CarComplaints.com Notes: The second generation Durango was introduced in 2004 and instantly came under fire for, well, catching on fire.

From 2004-2006 electrical overloading in the driver's side instrument panel caused numerous reports of interior fires. The interior infernos became so commonplace that Chrysler eventually issued a recall.

The problems didn't stop there, however. Owners of the recalled vehicles complained about being treated unfairly and given take-it-or-leave-it low ball settlement offers. "They offered me $2000 under NADA retail as a settlement," said one owner, "and have been rude and hostile to deal with." Nothing says awesome service like treating your customers rudely after their cars have caught on fire.

Have we mentioned all the reports of complete engine failure due to oil sludge?

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 9
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
111,485 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2004 Dodge Durango engine problems

engine problem

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2004 Dodge Durango Owner Comments (Page 7 of 17)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #206

Oct 142014

Durango

  • 140,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Rain poured through the wiper cowl and saturated the engine causing it to hydro-lock and blow a rod. This is just one of thousands of complaints about this vehicle. This is obviously a very dangerous manufacturer defect and no one is doing anything about it. Is the government waiting for more people to be killed on the highways due to this? please advise if something is being done about this. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

- Palm Bay, FL, USA

problem #205

Jun 072014

Durango

  • 110,890 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled during inclement weather. The vehicle was able to restart after numerous attempts. The contact also stated that while driving at approximately 50 mph, the vehicle was driving unstable and there was a loud abnormal noise. In addition, the steering wheel seized and the brake pedal failed to respond. As a result, the contact lost control of the vehicle and spun around causing it to roll over. The contact crashed into an embankment. The contact was unconscious upon hitting her head on the driver's side window. A police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries to the head, the chest that required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The VIN was not available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 110,890.

- Hallszille, TX, USA

problem #204

Oct 202014

Durango 4WD 8-cyl

  • 76,000 miles
After heavy rainfall, the engine would not start. The car was towed to a mechanic who told me that the engine was blown. No precursors, no check engine lights, now warning signs.

- Westbury , NY, USA

problem #203

Oct 282009

Durango

  • 75,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph, the engine stalled. The vehicle was able to restart and there was an abnormal noise. The contact mentioned that the failure occurred during rain weather conditions. The contact discovered that the engine was fractured. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.

- Whitney Point , NY, USA

problem #202

Sep 012009

Durango 8-cyl

  • miles
Vehicle dies when it rains or if you go through a car wash. The engine shuts off and all power is lost. This is a very well known problem of this vehicle, yet Dodge has done nothing for it. It is extremely dangerous when it suddenly dies in traffic plus it is raining. We have taken it to several Dodge dealers over the past five years, yet they claim they don't know how to fix it even though there is a service bulletin for it, but not a recall.

- Frisco, TX, USA

problem #201

Feb 012012

Durango

  • 115,000 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Durango. While driving approximately 35 mph and making a right turn, the engine stalled without warning. The failure only occurred during inclement weather or after the vehicle was washed. The vehicle would only restart after the vehicle was completely dry. The failure occurred multiple times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The technician diagnosed that water leaked into the engine and spark plugs, which caused corrosion. The spark plugs were replaced, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000.

- Coshocton, OH, USA

problem #200

Oct 012014

Durango 4WD 8-cyl

  • 162,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving and accelerated to pass a vehicle. As I slowed down there was a loud bang. I pulled off to the side, lifted the hood, and saw a slight wisp of smoke. I attempted to restart the vehicle without success. As it was being towed, I noticed oil leaking from the engine. In researching this issue, I've seen hundreds of complaints of the same thing happening. The vehicle has been well maintained as far as oil changes, etc.

- Southfield, MI, USA

problem #199

Apr 152014

Durango 4WD 8-cyl

  • miles
We purchased our pre-owned 2004 5.7 limited edition in January 2007. It had around 40,000 miles. Within a year or so after, the cd changer stopped working, and then the radio would sometimes not work after heavy rain. During a heavy downpour the car would shake and sometimes turn-off, leaving me and 2 small kids stranded on the side of the highway until the rain lightened enough for the car to start again. Whenever we would take the car in to be repaired for this problem, we were always told they couldn't find anything wrong that would cause those types of problems, but we had numerous repairs that we now think were probably related to the water problem, such as a new starter, repairs for a coolant leak, etc. In early 2014 the car began having problems with overheating. A few days after a two or three day period of near constant rain I went to start the car and it sounded like it was flooded or something. Then there was a long bang followed by a terrible noise coming from the engine. Had it towed and looked at by two different mechanics who said there was a hole in the block and the engine would have to be replaced. I just recently decided to search the internet to see if any other people had this problem and have found hundreds of posts by consumers who had this very same thing happen to this model Dodge Durango. It seems appropriate for Dodge to be investigated for this and pay us for thousands of dollars spent on repairs, tows, having to sit dangerously on the side of highways when the car would turn of in the heavy rain, and the fact that we ended up just having to junk our car for a few hundred bucks and will now have to purchase a brand new car we cannot afford when we had just paid this one off two years prior. They should be held accountable for basically selling cars with defective components to unsuspecting buyers for tens of thousands of dollars!!!

- Greensboro, NC, USA

problem #198

Sep 072014

Durango

  • 168,000 miles
2004 Dodge Durango V8 hemi. Original owner. Bought this vehicle brand new off of the lot. Maintenance performed as scheduled. Loud banging noise coming from engine compartment area, after sitting over the weekend. Vehicle would always stall/sputter in the rain. Rain over the weekend, when I started the truck up on Sunday morning, there was a bang and a loud knocking noise coming from engine. Took timing assembly apart found a broken guide pin, was not the issue. Appears to be blown rod. Engine toast....after looking for engine online I find this forum, why won't anyone do something about this? I'm glad my wife and children were not driving this when it happened.

- Perry, OH, USA

problem #197

Sep 112014

Durango 4WD 8-cyl

  • 117,000 miles
I drove the truck 2 days ago and it ran fine. Yesterday it rained all day and when I went to start it today it started but had very loud banging noises from the engine. I shut it down then restarted and the noises were worse. I then got online and did some research and saw that this exact issue has plagued lots of people. Chrysler needs to deal with this problem. I cannot afford to get this fixed as I am currently unemployed. I was getting ready to go on a job interview...it is hard to know what the results would have been if this happened on the highway.

- Battle Greek, MI, USA

problem #196

Feb 242014

Durango 4WD 8-cyl

  • 100,800 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Durango was always well maintained and taken care of. Oil changed every 3,000 miles. One morning I started the truck and there was a strange ticking noise. The night before the truck ran fine as usual. It rained heavily that night. I did not use the truck at all for fear of doing any damage. I took the truck to the dealer and they didn't actually know what the ticking was and wanted me to pay about $550 in labor so they could take the motor apart. I decided to take the truck home to think about it because the $550 was not even for a repair, it was only to get an estimate. I did not use the truck at all and it was just parked in my yard. When I started the truck up to bring it to my own mechanic the noise was a horrendous banging sound and the engine stalled. I didn't even use the truck at all and a ticking noise now turned into a banging sound. I had the truck towed to my mechanic who informed me that I needed a motor. Broken rod. I don't understand how a truck in great condition, that looks brand new, always well maintained just blows a motor at 100,800 miles. I went to another Dodge dealer because I didn't care for the fact that the first dealer did absolutely nothing for me. I went to the service dept. To find out about a motor and was actually given the name of a co. That sells motors because I was told that my motor is on back order and the dealer can't even get one. I was told that there is a shortage because across the country 18 motors are being changed daily. That seems like quite a high number when nothing is being done for the consumer about this matter. It will cost me about $5000 to $6000 to replace the motor so now the truck is just a paper weight in my back yard. I already have a huge investment in this truck and the engine should not have failed when I took such good care of it but it would seem that the dealer knows about this problem.

- Woonsocket, RI, USA

problem #195

Aug 152014

Durango

  • 123,000 miles
What can I say... Dodge clearly has a design flaw in which water from rain, ect... leaks onto engine and electrical components slowly causing the death of vehicle with a dying motor and electrical problems. Water pours onto engine right down from the windshield. Who designs this crap!!!! I used the best oils and now this is what I have as a rewards from Dodge for my maintenance.

- Smithtown, NY, USA

problem #194

Aug 082014

Durango 8-cyl

  • 125,562 miles
My 2004 Dodge Durango limited with the hemi 5.7 has an erratic idle at stops whenever it rains. Later in the week I went on the highway at 45 mph the engine stalled during a rain storm. I only have 125,000 miles on the vehicle. I researched this online and found it was most likely the plastic wiper cowl below the windshield allowing water to flow over the top of the engine, which collects on the intake manifold and might slowly make it's way in to the block and hydrolock the engine. Seriously I thought. I went out the next day and opened the hood and placed the garden hose over the center of the windshield with the wipers on and ran the water on low, and also in the off position. Sure enough a lot of water flows in to the driver side wiper hole where it rotates and spreads out over the back two cylinders of the center of the engine. I found there is possibly an upgrade wiper cowl that may prevent some of the water flow buy not all of it. So now I am concerned with this circumstanced even after I get the new cowl that water will still be damaging or destroying my engine one day from water flowing through the cowl over the top of the engine once again. This would cost me $5000-$6000 for engine replacement, just because of a poor design, and no recall or solution from Dodge to take care of this water issue.

- Lakewood, CO, USA

problem #193

Jun 272013

Durango 4WD 8-cyl

  • 103,567 miles
We were driving with the family, then we heard this loud noise coming from the engine. After pulling over in a parking lot I notice a hole on the side of the block on the drivers side. I couldn't believe it. We take care of that like one if our babies. After doing some research, I can't belive Dodge knows about the problem 04 Durangos have and they are doing nothing about it. We still owe 4K on ours and now what?? my wife lost her job over this.

- Otisville, NY, USA

problem #192

Apr 112014

Durango

  • 109,000 miles
I had let my Durango sit for about 3 months starting it once a week. One day I went out to start it when I heard a loud knocking shut it off then try to restart the car then I heard a loud bang with really loud knocking. Immediately I knew it was a rod. I am so angry with Dodge. I am the original owner I took in to the dealership multiple times for the water issue and of course they didn't find a problem or one that they wanted to share with me. Now the Durango sits in my driveway until I decide to get it fixed not sure I want to if its going to happen again.thank god I bought a Kia optima right before this happened or I would be without a car. People wonder why we no longer buy american cars the cost then they don't stand by the product...this is not a cheap fix!!!* husband has a Dodge 1500 but we will never by Dodge again!!!!!!

- Aurora, CO, USA

problem #191

Apr 142009

Durango 8-cyl

  • 119,000 miles
My truck all of a sudden stop working with no warning. It only has 119,000 miles on it and it wont start. I would like to know if its apart of the recall.

- Benton Harbor, MI, USA

problem #190

Jul 082014

Durango 8-cyl

  • 158,000 miles
Hemi 5.7 engine failure drove vehicle on Monday 7/7/2014), park vehicle overnight, went to start the vehicle on Tuesday (7/8/2014) vehicle would not start. Will not turn over, mechanic indicates the vehicle will require a new engine, approximate replacement cost is $4,500 - $4,600.

- St. Clair, MI, USA

problem #189

May 142014

Durango 8-cyl

  • 162,945 miles
I changed the oil in my Durango on May 3 2014. The SUV then sat in the driveway for two weeks, during which it rained almost every day. I went to start the SUV it started fine then I heard a knock then a loud tapping. The engine has sinced locked up and is a paper weight now. This SUV was a daily driver and the two weeks was the longest that it has ever sat without being driven. Until this issue I've had no problem with this SUV. I've since read hundreds of similar cases on this model SUV. What recourse do we have because I'm still making car payments.

- North Little Rock, AR, USA

problem #188

Jun 202014

Durango 4WD 8-cyl

  • 122,000 miles
Driving to a vacation destination, on the highway at around 65mph. Engine started to shake very badly and make a clacking noise. I thought at first it may be a flat, but the vehicle did not lose control. I made it to the side of the road. I was able to get towed back to my local shop who advised the engine was not repairable. I searched for this issue and found www.carcomplaints.com/Dodge/Durango/2004/engine/engine_failure.shtml it seems this is a known issue and Dodge has failed to correct it.

- Barrington, NH, USA

problem #187

Jun 302014

Durango 8-cyl

  • 75,000 miles
Exited from freeway, car stated to shake. Took it to a local Dodge dealership in bridgton Maine. They have informed me there is a hole in the engine block and cannot be repaired. Have checked the web for any similar issues. Found 100 of complaints for low mileage 2004 Dodge Durangos with the same issue. Apparently water enters the engine from the outside and rusts a hole in the iron block, thus leaking oil. www.carcomplaints.com/Dodge/Durango/2004/engine/engine_failure.shtml when these engines seize on a highway result will be deadly. They should be recalled.

- North Reading, MA, USA

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