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 already caught on fire.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
131,518 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.
Transfer case control motor shifts into 4WD and 4lo on its own while driving and while vehicle is off. I wrote about this a while back, still no solution. Many others are having this issue. Check out this website. Https://www.cargurus.com/cars/discussion-T4148_ds482593 there are over 300 posts about this issue.
The contact owns a 2005 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that the four wheel drive engaged independently. Also, when the vehicle was slowed down, the steering wheel seized. The failures were experienced several times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who believed that the four wheel drive engaged independently due to an electrical switch failure. The contact inspected the vehicle himself and believed that the four wheel drive engaged independently due to a failure in the wiring harness behind the dashboard. The contact also stated that the heater blower motor failed. The heater blower motor remained on the high setting. The contact replaced the heater panel himself, but it did not correct the failure. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 167,000.
It switches into 4 high and 4 low all by its self. The vehicle can be off for hours and it still will do it. The scary thing is it will shift like that while delivering as well. Very dangerous, and lucky there was not another vehicle either coming towards me or behind me, cuz I lost control of the vehicle and I an sure a incoming car would of kill everyone. This needs to be fix. There is hound to be a law suit and I read three is alot of other and you people know it.. this will be on you people,
Transfer case is engaging 4hi and 4 lock while driving automatically. Blinks lights on dash and goes away. Can hear the transfer case actuating when vehicle is parked after engine runs. Then goes away.
The vehicle began making a clicking sound after turning the key off and removing the key. It sounded like it was trying to lock into 4-wheel drive mode. I stuck my key back in and turned it to just before starting engine to see if any dash lights come in and the svc light flashed once. When I've turned the ignition on but let it in park I hear the same clicking sound. I've turned the knob that changes mode from 4lo, 4X4, and AWD but this changed nothing. I was told the sound comes from the transfer case motor but none of the local dealerships can find anything wrong. Please investigate several of the on-line forums are full of these same type of issues with the same make, model, and year as mine; and even with the same dealership act of ignorance issues I experienced.
- Union, MS, USA
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The contact owns a 2005 Dodge Durango. While driving 25 mph, the contact depressed the brake pedal and heard a grinding noise. Also, the four wheel drive low indicator illuminated and the vehicle inadvertently shifted into four wheel low drive. The contact slowly drove to a parking lot where the engine was turned off. After a few minutes, the vehicle was restarted and the contact was able to drive home. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed, but not repaired. The diagnostic results were not provided. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 194,000.
The transfer case make clicking counts when driving and while car is idle. It also makes these clicking noises while the car is off putting the car into 4 lo on its own. The car will sometimes shut off while driving low speeds and attempting to make a turn. The battery dies frequently after a week of not is use.
About 2 weeks ago, my 4lo light would blink and then go off, and then my svc 4WD light would go on for about 4min. I took it into my mechanic, he could not find anything. Today, as I was backing out of my driveway - with my 3 kids, all my wheels locked up and I could not drive it. Mind you, I am in the middle of the street now. When I got out of my car I could hear my car trying to shift from 4lo/4hi/AWD. I had to call my husband to come home to get my car off the street. In looking up this matter online, there seems to be alot of issues with this and seems to be a huge safety issue when you're talking about your car shifting from AWD to 4lo or 4hi - thankfully, I was not on the highway going 55. We were able to get it to the mechanic and you can hear it trying to shift when the vehicle is off - no key or anything - wow! mechanic said I was very lucky. I would highly suggest someone looking into this issue, it seems to be a pretty widely known issue.
The contact owns a 2005 Dodge Durango. On multiple occasions, while driving approximately 50 mph, the vehicle attempted to stall. The contact heard a clicking noise underneath the vehicle and the 4 low warning indicator illuminated. The dealer (larry H. miller Dodge peoria at (480) 865-3986 (8665 w bell rd, peoria, AZ 85382) stated that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 1,000.
When turning and driving at slow speeds, wheels lock up like brakes are on, not letting car move. Has on occasion when driving at speeds of 40 to 55, transmission does not go into overdrive. Of all the complaints I've read, I wish Dodge would admit they have a problem. I don't want this to lock up at highway speeds. Thank you
Was driving at a low rate of speed making a left turn into a parking spot and heard a huge clunk as if I hit a pot hole then the car became very sluggish as if something was slowing it down. I thought maybe I blew a tire so I got out and looked but the tires were fine. I then backed into the parking spot then drove forward a little and it seemed fine. I put it in park and turned off the ignition, then heard like an air compressor noise letting out air. It stopped after a few seconds. When I came out of the store it drove fine but the svc 4WD light came on, then back off. When I am travelling at lower rates of speed the light intermittently comes on and off and I haven't heard the clunk again but just now as I was making a left again at a slow speed the car came almost completely to a stop.
My Dodge Durango limited started shifting from and to 4WD and the service 4WD light came on. The vehicle began shifting randomly wile driving down the hwy. It will shift into 4wl wile driving 60 miles per hour down the road. This is going to get someone killed!
I bought this Durango used. I looked up recalls before I bought it to make sure nothing really bad was an issue. 2 days after I bought it it started shifting into 4 high and 4 low by itself, while I was driving. Fortunately it did not shift into 4 low while I was at high speeds, but it did it once while I was pulling out of a parking lot at about 10 mph and could have caused an accident very easily since I came to a complete stop, had to put it in neutral, play with the shift knob to get it back into AWD. After that I went home. When it is parked and off, you can hear the tranfer case actuator shifting into 4 wheel drive in and out on its own. I did some research and unplugged the actuator until I can get this resolved so that I can safely drive this vehicle. This needs to be a recall, I have read hundreds of reports just like mine. It is a very common problem with this vehicle, and it is very dangerous unless the actuator is unplugged so that it cannot shift. The dealerships don't know how to fix it. Some of the reports I read, the owner has spent thousands, and still the problem persists! that is why I have not attempted to fix the problem on my own by replacing any parts.
The contact owns a 2005 Dodge Durango. While driving 50 mph, the service 4 wheel drive warning indicator illuminated and the vehicle went in and out of 4 wheel drive automatically. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.
Vehicle switches into 4X4 with vehicle turned off Chrysler says they don't know what's wrong but if you go to car gurus.com lots and lots of people have this problem and no one will help us cause is transfer case motor engages on its own causing our car to lock 4X4 and yes vehicle will skid around corners and is dangerus
Started with the ser 4 wheel drive light coming on intermitly..then passenger side window intermitly stops working..next the transfer case motor switches all by its self into 4 wheel lock and 4 wheel lo with no lights on the dash..when its in 4 wheel lock its very hard to drive and turning almost imposable this creates a very unsafe condition when your driving when its in lock you can barely get out of a parking spot or get turned around even more scary on the road when it shifts all by its self..many times no lights on the dash to tell you it has changed...other time while driving at highway speeds the 4 lock of 4 lo lights come on..very dangerous...sometime the key fob also makes the transfer case motor change when the truck is not even running
"takata recall" I took the Durango to orange coast Dodge in costa mesa to fix the recall. They inserted a diagnostic device that showed that the air bag system was off line. No warning light was showing on the dash. When starting the vehicle the airbag light and the restraint system indicators on the dash light up for a few seconds then go off. The dealer ran a diagnostics and found that the airbag system was not initialized and that the warning light does not come on because the vehicle computer cannot connect to the system. He said its as if the system is not installed. The service associate said that he's seen this before and doesn't know for sure how it happens - maybe a voltage spike or battery issue. They performed the recall, initialized the system, tested and say everything works. Cost me $155. How will I know for sure that my airbags are online if the indicators don't show me? I had a front end collision in the vehicle in 2015 and the airbags did not deploy - see attached photo. After the collision the transfer case motor was stuck in 4 wheel drive mode even though the switch is in AWD position. At no time have I seen any indicator on the dash that shows the air bags or restraint system not working.
I vehicle likes to turn its 4 wheel drive on while I am making turns. Also when it is parked you can hear the 4 wheel drive system making clicking noises. This happens when the vehicle is turned off and the key is not in the ignition. I have read thousands of complaints about this same problem. I see that some people have spent thousands of dollars to fix this problem and it does not. Some people have stated while driving on a highway or road it has kicked in and caused traffic accidents, some serious and some minors. When will this problem be addresses" will it take someone dying to get an investigation started" I have had this problem for a couple of years and thank god, nothing has happen to me or my family when this issues happens.
The transfer case shifts by its self.the vehicle shifts into lock all on it's own, then the svc 4WD light comes on. Sometimes when the vehicle is turned off you can hear the transfer shift back and forth from AWD to 4 lock now its stuck in 4lo this happens stationary and in motion.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Gentry, AR, USA