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:
6 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
63,922 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 2 of 2)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #19

Aug 082009

Durango

  • 10,000 miles

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

Car sometimes starts without electrical response: Turn the ignition on and engine starts but no electricity. Driving on interstate 95 and all electricity to all panels and power steering shuts off. This happens often and results in having to coast to stop on the side of the interstate with little control of the vehicle. I have to restart engine several times before electrical response is restored. A tumbler kit was installed under warranty (service at pritchard Dodge in ithaca, NY in April of 2005) to reset electrical circuit and it helped but never fixed the problem, but now problem is back and getting worse. I do not have the luxury to buy another car so I have used it, but now is too dangerous.

- Branford, CT, USA

problem #18

Apr 022007

Durango 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 66,154 miles
Check engine and airbag light continually keeps coming on even after it' has been serviced. On 2 April 2007 check engine light came on, and lost its power after stopping at a stop light. It would idle, but would not move when the gas pedal was pressed. We had to turn the vehicle of at least two or three times before it would move when the gas was depressed. Additionally immediately after that you could tell that the vehicle was straining to drive, and you could also hear it while driving and going down the highway, it kept losing power as well. It has been in the shop now for 3 days, and I still can't get a straight answer on what it is that's wrong with vehicle. I have read about the investigation, but this does me no good because the dealership is saying that they honestly don't know what is wrong with my vehicle. I bought it brand new, and it has never been wrecked, and these are the only problems that I have had since I' bought it. There is no way I should be having this kind of problems at only a little over 66,000 miles. What can the manufacturer do to help with my situation?

- Fredericksburg, VA, USA

problem #17

Aug 012004

Durango 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 6,000 miles
Engine/transmission problems. Engine idles between 400 and 800 RPM at a stop after warm up (15 miles). At low speeds vehicle lurches forward and must be held at a stop firmly or it will take off. Stops are jerky because it feels like the truck is fighting. Lights pulse with the engine rpms. Force on the vehicle surges with the engine rpms. This is a constant thing that passengers and driver can actively feel, yet the dealership maintains that nothing is wrong. Many times (at least 8) the engine stalls at a stop during the RPM fluctuation. The transmission stays in second or higher gear at a stop. I know this because when I touch the gas pedal the transmission shifts hard and the truck leaps forward. It acts as though I had floored it even if I apply light pressure. Below you have incident date, this has been constant and increasing in strength since 6 months after I bought it. I have taken it to the dealership 5 times for the same problem. Tsb have been used. I just figure that I will wait until the vehicle fails completely but I don't like that option either.

- Sandy, UT, USA

problem #16

May 052006

Durango 4WD 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 23,407 miles

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

: the contact stated as the driver was turning into a parking space at 5 mph; the driver's foot was on the brake when the vehicle accelerated on its own hitting a tree. There was extensive damage done to the vehicle. This also occurred one other time in January. The vehicle accelerated as the vehicle was coming to a stop. The contact placed the vehicle in neutral in order to stop the vehicle. The dealership has been informed.

- Middle Village, NY, USA

problem #15

Dec 052005

Durango 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 27,000 miles
: the contact stated the throttle intermittently sticks at higher speeds of 45-60 mph during cold weather causing the engine to rev and not move forward. The check engine light has illuminated on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealership and they are unable to duplicate the problem.

- Anna, TX, USA

problem #14

Jan 192006

Durango 4WD 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 14,600 miles
: the consumer stated there have been two incidents with the vehicle inadvertently accelerating. First, while in reverse pulling out of a parking place, the vehicle accelerated across the parking lot. Second, while leaving a parking lot, the vehicle accelerated forward hitting another vehicle entering the parking lot. The dealership could not duplicate the problem. The manufacturer is sending an inspector to further investigate the problem.

- Ocracoke, NC, USA

problem #13

Jan 162006

Durango 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 29,000 miles

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

The consumer stated while driving the vehicle at 40 mph, the RPM and engine revved high. With the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle lunged forward and crashed into a fence. The vehicle was taken to the local dealership, where the problem could not be duplicated.

- Dalzell, SC, USA

problem #12

Nov 272005

Durango 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
During a road trip with my 2004 Dodge Durango the speedometer constantly read 3 - 4 mph faster than gps and the odometer/tripometer read 516.5 miles when proven to be only 500 miles with gps. Gps was linked to 9 different satellites throughout the entire trip (extremely accurate). Contacted dealer and was told that everything that controls speedometer is within allowable limits and nothing can be done to fix. Tire size may fix the problem with odometer/tripometer but not covered under warranty.

- Pensacola, FL, USA

problem #11

Oct 122005

Durango 4WD 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 8,000 miles
The contact stated that vehicle accelerated intermittently to about 5000 rpms. It only did it for a short time and then it stopped. The contact's wife was driving and it would speed up and slow down over and over. He took it to the dealer three times, and they could not find the cause of the problem. Manufacturer said take it to the dealer.

- Fortage, IN, USA

problem #10

Feb 202005

Durango 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While releasing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle accelerated uncontrollably. The driver applied the brakes and the vehicle failed to stop completely. The vehicle collided into another vehicle. This caused the passenger to sustain minor injuries. The vehicle was towed to a garage for inspection. The cause has not been determined at this time.

- Allenwood, NJ, USA

problem #9

Dec 132004

Durango 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 34 miles

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

When driving down a hill the vehicle accelerated up causing the rpms to go up to 3500. The consumer had to ride the brakes continuously. The dealer stated that this was a characteristic of the Dodge. On terrain where one would like to go slow down slope, one could idle down to 2 mph but if one touch the gas to increase, it would go to 1500 RPM and if one does not hit the brake, it would slow down continuously increasing to 3500 RPM without touching the gas more.

- Crescent, OR, USA

problem #8

Oct 162004

Durango

  • miles
Driving 2004 Dodge Durango accelerator got stuck to floor. Preening the brake, vehicle caught on fire. The incident was due a manufacturer's defect per fire inspection. Other problems were; the electric remote was inoperative, there was a delay in the shift when the A/C was on and there was a lot of water coming from the A/C.

- New York, NY, USA

problem #7

Dec 182004

Durango 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 14,640 miles
While traveling about 20 mph pressed brake to stop at stop sign the engine raced fora few seconds.car was very hard to stop.took car to dealer and was told, there was nothing they can do without seeing the problem!

- Hockessin, DE, USA

problem #6

Nov 102004

Durango

  • 21,000 miles
While braking any speed vehicle accelerated, causing it to hit a mail box. Consumer managed to pull over, and had the vehicle towed. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem.

- Danville, PA, USA

problem #5

Aug 282004

Durango 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 2,000 miles
The mileage guage on my 2004 Dodge Durango reads over 104 miles on a trip that has been proven to only be a 100 mile interstate trip.

- Augusta, WV, USA

problem #4

Mar 162004

Durango 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 4,500 miles
My 2004 hemi Durango ltd randomly stalls at start-up or while driving. It also will studder or loose significant power during accelleration. All this occurs randomly. Dealer could not repair because there was not fault code?

- Torrington, CT, USA

problem #3

May 172004

Durango 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
When driving at an undetermined speed, the transmission light appeared on the dashboard. The consumer took the vehicle to the dealership for inspection, however, the mechanic could not duplicate the problem. After the fifth visit to the service dealer (desoto mall), the transmission light had not come back on. The shifting light had come on and the consumer had taken the vehicle to the service dealer (central Maine Dodge) and after three visits to them, they found melted wires and a bad sensor. The wires had holes in them. Chrysler would do nothing to help resolve this problem. A transmission sensor was placed in the vehicle. (the shift indicator stayed on intermittently along with all of the other lights & the transmission range sensor rationality wires were damaged and melted on the catalytic converter) also the engine had come on and the vehicle jumped forward.

- Unity, ME, USA

problem #2

Jan 202004

Durango 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 500 miles
Following the throttle casing recall on my Dodge Durango 2004 slt 4.7 L a few days after I purchased the vehicle, my engine light came on...no prob per the dealer. Following week I noticed that gas mileage was below 10mpg's which was abnormal but dealer stated that it would get better. A few days later while accelerating on interstate 80 the engine started bucking and chugging and the engine light came on and started blinking..... I pulled to the shoulder and turned off vehicle. I got the vehicle to the dealer and they found from the computer that the cylinders were misfiring. They pulled the plugs out of the block and noted rust and corrosion along with oxidation covering the sparkplugs and the extension tubes holding the spark plugs. They found that water was getting into the firing area of the sparkplug. However, it was said to me by the warranty manager from the northeast business center for Chrysler that he had my photos sent to detroit and that engineers were now designing a deflector shield for these Durangos which would somehow keep water from getting to places it should not be. As a certified safety professional, #9937, I investigate fatalities and injuries regularly. It is my job to try to arrive at the root cause of accidents and incidents. In this case, a service manager from corigliano Dodge, believe other vehicles may have this problem and that it could be related...that is the water not being kept way from the innerds of the engine...could be related to the throttle cable getting water in it and when subject to freezing temps, it could stick causing an accident. Water in an engine here got the throttle to stick when mixed with cold temperatures. It got my engine cylinders to misfire and what about steering or electrical fires. Chrysler must have some oversight from your Agency on this and please contact me so I can email digital photos to you that I took that day in the corigliano Dodge of boonton, NJ shop.

- Rockaway, NJ, USA

problem #1

Jan 072004

Durango 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 1,380 miles
Vehicle accelerating by itself.

- Greenville, SC, USA

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