1998 Dodge Durango Problems: Suspension (944 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1998 Dodge Durango is Suspension (49% of 944 owner reports). There are 6 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Suspension — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 944 complaints · 6 recalls

What problems show up on the 1998 Dodge Durango?

464 of 944 filings named Suspension (49% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Transmission / driveline (76 reports).

There are 6 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Electrical, Brakes, and Fuel system. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The previous year is not published here. Use the year list to jump around.

What to check before you buy a 1998 Dodge Durango

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 6 campaigns on file below.
  2. Suspension. Listen for clunks over bumps and look at tire wear for alignment issues.
  3. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  4. Brakes. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Suspension. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Suspension 464 complaints · 49.2% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 51
  • Fires 12
  • Injuries 31
  • Deaths 0
All Dodge Durango years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Suspension (SUSPENSION) appears in 464 of 944 owner complaints (49.2%) in this vehicle snapshot. Suspension (SUSPENSION): 464 complaints, 49.2% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 4 crash reports 2 fire reports 464 · 49.2% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 76 complaints, 8.1% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 5 crash reports 1 fire reports 76 · 8.1% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 67 complaints, 7.1% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 10 crash reports 1 fire reports 67 · 7.1% Steering (STEERING): 56 complaints, 5.9% of reports Steering (STEERING) 3 crash reports 1 fire reports 56 · 5.9% Engine (ENGINE): 45 complaints, 4.8% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 45 · 4.8% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 40 complaints, 4.2% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 2 crash reports 40 · 4.2% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 25 complaints, 2.7% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 19 crash reports 25 · 2.7% Wheels (WHEELS): 24 complaints, 2.5% of reports Wheels (WHEELS) 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 24 · 2.5% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 23 complaints, 2.4% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 5 fire reports 23 · 2.4% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 830 complaints, 87.9% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 40 crash reports 10 fire reports 830 · 87.9% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 464 49.2% 4 crashes · 2 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 76 8.1% 5 crashes · 1 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 67 7.1% 10 crashes · 1 fires
Steering (STEERING) 56 5.9% 3 crashes · 1 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 45 4.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 40 4.2% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 25 2.7% 19 crashes · 0 fires
Wheels (WHEELS) 24 2.5% 1 crashes · 1 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 23 2.4% 0 crashes · 5 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 830 87.9% 40 crashes · 10 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 1998; the first recall shown was reported in Jan 1998. 1998-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 1998-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 1998-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 1998-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 1999-Q1: 36 owner reports 36 1999-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 1999-Q3: 29 owner reports 29 1999-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2000-Q1: 31 owner reports 31 2000-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2000-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 2000-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2001-Q1: 17 owner reports 17 2001-Q2: 16 owner reports 16 2001-Q3: 24 owner reports 24 2001-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2002-Q1: 21 owner reports 21 2002-Q2: 14 owner reports 14 2002-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2002-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2003-Q1: 16 owner reports 16 2003-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2003-Q3: 144 owner reports 144 2003-Q4: 78 owner reports 78 2004-Q1: 93 owner reports 93 2004-Q2: 56 owner reports 56 2004-Q3: 38 owner reports 38 2004-Q4: 44 owner reports 44 2005-Q1: 51 owner reports 51 2005-Q2: 16 owner reports 16 2005-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2005-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2006-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2006-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2006-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2006-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2007-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2007-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2008-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2008-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2008-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2009-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2009-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2009-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2010-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2010-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2011-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2013-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2014-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 1998 Jan 2021 Recall campaign 98V019000 ◆ Recall campaign 98V019000 Recall campaign 99V341000 ◆ Recall campaign 99V341000 Recall campaign 99V342000 ◆ Recall campaign 99V342000 Recall campaign 01V153000 ◆ Recall campaign 01V153000 Recall campaign 06E022000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E022000 Recall campaign 06E024000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E024000 Investigation PE02082 ● Investigation PE02082 Investigation PE03032 ● Investigation PE03032 Investigation EA03023 ● Investigation EA03023
  • Campaign 98V019000 was reported 9 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 99V341000 was reported 552 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 99V342000 was reported 304 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1998-Q1 Owner reports 6
1998-Q2 Owner reports 5
1998-Q3 Owner reports 12
1998-Q4 Owner reports 11
1999-Q1 Owner reports 36
1999-Q2 Owner reports 8
1999-Q3 Owner reports 29
1999-Q4 Owner reports 10
2000-Q1 Owner reports 31
2000-Q2 Owner reports 7
2000-Q3 Owner reports 11
2000-Q4 Owner reports 11
2001-Q1 Owner reports 17
2001-Q2 Owner reports 16
2001-Q3 Owner reports 24
2001-Q4 Owner reports 11
2002-Q1 Owner reports 21
2002-Q2 Owner reports 14
2002-Q3 Owner reports 12
2002-Q4 Owner reports 7
2003-Q1 Owner reports 16
2003-Q2 Owner reports 9
2003-Q3 Owner reports 144
2003-Q4 Owner reports 78
2004-Q1 Owner reports 93
2004-Q2 Owner reports 56
2004-Q3 Owner reports 38
2004-Q4 Owner reports 44
2005-Q1 Owner reports 51
2005-Q2 Owner reports 16
2005-Q3 Owner reports 8
2005-Q4 Owner reports 9
2006-Q1 Owner reports 8
2006-Q2 Owner reports 2
2006-Q3 Owner reports 8
2006-Q4 Owner reports 4
2007-Q1 Owner reports 3
2007-Q2 Owner reports 1
2007-Q3 Owner reports 1
2007-Q4 Owner reports 1
2008-Q1 Owner reports 4
2008-Q2 Owner reports 4
2008-Q3 Owner reports 5
2008-Q4 Owner reports 3
2009-Q1 Owner reports 3
2009-Q2 Owner reports 3
2009-Q3 Owner reports 2
2009-Q4 Owner reports 1
2010-Q1 Owner reports 1
2010-Q2 Owner reports 3
2010-Q3 Owner reports 3
2010-Q4 Owner reports 3
2011-Q1 Owner reports 1
2012-Q2 Owner reports 2
2013-Q1 Owner reports 1
2013-Q2 Owner reports 1
2013-Q4 Owner reports 1
2014-Q1 Owner reports 3
2014-Q2 Owner reports 2
2015-Q1 Owner reports 2
2015-Q3 Owner reports 1
2016-Q1 Owner reports 1
2016-Q3 Owner reports 1
2018-Q1 Owner reports 2
2018-Q2 Owner reports 1
2021-Q1 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 98V019000
Recall campaign 1 99V341000
Recall campaign 1 99V342000
Recall campaign 1 01V153000
Recall campaign 1 06E022000
Recall campaign 1 06E024000
Defect investigation 1 PE02082
Defect investigation 1 PE03032
Defect investigation 1 EA03023
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (6)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Electrical, Brakes, and Fuel system.

  1. Recall campaign 01V153000

    Safety recall 01V153000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE MATERIAL COULD INTERFERE WITH THE CLOCKSPRING RIBBON AND CAUSE AN OPEN CIRCUIT. THE DRIVER AIR BAG SYSTEM WILL BECOME DISABLED, AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP WILL ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 18, 2001. ALSO SOME 1997-200 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES THAT, ACCORDING TO WARRANTY RECORDS, HAVE HAD A SUSPECT REPLACEMENT CLOCKSPRING INSTALLED, WILL ALSO BE INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 06E022000

    Safety recall 06E022000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID CAN LEAD TO A DECREASE IN BRAKE LINE PRESSURE AND AN INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE, WHICH CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    AFFINIA (BRAKE PARTS, INC.) WILL REPLACE THE SUBJECT BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 20, 2006. OWNERS CAN CONTACT AFFINA GROUP CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-323-0354.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 06E024000

    Safety recall 06E024000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    A JAMMED OPEN THROTTLE COULD CAUSE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH OR INCREASED STOPING DISTANCES WHEN BRAKING.
    Remedy:
    K&N WILL PROVIDE OWNERS WITH A FREE REPAIR KIT ALONG WITH REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 20, 2006.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 98V019000

    Electrical

    Report date
    Component:
    Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL RETIGHTEN THE GENERATOR CABLE AND BATTERY CABLE FASTENERS TO THE PROPER TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 99V341000

    Brakes

    Report date
    Component:
    Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
    Consequence:
    IF THE TUBE WERE PERFORATED, THERE WOULD BE A REDUCTION IN BRAKING FROM THE REAR WHEELS, INCREASING STOPPING DISTANCES.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RUBBER ISOLATOR ON ALL VEHICLES THAT DO NOT INDICATE TUBE CONTACT. VEHICLES THAT SHOW CONTACT AND HAVE LESS THAN 45,000 MILES AND NO SIGNS OF RED RUST WILL HAVE THE RUBBER ISOLATOR INSTALLED WITH SILICONE TO PROTECT THE TUBE WHERE THE COATING HAS WORN OFF. VEHICLES THAT EXHIBIT CONTACT, AND HAVE MORE THAN 45,000 MILES OR SHOW SIGNS OF RED RUST, WILL HAVE THE BRAKE TUBE REPLACED WITH THE PRODUCTION TUBE AND ISOLATOR.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Recall campaign 99V342000

    Fuel system

    Report date
    Component:
    Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DOUBLE TOGGLE LOCK FUEL TANK STRAPS WITH SINGLE TOGGLE LOCK DESIGN. NOTE: AFFECTED VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH MAY 21, 1998, ALSO REQUIRE THE REAR BRAKE TUBE INSPECTION/REPAIR. AS A RESULT, THE FUEL TANK STRAP AND BRAKE TUBE REPAIR WILL BE PERFORMED ON THESE VHEICLES IN A SINGLE SERVICE PROCEDURE UNDER RECALL 99V-341/DAIMLERCHRYSLER #841. AFFECTED VEHICLES BUILT FROM MAY 22, 1998 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 25, 1999, ONLY REQUIRE THE FUEL TANK STRAP REPAIR, WHICH WILL BE PERFORMED UNDER RECALL 99V-342/DAIMLERCHRYSLER #842.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 7 of 944 complaints · page 1 of 38
2021-01-15Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11388250
CrashFireInjuryDeath
DUE TO TO UNEVEN DRIVEWAY THE VEHICLE STALLED, OR TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SPIN AND NOT MOVE, AT WHICH THE VEHICLE IGNITION WAS SHUT-OFF. IT WAS ATTEMPTED TO PUSH THE VEHICLE ABOUT 50 FEET TO A PARKING PLACE. ANOTHER PERSON OFFERS TO HELP, THEN PUSHES VEHICLE 25/50 FEET...ADVISES TO TURN THE WHEEL. THE WHEEL DOES NOT WANT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE HAS USED A LOT OF POWER STEERING FLUID ALMOST DAILY(HAS A HISTORY OF SQUEALING AND HARD TURNING AT START UNLESS LUBRICATED). SO ADVICE TO PLACE VEHICLE IN REVERSE CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO BE EVEN HARDER TO TURN, IF AT ALL. I REQUESTED HELP FROM THE BYSTANDER, WHO AT WHICH POINT COMES TO THE DRIVER SIDE WHERE I WAS STANDING OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE ALSO. IT'S UNKNOWN IF THE BYSTANDER HELP TURNED THE IGNITION ON, OR IF THE IGNITION SOMEHOW TURNED ON BY ITSELF. THE VEHICLE WAS OCCUPIED BY ONE ADDITION PASSENGER AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE TRAVELED IN REVERSE GEAR, WITHOUT ANYONE PUSHING ON THE ACCELERATOR. THERE WERE MINOR TO SEVERE INJURIES, AND DAMAGE TO 2 VEHICLES AND ONE STRUCTURE.
2018-04-29Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11090896
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TAKATA RECALL - I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON 8/11/2015 AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON ROADWAY AND WAS IN MOTION MAKING A LEFT TURN WHEN STRUCK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF VEHICLE.
2018-01-29Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11065718
CrashFireInjuryDeath
"TAKATA AIRBAG" I WAS IN A ACCIDENT WHERE A PERSON RAN A RED LIGHT, GOING ABOUT 45 MPH AND I T-BONE THAT PERSON'S VEHICLE, WITH ME GOING ABOUT 40 MPH. THE AIRBAG DELAYED ON DEPLOYMENT IN MY VEHICLE. I HAD MY SEAT-BELT ON BUT I STILL ENDED UP HITTING MY CHEST ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND HITTING MY HEAD ON THE WINDSHIELD BEFORE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. I AM TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF MY AIRBAG CAN GET DEFECTIVE OVER YEARS BECAUSE OF THE DELAY OF DEPLOYMENT. I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS A TAKATA AIRBAG THAT ISN'T ON THE RECALL LIST YET OR NOT. I STILL HAVE THE VEHICLE AND THE AIRBAG PART ITSELF THAT I CAN GIVE YOU THE NUMBERS OFF OF. SOMEONE REMINDED ME ABOUT THE TAKATA AIRBAGS SO I FIGURED I ASK.
2018-01-10Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11061593
CrashFireInjuryDeath
ALL 4 POWER WINDOW REGULATORS HAVE GONE OUT.
2016-07-20Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 10886041
CrashFireInjuryDeath
BOUGHT MY DURANGO NEW IN MAY 1998. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STARTED SHIFTING IMPROPERLY IN JULY 2000. TOOK IT TO A DODGE DEALER BECAUSE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY (31,418 MILES). THEY DROPPED THE TRANSMISSION PAN AND PRONOUNCED IT DOA (PAN WAS FULL OF METAL SHAVINGS). SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE WRITING ON THE WALL BUT I LOVED THIS VEHICLE. TOOK IT TO AN INSPECTION STATION FOR SAFETY & EMISSIONS TESTS IN MAY OF 2006. IT FAILED FOR BAD BALL JOINTS. I ASKED THE MANAGER WHY HIS MECHANICS SEEMED TO PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE FRONT END DURING INSPECTION AND HIS REPLY WAS IT WAS VERY COMMON TO FIND BAD BALL JOINTS ON APPROX. 50% OF ALL 1998-2000 DURANGOS. HAD MY MECHANIC REPLACE UPPER & LOWER BALL JOINTS, BOTH SIDES, AT 74,064 MILES, TO THE TUNE OF $701 PLUS TAX. I THEN STARTED HEARING ABOUT OTHER DURANGO OWNERS WITH SIMILAR BALL JOINT WOES. I WENT ONLINE AND STARTED RESEARCHING. FOUND A SITE WHERE FOLKS LIKE MYSELF WITH THE SAME BALL JOINT PROBLEMS, SOME WITH ACCIDENTS, WERE TRYING TO GET NHTSA TO DO SOMETHING. I GUESS PEOPLE ACTUALLY HAVE TO DIE FIRST BEFORE NHTSA WILL STEP IN AND TELL AN AUTO MANUFACTURER THEY NEED TO FIX THEIR FAULTY PRODUCTS. I ALSO LEARNED THAT THE 1998-2000 DURANGOS WERE BUILT ON THE DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP CHASSIS. A DAKOTA WEIGHS ABOUT 4,600 LBS. WHILE A DURANGO 4X4 WEIGHS IN AT 6,400 LBS. IT'S NO WONDER THE 1998-2000 DURANGO FRONT-ENDS WERE FALLING APART. SERIOUSLY, WHAT KIND OF IDIOT ENGINEERS DOES DODGE HAVE WORKING FOR THEM. SOMETIME LATER I HEARD THAT DODGE RUSHED THE DURANGO INTO PRODUCTION IN 1998 TO COMPETE FOR THE SUV MARKET BUCKS AND DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO ENGINEER A NEW CHASSIS SO THEY JUST MODIFIED THE DAKOTA CHASSIS WITHOUT BEEFING IT UP. WHEN PEOPLE STARTED TO COMPLAIN ABOUT BALL JOINTS AND SUCH, THEY BUILT A WHOLE NEW CHASSIS FOR DURANGOS IN 2001. I STUMBLED ACROSS THIS SITE TODAY WHILE RESEARCHING ANOTHER VEHICLE I'M THINKING ABOUT BUYING.
2016-01-27Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10822477
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE DURANGO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL INJECTION LINES WERE FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE CEILING LIGHT INSIDE THE VEHICLE WOULD ERRONEOUSLY TURN ON. IN ADDITION, WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, A BANGING NOISE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.
2015-08-29Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 10760195
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE CV JOINT CAME OUT RUIN THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WHICH CAUSED RUBBING ON MY INNER RIM, AFTER A WHILE IT HAS CAUSE THE INNER RIM TO TO BREAK OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING. WE HAVE REPLACED THE CV JOINT, WHEEL HUB BEARING, UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND THE STEERING BALL JOINT. NOW THE LOWER BALL JOINT IS STILL HITTING THE INNER RIM AND I CAN'T DRIVE

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1998 Dodge Durango?

Owners named Suspension most often — 464 of 944 reports (49%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1998 Dodge Durango?

NHTSA lists 6 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Electrical, Brakes, and Fuel system. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 1998 Dodge Durango?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Listen for clunks over bumps and look at tire wear for alignment issues. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources