Dodge Durango Transmission Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Some, but not unusually many. Owners have filed 328 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2008–2025 Dodge Durango. For the Dodge Durango, that's 0.28 transmission complaints per 1,000 sold across the 2015–2022 cohorts, close to the 0.28 median of the 53 models we can rate. The worst years are 2011, 2014 and 2015.
Transmission complaints
328
Filed with NHTSA, 2008–2025 models
Per 1,000 sold
0.28
2015–2022 cohorts
Share of all complaints
7.1%
of 4,588 complaints for this model
Transmission recalls
6
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Dodge Durango transmission complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline), and per 1,000 vehicles sold where a published U.S. sales figure exists. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Transmission complaints | Per 1,000 sold | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Transmission recalls | Transmission TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 4 | — | 4.1% | 0 | — | 11 |
| 2009 | 3 | — | 15.8% | 0 | 13V038000 | 18 |
| 2011WORST | 51 | — | 6.4% | 2 | — | 24 |
| 2012 | 37 | — | 5.8% | 2 | — | 26 |
| 2013 | 34 | — | 5.3% | 4 | — | 32 |
| 2014WORST | 42 | — | 5.4% | 9 | — | 53 |
| 2015WORST | 38 | 0.59 | 7.6% | 20 | — | 62 |
| 2016 | 30 | 0.44 | 18.9% | 10 | — | 40 |
| 2017 | 23 | 0.33 | 11% | 1 | 17V541000 | 32 |
| 2018 | 13 | 0.2 | 5.7% | 0 | 18V280000 | 33 |
| 2019 | 12 | 0.18 | 8.7% | 0 | 20V183000 | 36 |
| 2020 | 11 | 0.19 | 15.1% | 3 | — | 59 |
| 2021 | 10 | 0.15 | 4.8% | 1 | — | 55 |
| 2022 | 9 | 0.16 | 17% | 0 | 22V866000 | 49 |
| 2023 | 7 | — | 21.9% | 0 | 23V640000 | 25 |
| 2024 | 4 | — | 44.4% | 0 | — | 14 |
| 2025 | 0 | — | 0% | 0 | — | 11 |
- Per 1,000 sold = complaints ÷ published U.S. calendar-year sales × 1,000. Calendar-year sales stand in for the model-year cohort. A dash means no published figure or fewer than 5,000 sold, too small to divide by.
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- No row for 2010: NHTSA's complaints data returned no records for that year under this model's names.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the transmission.
Common Dodge Durango transmission problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 328 transmission complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Dodge Durango years to avoid for the transmission
2011 Dodge Durango
51 transmission complaints (6.4% of the year's 797). Most often described: jerking, lurching or harsh shifts.
2014 Dodge Durango
42 transmission complaints (5.4% of the year's 781). Most often described: will not shift, stuck in gear or no reverse.
2015 Dodge Durango
38 transmission complaints (7.6% of the year's 502), 0.59 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: jerking, lurching or harsh shifts.
Worst years are those with at least 10 transmission complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Dodge Durango years to avoid.
Dodge Durango transmission recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Power Train for any Dodge Durango model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 23V640000 · 2023-09-18 · 2023 models
The shifter may experience an interference with the shifter boot and come out of gear while driving, which can result in a sudden loss of drive power.
- 22V866000 · 2022-11-23 · 2022 models
The shifter assembly was not properly heat-treated, which can prevent the shifter from properly engaging in the "drive" position.
- 20V183000 · 2020-03-26 · 2019 models
The front differential may have been assembled with pinion gears that are insufficiently hardened, which can lead to the gear teeth wearing down. If both pinion gears have their teeth sufficiently worn off, torque power can not be transferred from the…
- 18V280000 · 2018-05-01 · 2018 models
An incorrect transmission park lock rod may have been installed in the transmission.
- 17V541000 · 2017-08-31 · 2017 models
The vehicles may have been assembled with rear axle halfshafts that are too short.
- 13V038000 · 2013-02-06 · 2009 models
The rear axle pinion nut may loosen due to an undersized pinion spline that can allow relative motion between the nut and companion flange.
Which transmission does the Dodge Durango use?
- ZF 8-speed (8HP / TorqueFlite 8) — 2014–2024
Years are as listed for that transmission's applications. Some apply to certain engines only.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2011 Dodge Durango have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 51 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2011 Dodge Durango, 6.4% of all 797 complaints for that year. The most common description is "jerking, lurching or harsh shifts" (5 complaints). 2 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2014 Dodge Durango have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 42 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2014 Dodge Durango, 5.4% of all 781 complaints for that year. The most common description is "will not shift, stuck in gear or no reverse" (4 complaints). 9 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2015 Dodge Durango have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 38 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2015 Dodge Durango, 7.6% of all 502 complaints for that year, or 0.59 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "jerking, lurching or harsh shifts" (3 complaints). 20 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Dodge Durango years have the most transmission complaints?
2011 (51), 2014 (42) and 2015 (38), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the transmission. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so compare the per-1,000-sold column too.
What are the most common Dodge Durango transmission problems?
In the 328 transmission complaints, owners most often describe jerking, lurching or harsh shifts (9.1%), will not shift, stuck in gear or no reverse (8.8%) and loss of power or limp mode (4.9%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a transmission failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Dividing by sales shows how often owners complain relative to how many were sold, which makes models of different sizes comparable.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Dodge Durango model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a transmission complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline).
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 transmission complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration