service as well. They are horrible.”
Pretty much everything should be covered on a brand new SUV. Dodge knows that this vehicle isn’t made the way it should have been. Service Bulletin #9004117 talks about how the bumper and fascia can pop off or become misaligned on its own. These aren’t troubles anyone would expect from an SUV that offers “pummeling performance.” Instead, the SUV is literally falling apart and Dodge is doing very little to retain customers.
HEADLIGHTS WOULD COME ON WHEN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS IN THE OFF POSITION WHILE IN PARK AND WHILE IN MOTION, AND STAY ON; DURING NIGHT TIME DRIVING HEADLIGHTS WOULD INTERMITTENTLY GO OFF IN THE ON POSITION WHILE IN MOTION. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BY DEALER REPAIR PERSONNEL TO FIND A REMEDY WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.
Think you have a lemon? Sit back and let the experts work out your lemon case at no cost to you. The law makes Dodge pay legal fees. You may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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I just bought one last week and it doesn’t look like there are recalls under my VIN but there are clunks between shifting gears. The largest problem however is some sort of electrical correction that occurs right in the middle of a turn (usually after switchbacks), that has almost caused my husband and I to crash on separate occasions. Both times it triggered the autotraction to start spastically applying brakes. It is slightly terrifying!