2009 Dodge Durango Problems and Recalls (12 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2009 Dodge Durango is Airbags (25% of 12 owner reports). There are 4 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Airbags — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 12 complaints · 4 recalls

What problems show up on the 2009 Dodge Durango?

3 of 12 filings named Airbags (25% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Electrical (2 reports).

There are 4 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Transmission / driveline and Airbags. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2008 has 97 reports on file; this year has 12. 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 2009 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 4 campaigns on file below.
  2. Airbags. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed.
  3. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  4. Fuel system. Check for fuel smell, leaks and whether it starts and idles cleanly.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Airbags. 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: Airbags 3 complaints · 25.0% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 1
  • Fires 1
  • Injuries 1
  • 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 Airbags (AIR BAGS) appears in 3 of 12 owner complaints (25.0%) in this vehicle snapshot. Airbags (AIR BAGS): 3 complaints, 25.0% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 3 · 25.0% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 2 complaints, 16.7% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 fire reports 2 · 16.7% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 2 complaints, 16.7% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 2 · 16.7% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 1 complaints, 8.3% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 1 · 8.3% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 1 complaints, 8.3% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 · 8.3% Steering (STEERING): 1 complaints, 8.3% of reports Steering (STEERING) 1 · 8.3% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 1 complaints, 8.3% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 · 8.3% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 1 complaints, 8.3% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 1 crash reports 1 · 8.3% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 1 complaints, 8.3% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 1 · 8.3% 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)
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 3 25.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 2 16.7% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 2 16.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 1 8.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 8.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 1 8.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 8.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 1 8.3% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 1 8.3% 0 crashes · 0 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 Oct 2010; the first recall shown was reported in Feb 2013. 2010-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2017-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Oct 2010 Jan 2023 Recall campaign 13V038000 ◆ Recall campaign 13V038000 Recall campaign 16V352000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V352000 Recall campaign 16V947000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V947000 Recall campaign 18V021000 ◆ Recall campaign 18V021000 Investigation EA21002 ● Investigation EA21002 Investigation DP22005 ● Investigation DP22005
  • Campaign 16V947000 was reported 92 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 18V021000 was reported 475 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2010-Q4 Owner reports 1
2013-Q2 Owner reports 2
2014-Q3 Owner reports 1
2014-Q4 Owner reports 1
2015-Q2 Owner reports 1
2015-Q3 Owner reports 1
2016-Q3 Owner reports 2
2017-Q1 Owner reports 2
2018-Q1 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 13V038000
Recall campaign 1 16V352000
Recall campaign 1 16V947000
Recall campaign 1 18V021000
Defect investigation 1 EA21002
Defect investigation 1 DP22005
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (4)

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

In short, these campaigns were filed about Transmission / driveline and Airbags.

  1. Recall campaign 13V038000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    If the rear axle pinion nut loosens, the axle can lock up and cause a loss of vehicle control and/or a vehicle crash with little warning.
    Remedy:
    On November 7, 2013 Chrysler notified owners that dealers would install a pinion nut retainer, free of charge. In July 2015, and under a consent order with NHTSA, the company agreed to offer owners three options for remedying their vehicles: perform the original remedy, offer to repurchase the vehicle at the fair market value plus 10%, or offer an additional incentive offer towards the purchase of a new Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, or Fiat vehicle. Chrysler will notify owners of the new recall options in a letter expected to be mailed on August 31, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N08.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 16V352000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. These inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
    Remedy:
    Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM owners. Mitsubishi owners will be notified by their company. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S43. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V-7700.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 16V947000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
    Remedy:
    Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 11, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S92. Note: This recall covers vehicles that were accidentally excluded from recall 15V-313.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 18V021000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
    Remedy:
    Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 28, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U03.
    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 10 of 12 complaints · page 1 of 1
2018-03-14Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 11079060
CrashFireInjuryDeath
BRAKE BOOSTER WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD, THERE IS A LOUD CLICK AT THE BRAKE PEDAL, FOLLOWED BY AN AIR PUMP SKINS AT THE FIREWALL WHEN CAR COMES TO A STOP. SOMETIMES THE BRAKE USE IS DEFINITELY REDUCED.
2017-02-02Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 10949078
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR A RECALL ON MY DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG. BEFORE THEY STARTED TO DO THE WORK THEY SAID THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO MY CAR BECAUSE IT WAS AN OLDER MODEL. I AM VERY UPSET THAT I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR SAFETY REASONS AND THEY COULD DAMAGE MY CAR IN THE PROCESS! HOW UNFAIR ON THE PART OF THE CONSUMER TO MAKE THEM PAY FOR POSSIBLE DAMAGE WHEN THEY ARE TAKING THEIR CAR IN FOR SAFETY REASONS! AND DODGE DOESN'T BELIEVE IN THE INTEGRITY OF THEIR OWN PRODUCT AT THE SAME TIME! THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE NHTSA!
2017-01-18Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 10946145
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 16V352000 (AIR BAGS) AND 16V947000 (AIR BAGS). HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
2016-09-21Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 10908472
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TAKATA RECALL, TAKING MUCH TOO LONG TO FIX OR GET PARTS. NOW THAT TAKATA HAS FILED BANKRUPTCY, I QUESTION WHETHER I'LL EVER SEE MY RECALL COMPLETED. I WANT OUT OF THIS POTENTIAL DEATH TRAP BUT CAN'T TRADE OR SELL UNTIL RECALL IS COMPLETE, I'M LOOSING MONEY EVERY DAY I HAVE TO KEEP DRIVING IT. HELP, I WANT SOME KIND OF COMPENSATION. WHO DO I NEED TO TALK TO TO GET SOME ACTION ON THIS MATTER?
2016-07-22Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10887858
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE DURANGO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE FUEL TANK WOULD NOT FILL UP PROPERLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT TOOK 45 MINUTES FOR THE FUEL TANK TO BECOME FILLED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS HAVING A SCREEN INSIDE THE FUEL TANK THAT WAS FILLED WITH PARTICLES, WHICH BLOCKED THE FUEL FROM ENTERING THE TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000. UPDATED 09/29/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE GAS TANK RUSTED, DUE TO THE GAS LEAK. UPDATED 10/04/16. *JB
2015-09-22Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 10767571
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE TRUCK SUSPENSION SQUEAKS REALLY BAD AND NO OTHER VEHICLES I KNOW DOES THAT
2015-06-03Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 10723234
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED AN OIL LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER FAILED. THE MECHANIC TRIED TO ORDER THE PART, BUT IT WAS ON BACK ORDER BECAUSE THIS HAD BEEN A WIDE SPREAD ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD SEND THE PART ONCE IT BECAME AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,527.
2014-10-12Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 10644124
CrashFireInjuryDeath
OVER THE YEARS , MY VEHICLE AD LOST TEMPORARY STEERING CONTROL WHENEVER I AM MAKING A RIGHT TURN ONTO A STREET AND THERE IS STANDING WATER. THIS HAS HAPPENED AROUND FIVE TIMES WITHIN THE LAST THREE TO FOUR YEARS.I KEEP MY FOOT IN THE GAS AN STEERING CONTROL WOULD RETURN . *TR
2014-09-09Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 10631938
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED. THE CONTACT OPENED THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE ENTIRE DOOR PANEL WAS MELTED. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER SENT AN INDEPENDENT INSPECTOR TO PERFORM A BRIEF INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE. THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE FIRE UNDOUBTEDLY ORIGINATED FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT MOTOR CONTROL SWITCH, WHICH MOVES THE SEAT. THE CHRYSLER ENGINEERS REVIEWED THE INSPECTOR'S REPORT AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE YEAR OF THE VEHICLE AND THE NUMBER OF YEARS THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,000.
2013-05-03Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 10510512
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE MOTHER OF MY CHILD OWNS A 2009 DODGE DURANGO THIS IS A NICE TRUCK BUT HAS SOME ISUES RACING IDLE TODAY IT STALLED AT 70 MILES MPH ON THE HIGHWAY BAD GAS MILIEGE I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ABOUT IT FOUND THEIR IS AN ISUE WITH EITHER ELECTRICAL OR THROTTLE BODY CLEANING. I READ COMPLAINTS ALL OVER NOBODY OR NOTHING TAKES CARE OF IT SHE ALSO HAD AN ACCIDENT WITH THE TRUCK BECAUSE AT STOP LIGHT SHE SAID THE TRUCK IDLE RACED TO FOUR THOUSAND RPM AND TOOK OF ON ITS OWN HIT FIVE CARS BEFORE IT STOPED. HER FOOT WASENT EVEN NEAR GAS PEDAL I REALLY THINK ITS TIME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2009 Dodge Durango?

Owners named Airbags most often — 3 of 12 reports (25%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2009 Dodge Durango?

NHTSA lists 4 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Transmission / driveline and Airbags. 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 2009 Dodge Durango?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed. 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