2003 Dodge Durango Problems and Recalls (329 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2003 Dodge Durango is Suspension (23% of 329 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 2026-09-07 329 complaints · 6 recalls

What problems show up on the 2003 Dodge Durango?

75 of 329 filings named Suspension (23% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Engine (38 reports).

There are 6 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Lights, Glass / wipers / cameras, and Suspension. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2002 has 413 reports on file; this year has 329. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2003 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. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  4. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  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 75 complaints · 22.8% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 28
  • Fires 18
  • Injuries 27
  • 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 75 of 329 owner complaints (22.8%) in this vehicle snapshot. Suspension (SUSPENSION): 75 complaints, 22.8% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 7 crash reports 1 fire reports 75 · 22.8% Engine (ENGINE): 38 complaints, 11.6% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 crash reports 2 fire reports 38 · 11.6% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 33 complaints, 10.0% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 6 fire reports 33 · 10.0% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 28 complaints, 8.5% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 28 · 8.5% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 23 complaints, 7.0% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 2 crash reports 23 · 7.0% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 20 complaints, 6.1% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 2 fire reports 20 · 6.1% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 18 complaints, 5.5% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 1 fire reports 18 · 5.5% Steering (STEERING): 13 complaints, 4.0% of reports Steering (STEERING) 2 crash reports 13 · 4.0% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 12 complaints, 3.7% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 9 crash reports 1 fire reports 12 · 3.7% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 187 complaints, 56.8% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 16 crash reports 6 fire reports 187 · 56.8% 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) 75 22.8% 7 crashes · 1 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 38 11.6% 1 crashes · 2 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 33 10.0% 0 crashes · 6 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 28 8.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 23 7.0% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 20 6.1% 0 crashes · 2 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 18 5.5% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Steering (STEERING) 13 4.0% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 12 3.7% 9 crashes · 1 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 187 56.8% 16 crashes · 6 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 Jul 2002; the first recall shown was reported in Dec 2002. 2002-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2003-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2003-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 2003-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2004-Q1: 12 owner reports 12 2004-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2004-Q3: 16 owner reports 16 2004-Q4: 22 owner reports 22 2005-Q1: 23 owner reports 23 2005-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2005-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2005-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2006-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2006-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2006-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2007-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2007-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2007-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2007-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2008-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2008-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2008-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2009-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2009-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2010-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2010-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2010-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2010-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2011-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2011-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2012-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2012-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2012-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2012-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2013-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2013-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2013-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2013-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2014-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2014-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2015-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2016-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2016-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2016-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2016-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2017-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2017-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jul 2002 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 02V322000 ◆ Recall campaign 02V322000 Recall campaign 04V216000 ◆ Recall campaign 04V216000 Recall campaign 04V596000 ◆ Recall campaign 04V596000 Recall campaign 06E024000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E024000 Recall campaign 06V339000 ◆ Recall campaign 06V339000 Recall campaign 08E064000 ◆ Recall campaign 08E064000 Investigation PE02082 ● Investigation PE02082 Investigation PE03032 ● Investigation PE03032 Investigation EA03023 ● Investigation EA03023 Investigation PE06008 ● Investigation PE06008 Investigation EA06011 ● Investigation EA06011
  • Campaign 04V596000 was reported 818 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 08E064000 was reported 2,217 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2002-Q3 Owner reports 1
2003-Q2 Owner reports 4
2003-Q3 Owner reports 11
2003-Q4 Owner reports 11
2004-Q1 Owner reports 12
2004-Q2 Owner reports 8
2004-Q3 Owner reports 16
2004-Q4 Owner reports 22
2005-Q1 Owner reports 23
2005-Q2 Owner reports 9
2005-Q3 Owner reports 4
2005-Q4 Owner reports 9
2006-Q1 Owner reports 5
2006-Q3 Owner reports 6
2006-Q4 Owner reports 3
2007-Q1 Owner reports 7
2007-Q2 Owner reports 9
2007-Q3 Owner reports 6
2007-Q4 Owner reports 8
2008-Q1 Owner reports 3
2008-Q2 Owner reports 5
2008-Q3 Owner reports 2
2008-Q4 Owner reports 8
2009-Q1 Owner reports 6
2009-Q2 Owner reports 2
2009-Q4 Owner reports 6
2010-Q1 Owner reports 5
2010-Q2 Owner reports 4
2010-Q3 Owner reports 6
2010-Q4 Owner reports 1
2011-Q1 Owner reports 3
2011-Q3 Owner reports 6
2011-Q4 Owner reports 6
2012-Q1 Owner reports 7
2012-Q2 Owner reports 2
2012-Q3 Owner reports 9
2012-Q4 Owner reports 2
2013-Q1 Owner reports 4
2013-Q2 Owner reports 3
2013-Q3 Owner reports 5
2013-Q4 Owner reports 2
2014-Q1 Owner reports 4
2014-Q2 Owner reports 4
2014-Q3 Owner reports 1
2014-Q4 Owner reports 6
2015-Q1 Owner reports 2
2015-Q2 Owner reports 2
2015-Q3 Owner reports 2
2015-Q4 Owner reports 4
2016-Q1 Owner reports 4
2016-Q2 Owner reports 2
2016-Q3 Owner reports 4
2016-Q4 Owner reports 3
2017-Q1 Owner reports 1
2017-Q2 Owner reports 3
2017-Q3 Owner reports 1
2018-Q1 Owner reports 2
2018-Q2 Owner reports 1
2018-Q4 Owner reports 1
2019-Q4 Owner reports 2
2020-Q1 Owner reports 1
2020-Q2 Owner reports 1
2020-Q3 Owner reports 1
2020-Q4 Owner reports 2
2022-Q1 Owner reports 1
2024-Q3 Owner reports 1
2025-Q3 Owner reports 1
2026-Q3 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 02V322000
Recall campaign 1 04V216000
Recall campaign 1 04V596000
Recall campaign 1 06E024000
Recall campaign 1 06V339000
Recall campaign 1 08E064000
Defect investigation 1 PE02082
Defect investigation 1 PE03032
Defect investigation 1 EA03023
Defect investigation 1 PE06008
Defect investigation 1 EA06011
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 Lights, Glass / wipers / cameras, and Suspension.

  1. Recall campaign 02V322000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    IF THE LIGHTS FAIL, A VISIBILITY PROBLEM COULD OCCUR, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CTM. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 23, 2002. 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 04V216000

    Glass / wipers / cameras

    Report date
    Component:
    Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)
    Consequence:
    DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JULY 12, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 04V596000

    Suspension

    Report date
    Component:
    Suspension (SUSPENSION)
    Consequence:
    EXCESSIVE WEAR IN THE UPPER BALL JOINT MAY ALLOW IT TO SEPARATE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION UPPER BALL JOINTS. THIS SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BEGAN ON DECEMBER 21, 2004. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. 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 →

  5. Recall campaign 06V339000

    Safety recall 06V339000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    THIS MAY ALLOW DEVELOPMENT OF A HIGH RESISTIVE SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE CONNECTOR, WHICH COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A FIRE.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE CONSOLE WIRING CONNECTOR FOR CORROSION, CLEAN AS REQUIRED, AND INSTALL A CAP TO PREVENT ADDITIONAL FLUID FROM CONTAMINATING THE CONNECTOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 30, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLER CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Recall campaign 08E064000

    Suspension

    Report date
    Component:
    Suspension (SUSPENSION)
    Consequence:
    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.
    Remedy:
    SKF WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE HUB UNITS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 5, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SKF VSM NORTH AMERICA CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-644-8999.
    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 8 of 329 complaints · page 1 of 14
2026-07-18SEAT BELTS
NHTSA ODI 11751252
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The seatbelt is locking up and won't pull out for the driver and the front passenger.
2025-07-14Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
NHTSA ODI 11673302
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The obd reader on my 2003 Durango brings up code for central timing module and eeprm checksum error were the safety recall is in order but the vin number is not in the list of recall. It has all the specification of recall but vin number isn't in the list of recalls. I'm driving around in a unsafe vehicle due to manufacturing error that my vin number is the only thing why they won't fix it. Why do they not care if I kill myself or others from this that the recall is
2024-07-23Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11603935
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Clogged or leaking A/C drain hose. This hose is responsible for draining condensation from the A/C evaporator, the condensation pools in large quantity on the passenger floorboard. This constitute a hazard for the electrical systems near it and a risk of corrosion not to mention potential toxic mold and basically the car self flooding. A few videos document the issue and it is due to bad design where the drain hose is oriented upward and/or the seal blocking water from penetrating the passenger cabin is cracked or falls away in time. Cars from 20+ years ago like my Dodge Durango would certainly experience a degradation of such a seal. The seal itself is very difficult to get to but the issue is pressing. This is an example of a video documenting the issue where the narrator describes this as bad design. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2022-03-14Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11456631
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2003 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that the battery had been replaced after being drained due to an unknown electrical failure. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the alarm would inadvertently sound while the vehicle was turned off. Additionally, the lights would flash on and off intermittently. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that she was able to restart the vehicle however, the vehicle would only restart while in Neutral. The local dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle would be an out of pocket expense. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.
2020-12-10Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11382937
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF HIS MOTHER WHO OWNS A 2003 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATE THAT WHILE HIS MOTHER WAS DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED TO FIRST GEAR WITHOUT WARNING TEMPORARILY AND THEN RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. LEITH CHRYSLER JEEP (5500 CAPITAL BLVD, RALEIGH, NC 27616, ([redacted]) WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.
2020-12-04Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11377928
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT-OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND WAS TOWED BACK TO THE RESIDENCE. THE LOCAL DEALER ST. LOUIS AUTO SALES LOCATED AT 2727 DELMAR BLVD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63103, WAS CONTACTED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT YET DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 226,000.
2020-07-28WHEELS
NHTSA ODI 11341817
CrashFireInjuryDeath
HELLO YESTERDAY I LEFT WORK WASN'T IN MY TRUCK FOR 5 MINUTES AND IT STARTED SMOKING WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT AND I SEEN ANTIFREEZE SPRAY EVERYWHERE I DON'T KNOW IF THE ENGINE LOCKED ON ME OR THE HEAD GASKET IS BLOWN EITHER WAY WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS ALSO BEFORE THIS HAPPENED WHEN IT RAINS MY TRUCK WILL SPIN IT SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME WHEN I WAS DRIVING TO WORK BUT THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN IT RAINS THE TIRES LOOK GOOD
2020-04-24WHEELS
NHTSA ODI 11322213
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL, HUB ASSEMBLY AXLE BEARING FRONT SUSPENSION BROKE OFF. COMPLETELY BROKE OFF. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND SERIOUSLY DANAGED

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2003 Dodge Durango?

Owners named Suspension most often — 75 of 329 reports (23%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2003 Dodge Durango?

NHTSA lists 6 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Lights, Glass / wipers / cameras, and Suspension. 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 2003 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