2004 Dodge Durango Reliability
The 2004 Dodge Durango has 1,115 owner complaints and 9 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine and engine & cooling. Compared with nearby Durango model years (2002–2006), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Durango's typical year, while the 2003 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
1,115
NHTSA owner complaints
9
Recall campaigns
45
Complaints citing a crash
74
Complaints citing a fire
2004 Dodge Durango complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 model year, filed between 2004 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 326 | 29% |
| Engine & cooling | 249 | 22% |
| Electrical system | 243 | 22% |
| Air bags | 143 | 13% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 99 | 9% |
| Speed control / throttle | 49 | 4% |
| Body structure | 35 | 3% |
| Steering | 31 | 3% |
2004 Dodge Durango recalls
9 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2004 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03V528000 | Dec 12, 2003 | Electrical system — wiring / interior/under dash | On certain sport utility vehicles, an instrument cluster circuit board capacitor may overheat. |
| 04V020000 | Jan 14, 2004 | Speed control / throttle — cables | On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with 3.7l and 4.7l engines, the throttle control cable may ingest water and freeze during extended cold temperature. |
| 04V578000 | Dec 8, 2004 | Electrical system — 12v/24v/48v battery / cables | On certain sport utility vehicles built with a 5.7l, 4.7l, or 3.7l engine, the positive battery cable may contact the front suspension upper control arm mounting bracket. |
| 07V092000 | Mar 9, 2007 | Electrical system — instrument cluster/panel | On some sport utility vehicles, under certain operating conditions, an integrated circuit in the instrument cluster that controls interior lighting may overheat. |
| 09E012000 | Apr 7, 2009 | Exterior lighting | Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety… |
| 14V770000 | Dec 3, 2014 | Air bags | Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2004-2005 Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500, 2004-2005 Dodge Durango, 2005 Dodge Dakota, 2005 Dodge Magnum and 2005 Chrysler 300, 300C and 300 SRT8 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in… |
| 15V313000 | May 27, 2015 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Dodge Ram 2500, 2004-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 and Durango, 2006-2009 Dodge Ram 3500, 2008-2010 Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2005-2010 Chrysler 300, 300C, 300S, and SRT8,…NHTSA park-it advisory: do not drive until repaired. |
| 16V352000 | May 24, 2016 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 RAM 2500 trucks produced at the St. Louis North Assembly Plant. With this change, Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM…NHTSA park-it advisory: do not drive until repaired. |
| 17V824000 | Dec 21, 2017 | Equipment | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling various Dodge, Chrysler, and RAM vehicles equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. A list of the affected trailer models is available at:… |
How the 2004 compares with nearby Durango years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Durango analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 434 | 6 | Suspension | Solid |
| 2003 | 339 | 6 | Suspension | Solid |
| 2004 (this page) | 1,115 | 9 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2005 | 1,567 | 9 | Fuel system | Avoid |
| 2006 | 852 | 10 | Fuel system | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2004 Dodge Durango
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Engine & cooling: look for coolant leaks or low coolant, watch the temperature gauge on a long test drive, and check for overheating history.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 9 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2004 Dodge Durango can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2004 Dodge Durango reliability FAQ
Is the 2004 Dodge Durango reliable?
The 2004 Dodge Durango has 1,115 owner complaints and 9 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine and engine & cooling. Compared with nearby Durango model years (2002–2006), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Durango's typical year, while the 2003 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2004 Dodge Durango problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2004 Dodge Durango are engine (326), engine & cooling (249), electrical system (243), air bags (143). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2004 Dodge Durango have recalls?
NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 2004 Dodge Durango, including 03V528000 (electrical system — wiring / interior/under dash) and 04V020000 (speed control / throttle — cables). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2004 Dodge Durango compare with the 2003 and 2005 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2003 has 339 complaints and 6 recalls (solid); the 2005 has 1,567 complaints and 9 recalls (avoid). The 2004 has 1,115 complaints and 9 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2004 Dodge Durango?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Dodge Durango research
Other Dodge Durango model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2004 Durango, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.