Dodge Durango Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 4,543 NHTSA complaints, the Dodge Durango years to avoid are 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2021 — the worst logged up to 3.8× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by body failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 97 | 60 | 2 | BEST |
| 2009 | 19 | 11 | 4 | BEST |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2011 | 797 | 453 | 8 | AVOID |
| 2012 | 637 | 371 | 10 | AVOID |
| 2013 | 640 | 347 | 11 | AVOID |
| 2014 | 781 | 214 | 11 | AVOID |
| 2015 | 502 | 131 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2016 | 159 | 67 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2017 | 209 | 88 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2018 | 227 | 77 | 5 | AVOID |
| 2019 | 138 | 74 | 4 | CAUTION |
| 2020 | 53 | 22 | 2 | BEST |
| 2021 | 183 | 50 | 7 | AVOID |
| 2022 | 53 | 24 | 6 | SOLID |
| 2023 | 32 | 16 | 1 | BEST |
| 2024 | 9 | 7 | 0 | N/A |
| 2025 | 7 | 3 | 0 | N/A |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Dodge Durango. Full methodology.
Common Dodge Durango problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Dodge Durango are body, electrical, engine. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Headrest airbag spontaneous deployment
· Dodge Durango 2012–2019Corroborated by 31 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 777 body complaints across 2012–2019, typically 99,300–168,122 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $800–$1,500.
Alternator failure with overheating and PCM damage
· Dodge Durango 2012–2013Corroborated by 2 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 634 electrical complaints across 2012–2013. Owner-reported repair cost $3,000.
Engine misfire and valve train defect
· Dodge Durango 2012–2015Corroborated by 2 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 385 engine complaints across 2012–2015. Owner-reported repair cost $14,400.
Why these years stand out
2011 Dodge Durango: 797 owner complaints on federal record, 453 of them severe, plus 8 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Durango.
2012 Dodge Durango: 637 owner complaints on federal record, 371 of them severe, plus 10 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Durango.
2013 Dodge Durango: 640 owner complaints on federal record, 347 of them severe, plus 11 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Durango.
2014 Dodge Durango: 781 owner complaints on federal record, 214 of them severe, plus 11 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Durango.
2015 Dodge Durango: 502 owner complaints on federal record, 131 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Durango.
2018 Dodge Durango: 227 owner complaints on federal record, 77 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Durango.
2021 Dodge Durango: 183 owner complaints on federal record, 50 of them severe, plus 7 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Durango.
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FAQ
What years of the Dodge Durango should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Dodge Durango years to avoid are 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2021 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by body issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Dodge Durango?
The 2008, 2009, 2020 and 2023 Dodge Durango show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Dodge Durango verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Dodge Durango's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Dodge Durango before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Dodge Durango reliable?
The Dodge Durango's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 4,543 NHTSA owner complaints, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2021 rate "avoid", while 2008, 2009, 2020 and 2023 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Dodge Durango?
The most-reported problem area for the Dodge Durango is body, followed by electrical and engine. Confirmed failures include headrest airbag spontaneous deployment, alternator failure with overheating and pcm damage, engine misfire and valve train defect. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Dodge Durango across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Dodge Durango, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.