2021 Dodge Durango: What to check before buying
Owners have filed 159 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the exterior lights, electrical, and body and structure. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2021- Owner complaints
- 159
- Recalls
- 7
- Crashes reported
- 7
- 3 injuries
Your inspection sheet
Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2021 Dodge Durango: inspection sheet
Paperwork and questions
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/2
Walk-around and cabin
Engine off, key in hand0/2
Cold start, engine bay, and underside
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/4
Test drive
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/1
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
Which Durango is it?
EPA figures for each version of the 2021 Dodge Durango. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 3.6L 6-cyl | AWD, RWD | 21 mpg |
| 5.7L 8-cyl | AWD, RWD | 17 mpg |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | AWD | 13 mpg |
| 6.4L 8-cyl | AWD | 15 mpg |
- The 2021 Dodge Durango was sold in four versions. Confirm which one this is from the window sticker, the engine cover, or the VIN report before you compare prices.
- Reset the trip computer at the start of the drive. A Durango that averages well under the EPA 13 mpg combined on a mixed route may have an engine or tire problem.
Check the odometer against these mileages
Owners report these failures starting around the mileages below. A car inside one of these ranges deserves a closer look at that part, or records showing it was already fixed.
Rear spoiler detaching
31,911–49,000 miles
Driver-side DRL failure
40,000–65,000 miles
Transmission failure
63,000–84,000 miles
Why these checks: what owners reported
NHTSA complaints for the 2021 Dodge Durango, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Exterior lights501 crash
The driver-side LED daytime running light goes dark, usually between 40,000 and 65,000 miles. The DRL and front turn signal sit inside a sealed headlamp, so dealers replace the whole assembly. Quotes run from about $1,400 to more than $2,000, and some extended warranties refuse to cover it. Failed front turn signals follow the same pattern. At the rear, the racetrack taillight lets in water from rain and car washes. It then dims, flickers, or fails, and owners say the corrosion can also knock out the backup lights and camera. One report is crash-related.
Electrical342 crashes
Many of these reports repeat the lighting problems: dead driver-side DRLs and water-damaged rear taillights. A separate group describes random electrical faults. Windows, locks, climate controls, screens, and lane assist switch on and off while driving, and lane assist can jerk the steering wheel. Some owners say the push-button stop fails or the locks trap them inside. Others report radios that die after a software update, plus false forward collision warnings. One parked vehicle caught fire at about 22,000 miles, and the fire department named an electrical source. Two reports are crash-related.
Body and structure11No crashes
The rear roof spoiler comes loose at highway speed. Sometimes it hits the rear glass or tears off the wiper, and sometimes it is left hanging by the camera wire. Federal recall records list campaigns for this defect, but many complaints describe back-ordered parts with no delivery date, or VINs that the recall does not cover. Failures appear anywhere from 5,000 to 49,000 miles. Other single reports cover a power liftgate that keeps squeezing an obstruction instead of reversing, and a gasoline smell in the cabin.
Transmission101 crash
The transmission cuts power at highway speed, shows warnings such as "Switch to Park," and can leave the shifter stuck in Park. Other reports describe slipping, skipped gears, or a car that will not move. Dealers often cannot reproduce the fault, and some replacements wait on back-ordered parts. Coolant lines routed near the transmission rub and rupture, causing coolant loss, overheating, and in one case engine failure. Another vehicle stalled at highway speed and lost brake and steering assist, which the dealer traced to corroded control modules. One crash caused an injury.
Engine10No crashes
Long cranking with no start is the most repeated complaint. It tends to happen after the car has sat for an hour or two, or during auto stop-start at a light. A coolant hose at the rear of the engine also bursts and pours steam and coolant, with one case just past 30K miles. Warranty repairs can mean weeks of waiting for parts. EGR valve failures cause misfires or no-starts, again with back-ordered parts. Single reports cover stalling while driving, oil found in the coolant reservoir, and a rock-damaged A/C condenser.
Backup camera6No crashes
Nearly all of these complaints concern a rearview camera recall that dealers could not finish because parts were unavailable. Most of those owners had not experienced an actual failure. One dealer refused to do the recall because an aftermarket GPS security system had been installed before the sale, and the manufacturer backed that decision. In the only real failure reported, the rearview camera and navigation screen stopped working at about 700 miles. The navigation screen was replaced to fix it.
Airbags42 crashes
Two complaints say the airbags did not deploy in a crash, and both drivers were injured. One of those crashes was a multi-car pileup at about 20 MPH. Another report describes an intermittent airbag warning on the dash, along with an SOS message and a red light near the mirror's emergency button. The dealer traced it to a seatbelt problem that could affect the airbags and kept the vehicle for safety reasons. This category has only four complaints in total.
Brakes4No crashes
The brake pedal sinks to the floor and has to be pumped several times before the brakes work. The problem has outlasted repairs by both dealers and independent shops. On Tow N Go models, the optional Brembo front calipers seize at just over 40k miles and wear the pads unevenly, and one repair bill topped $5k after the warranty ran out. A failed ABS module and hydraulic control unit around 50,000 miles set off traction control warnings. One complaint describes a brake recall stalled by unavailable parts.
In owners' own words
Excerpts from complaints Durango owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
Driver side daytime running light failure. The entire headlight assembly must be replaced. There is reduced visibility, which is a safety concern. The cost to repair is $1,800, which is outrageous for a single headlight assembly. LEDs should not fail at 80K mileage on a car that is less than six years old. This appears to be a known defect on Dodge Durangos.
Filed with NHTSA, January 2026
The Driver's Side headlight Daytime Driving Light and Blinker stopped working at around 40k miles. We currently have have about 85k miles on it. The dealership stated is till cost over $1,000 to replace the headlight as the LED DRL and Blinker is not replaceable and the entire unit must be replaced.
Filed with NHTSA, September 2025
Vehicle has less than 50k miles on it, DRL-driver went out and the entire head unit needs to be replaced which costs over 1k. Common problem with this vehicle. Poses a safety risk while driving with the lighting failure
Filed with NHTSA, August 2025
Start/Stop feature says it is unavailable causing vehicle to not shut off when stopped as well as causing vehicle to give message saying Start/Stop feature unavailable due to hood open which then causes vehicle to shut off once stopped and requires vehicle to be shifted into park and restarted for message to come back on. This issue happens when driving and once stopped causes vehicle shut off in traffic causing huge safety concerns and issues.
Filed with NHTSA, June 2024
The transmission slips during initial acceleration and causes the driver to dangerously accelerate ahead unexpectedly.This has been occuring since I purchased the vehicle in July of 2021.
Filed with NHTSA, September 2022
How the 2021 compares with other Durango years
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2021 ranks second for owner complaints among 8 Durango years, about 2.3 times the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
- Exterior lights5016
- Electrical3418
- Body and structure110
- Transmission107
- Engine104
- Backup camera61
Where the 2021 fits in the Durango's history
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2021 is the 11th model year of the Durango's third generation (2011–2023).
It is also the first year of a mid-cycle update.
What changed for 2021
- Updated exterior styling
- Revised bumper and headlights
Recalls to confirm (7)
Recall repairs are free at any Dodge dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
24V436000Backup cameraJun 2024
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Dodge Durango, 2021-2023 Chrysler Pacifica, Jeep Grand Cherokee L, 2022 Ram 1500, 2500, 3500, Chrysler Voyager, 2022-2023 Jeep Compass, Grand Cherokee, Wagoneer, Grand Wagoneer, and Ram Promaster vehicles. The radio software may prevent the rearview image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility.".
Risk: A rearview camera image that does not display decreases the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the radio software or the software will be OTA, "Over-The-Air," free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning July 9, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's numbers for this recall are 66B and 79B.
23V115000Body and structureFeb 2023
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Dodge Durango vehicles. The rear spoiler may not be aligned properly with the roof, resulting in damage to the spoiler during liftgate use.
Risk: A damaged rear spoiler can detach and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the rear spoiler, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 9, 2023. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is 20A. This recall is an expansion of recall number 21V-842.
22V284000EngineApr 2022
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee WK, 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and 2021-2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L vehicles equipped with 3.6L engines. The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve may stick open, resulting in an unexpected loss of drive power.
Risk: An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the EGR valve assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 23, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Z31.
22V154000SteeringMar 2022
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Dodge Durango and 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles. The steering gear rack bar may have been insufficiently hardened during manufacturing, possibly allowing it to bind within the steering rack, and resulting in difficulty steering or a loss of steering control.
Risk: Difficulty steering, or a loss of steering control, can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the steering gear assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 12, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-852-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Z18.
22V140000BrakesMar 2022
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Ram 2500 and 2021-2022 Dodge Durango vehicles, and 2019-2022 3500 cab chassis with GVWR less than 10,000 lbs. The ABS control module software may prevent the electronic stability control (ESC) malfunction indicator light from illuminating during certain conditions. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems.".
Risk: An ESC malfunction indicator light that fails to illuminate during an electronic stability control problem can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the ABS control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Z20.
21V842000Body and structureOct 2021
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Dodge Durango vehicles. The rear spoiler may not be aligned properly with the roof, resulting in damage to the spoiler during liftgate use.
Risk: A damaged rear spoiler could detach and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the rear spoiler, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 21, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Y73.
21V280000AirbagsApr 2021
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Dodge Durango vehicles. The Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain (SABIC) fastener may be loose or missing.
Risk: A loose or missing fastener may cause the side curtain air bag to deploy incorrectly, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will tighten or replace the fastener, free of charge. Owner notification letters were sent on May 7, 2021. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is Y16.
Also looking at these instead of a Durango?
Cars shoppers compare with the Dodge Durango, with their own 2021 checklists.
2021 owner complaints, side by side
- 2021 Dodge Durango159
- Kia Telluride280
- Ford Explorer354
- Honda Pilot358
- Chevrolet Tahoe368
- Toyota Highlander403
- Jeep Grand Cherokee427
