CarComplaints.com Notes: The third generation Durango is plagued by a defective TIPM, particularily in the 2011 and 2012 model years.
TIPM, which stands for Totally Integrated Power Modules, is responsible for controlling and distributing power to all the vehicle’s electrical functions. So when your TIPM goes haywire, bad things start happening. Things like your water pump can stop working, your engine can stall out and your airbags can randomly deploy.
My 2011 Durango started shifting roughly at around 98,000 miles. The problem worsened rapidly. At 100,000 miles it began randomly decide to downshift causing high revs at highway speeds. It was scary to be driving on the interstate at 75 miles an hour because when it downshifted the entire car would jerk and lose almost all of it power, forcing me to limp it home at 30 to 40 miles per hour. I sold the car at 105,000 miles. At that point every mechanic was telling me that the repair would be 3 to 5 thousand dollars! There's no reason anyone should have to spend that much money of a relatively new vehicle.
Well have 86000 miles on my paid off and bought brand new Dodge, now transmission is screwing up, THIS IS THE WORST CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED. WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE... We paid a lot of money for this car had nothing bit problems, and major ones engine, tipm, alternator, now the transmission, this vehicle clearly sucks...Can't wait to buy a Honda I will never buy another Dodge again, hate it.
Update from Jun 12, 2018: Took in to dealer today, contacted Dodge Corporate, will update with resolution
Bought the vehicle brand new in 2011. Started to develop the problem after two years.
1. It is making 'whoop' 'whoop' sound at about 5 mph as the vehicle is decelerating to a complete stop. This weird sound can also be heard when shifting the gear lever to R or D from any other position. This weird sound occurs after the engine has reached its normal temperature; no sound when it is cold.
2. Under a certain normal driving condition the vehicle is making a sudden jolt motion when the transmission is changing gear.
I took the vehicle to two different Dodge dealerships in town but their so called experienced technicians and service advisors could not figure out what is wrong with my vehicle. I am so frustrated and thinking to sell the vehicle. This is my fourth Chrysler products I have owned; I must admit that I did not learn from my past experience. This will be the last!
I have been taking this vehicle into Dodge every few months for recalls and oil changes and always mention the rough shifting to them. They ALWAYS tell me that since there is no idiot light on telling them there is a problem and the mechanic test driving it never has the problem, that in fact NO PROBLEM EXISTS! I'm NOT crazy and both my husband and I have mechanic backgrounds from the military....so if WE say there is a problem, there most likely IS! But so far, for a few years now, they refuse to look into it further!!!
In October 2014 I purchased a 2011 Dodge Durango Express from the local Dodge dealership. Since shortly after purchasing it, the transmission acted a little odd, but I thought maybe it was just that I was not used to the vehicle. The problem progressively got worse as time passed. The vehicle would shudder for periods of time, and sometimes I will press the gas pedal and the vehicle will begin to slow. Even if I push the pedal a little harder, it doesn't make it go any faster, but in fact the vehicle will shake or just rev up.
Today, I had it in for routine maintenance at the selling dealer. I scheduled the appointment 3 weeks ago, I mentioned while it was in that I needed them to diagnose the trouble with the transmission. She says no problem, but when I came in today, they told me that they only had a guy to do the oil change and no mechanics available to look at the transmission. So, after I express how long I waited, etc, the service writer finds a mechanic to take it for a drive. He goes for a 5 min. drive, comes back and says, well it didn't do it to me and there are no lights on so there is no problem.
I am glad that we really rely on this type of mechanical diagnosis. When I express my opinion again to the service writer, he says, "the first thing Dodge's tech line will ask is if we were able to duplicate the trouble, and if not they won't talk to us". As that was all of an answer he could give me, I told him that I will try contacting someone at Dodge myself, to see if I get a remedy, he wished me good luck.
So much for a warranty if they won't properly diagnose the vehicle for the trouble. I'm sure if I was to have to pay for the repair out of pocket, that the transmission would suddenly been bad. Guess I'm out of luck.
- Frank J.,
McKees Rocks, PA, US
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When driving this vehicle everything is good until you start going up a hill then then vehicle starts to change gears but cannot decide what gear it wants to go to vehicle has been back to shop 5 times each time they say all is ok ,I took the service manager out for a test drive so he could see what the issue was and then go back to dodge ,but the answer I get from dodge customer service is that it is a characteristic of this vehicle .this issue is so bad it feels as if the vehicle is going to stop but still no one will sort the issue out not a happy owner.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
My 2011 Durango started shifting roughly at around 98,000 miles. The problem worsened rapidly. At 100,000 miles it began randomly decide to downshift causing high revs at highway speeds. It was scary to be driving on the interstate at 75 miles an hour because when it downshifted the entire car would jerk and lose almost all of it power, forcing me to limp it home at 30 to 40 miles per hour. I sold the car at 105,000 miles. At that point every mechanic was telling me that the repair would be 3 to 5 thousand dollars! There's no reason anyone should have to spend that much money of a relatively new vehicle.
- Eric M., Athens, TN, US