2020 Dodge Durango: What to check before buying

Water leaks into the liftgate "racetrack" light and taillight housings and shorts out the LEDs. It usually starts with one dim or dark section and spreads until the whole marker band dies. The license plate and backup lights often go out with it. No warning light comes on, so many drivers only find out when someone else points it out. One failure is reported at 45k miles. Out of warranty, replacements have cost owners over $1200 and up to $1600. Separately, a sharp beak-shaped edge where the taillight meets the liftgate has cut people's skin. That edge accounts for all 3 injuries in this category.

Many reports filed here describe a 2020 Grand Caravan, not a Durango. That includes all 3 crash-related reports and most of the transmission failures. The Durango reports are fewer. One describes a hard shift into reverse on every start that keeps getting louder, starting around 20,000 miles. Another describes a transfer case failure that leaves the vehicle undrivable. A third describes a defective shifter control module: a "Service Shifter" message appears, then the steering turns heavy and the vehicle won't accelerate at highway speed.

One vehicle caught fire in a driveway after a remote start at about 11,200 miles and was totaled. Another report describes a faulty integrated power module (TIPM) with a melted fuse. That vehicle cranks but won't start, several times a day, with no check engine light. A frayed wire harness under the driver's seat breaks the airbag sensor connection when the seat moves, so the airbag and seat belt warnings flicker on and off. Other owners report violent engine vibration, lost compression, and the key fob starting the engine by accident in a closed garage.

Losing power under acceleration is the main pattern. At high RPM or under heavy load the engine shakes or bogs, the check engine light comes on, and a message says auto start-stop is disabled. Drivers describe this happening while passing on two-lane highways. One report ties it to a severe cylinder #1 misfire covered by a technical service bulletin, and new coils and plugs did not fix it. Two leaks also appear. Oil seeps from the oil filter housing and pools on top of the engine, which a dealer called common. The transmission oil cooler leaks at a factory-installed clamp.

Power steering assist cuts out suddenly while driving. A "Power Steering Unavailable" message appears and the wheel becomes very hard to turn, in one case on a vehicle with only 170 miles. Another report describes the steering wheel locking at 45 MPH. It was fixed by replacing the power steering rack, and the owner linked it to steering recall 22V154000 at 48,000 miles. One report says the steering column rubbed through a brake line until it burst. Another report in this group describes a Caravan, not a Durango.

Most reports are about seat belt sensing errors. The driver's buckle doesn't register, so the unbuckled chime keeps sounding and the airbag system turns itself off unless the belt is held down. Another report has the seat belt and airbag warnings chiming even with every belt fastened. Separately, a passenger active headrest deployed while driving without any impact. Dealers charge for the buckle repair even though it is a safety system.

One driver's seat belt doesn't retract after unbuckling and has to be pushed back up by hand. The owner notes a recall covered the same symptom on a Jeep Grand Cherokee. In the other report, a belt was assembled wrong at the factory and can't be fastened without twisting it. With only 2 reports, there is no wider pattern yet.

The vehicle speeds up on its own at highway speed without cruise control engaged. In one case it climbed from 42 mph to 65 mph and sped up again every time the brake was released. The second report describes a delayed throttle response, then the vehicle accelerating by itself as if cruise control had switched on. The brakes then failed to stop it. Both reports describe a direct risk of losing control, and one happened days after purchase.