What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2003 Dodge Durango

Typical pattern

6.8% of complaints about the 2003 Dodge Durango came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2003 vehicle — around the middle of the 228 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 5.2 yr in service. The most-reported system is suspension (102 complaints), typically at 2.4 yr or about 50,000 miles.

Complaints
471
Median age at failure
5.2 yr
Median mileage
64,000 n=337
Crash / fire / tow
12.7% of reports
Safety recalls
6

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Suspension
102 reports · 50,000 mi
2.4 yr
9.8%
Electrical system
56 reports · 99,000 mi
9.0 yr
16.1%
Engine cooling
40 reports · 54,881 mi
4.8 yr
10%
Exterior lighting
39 reports · 98,000 mi
7.8 yr
0%
Service brakes, hydraulic
27 reports · 9,835 mi
1.6 yr
7.4%
Power train
26 reports · 36,199 mi
4.3 yr
7.7%
Visibility
22 reports · 60,000 mi
4.8 yr
9.1%
Steering
19 reports · 65,375 mi
6.5 yr
15.8%
Air bags
17 reports · 85,000 mi
6.3 yr
76.5%
Tires
15 reports · 62,899 mi
2.7 yr
0%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

08E064000 2008-10-20
Suspension:front:hub

SKF IS RECALLING 2,805 HUB UNITS, PART NO. BR930361, SOLD AS A SERVICE PART FOR 1997-2004 DODGE DAKOTA VEHICLES AND 1999-2003 DODGE DURANGO VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2-WHEEL DRIVE & REAR AXLE ABS. DUE TO A SPECIFICATION ERROR, THE ROTOR PILOT FOR THE HUB UNIT MAY BE TOO LONG. THIS RESULTS IN THE WHEEL TO NOT BE SEATED FULLY AGAINST THE HUB FLANGE FACE DURING MOUNTING.

IMPROPER SEATING OF THE WHEEL CAN RESULT IN EXCESSIVE VIBRATION, BRAKE ROTOR NOISE, DIFFICULTY REMOVING THE WHEEL AFTER INSTALLATION AND OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE, AND POSSIBLY WHEEL-END SEPARATION DURING VEHICLE OPERATION. SHOULD WHEEL-END SEPARATION OCCUR, THE DRIVER COULD LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.

06V339000 2006-09-07
Electrical system

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FRONT BENCH SEATS ONLY, IF FLUID IS SPILLED FROM THE FLOOR MOUNTED CUP HOLDER, AN UNUSED CONSOLE POWER OUTLET CONNECTOR LOCATED UNDER THE SEAT MAY BECOME CONTAMINATED.

THIS MAY ALLOW DEVELOPMENT OF A HIGH RESISTIVE SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE CONNECTOR, WHICH COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A FIRE.

06E024000 2006-03-15
Engine cooling

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT K&N FUEL PERFORMANCE KITS, P/NOS. 57-1509, 57-1511, 57-1511-1, 57-1517, 57-1517-1, 57-1527, AND 57-1530. ALSO, A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THESE KITS WERE SOLD UNDER THE MOPAR PERFORMANCE PARTS BRAND NAME (P/NOS. P5007069 AND P5007070). ALL KITS WERE MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 20, 1999, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 23, 2004. THESE ASSEMBLIES WERE MANUFACTURED AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR CERTAIN DODGE PICKUP TRUCKS AND SUVS. A SMALL PIECE OF MATERIAL FROM THE TUBE WALL COULD BE SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE THROTTLE BODY, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE THROTTLE TO BECOME JAMMED IN THE OPEN POSITION.

A JAMMED OPEN THROTTLE COULD CAUSE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH OR INCREASED STOPING DISTANCES WHEN BRAKING.

04V596000 2004-12-21
Suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE (4X4), IF MOISTURE LEAKS INTO THE FRONT SUSPENSION UPPER BALL JOINT, EVACUATION OF THE LUBRICANT AND CORROSION OF THE JOINT MAY CAUSE THE JOINT TO WEAR OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THIS COULD CAUSE A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION, WHICH MAY NOT ALWAYS BE HEARD BY THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.

EXCESSIVE WEAR IN THE UPPER BALL JOINT MAY ALLOW IT TO SEPARATE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

04V216000 2004-05-05
Visibility:windshield wiper/washer

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE MOTOR MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO WATER INTRUSION THAT COULD CAUSE INTERNAL CORROSION AND RESULT IN PARTIAL OR COMPLETE LOSS OF FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPING CAPABILITY.

DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

02V322000 2002-12-02
Exterior lighting:headlights:switch

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, THE CENTRAL TIMER MODULE (CTM) HAS AN IMPROPERLY SIZED CIRCUIT BOARD TRACE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE THE RIGHT HEADLAMP LOW BEAM TO BECOME INOPERATIVE.

IF THE LIGHTS FAIL, A VISIBILITY PROBLEM COULD OCCUR, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

In owners’ own words

Suspension mileage not reported 0 mo in service
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES IN A PANIC STOP OR WET OR ROUGH PAVEMENT. THE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING AFTER INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY THE DEALER. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE AB BRAKING PUMP HAS MALFUNCTION. PART ARE ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER.
Suspension mileage not reported 11 mo in service crash / fire / tow
ON THE 2003 DODGE DURANGO ON HIGHWAY DRIVE IT PULLS TO THE RIGHT WHEN YOU GO PAST 65 MPH. IT SHAKES AND PULLS TO EITHER SIDE. MY RENTAL WENT TO THE RIGHT OTHER DURANGOS ON THE HIGH WAY WENT TO THE LEFT.*AK
Suspension 1,000 mi 1.0 yr in service
WHILE DRIVING ON A HILL AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN ON A CURB THE VEHICLE LEANED EXCESSIVELY TO THE RIGHT AND ALMOST ROLLED OVER. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED AFTER MARKET HEAVY DUTY SHOCK ABSORBERS. *AK *TS *NLM
Air bags mileage not reported 8 mo in service
THERE WERE NO PARTS AVAILABLE FOR THE DEALERSHIP TO PERFORM RECALL NUMBER B32 RELATED TO THE SENSOR MODULE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED NUMEROUS TIMES (SERVICE MANAGER MATT BARTOLO FILE NUMBER 11214898). *NLM

Other Durango model years

20222021202020192018201720162015201420132012201120082007200620052004200320022001200019991998

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