2013 Dodge Durango Problems and Complaints

Senior Editor,

Updated on June 23, 2022

The Dodge Durango has been a formidable people mover in its class and it still carries that intimidating and muscular appeal along with the sheer road presence too. Even though the Durango still manages to beat several peers in its class, the quality and reliability issues, which are sometimes a curse with FCA vehicles, did put the Durango in a tight spot over the last few model years.

The same is the case with the 2013 Dodge Durango as well. The SUV has faced 11 recalls along with 553 official complaints and 4 investigations to date. The investigations were started due to some serious issues with the SUV which includes sudden vehicle fires from an electrical short circuit due to faulty wiring. The recalls cover some major faults with the vehicle such as the engine stall issue, handbrake issue, and the fire from the electrical short circuit issue among others. The Dodge Durango challenges the Ford Explorer, the GMC Acadia, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee in the segment.

Dodge Durango user complaints and problems

Engine problems

Engine stall: A lot of complaints about the engine stalling issue have been lodged against the 2013 Dodge Durango. All the complaints mention that the engines of the affected vehicles stalled suddenly while driving.
Alternator fault: Several cases of alternator faults are also present for the 2013 Durango. The owners report that while starting up the vehicle, the alternator would try to crank the engine but fails. Dodge did issue a couple of recalls for this problem but then again several owners expressed inconveniences faced at the dealerships where the parts were unavailable for the fix.
Fuel pump relay malfunction: Apart from the alternator issue, fuel pump relay faults have also affected a lot of owners of the 2013 Durango. Due to the malfunction, the vehicles would stall suddenly while being driven at various speeds.
Sudden power loss: Numerous cases of sudden power loss issues are there for the Durango. While driving, the owners experienced a sudden loss of power from the engines of their vehicles. In most of the cases, the exact reason for the failures was not determined.

Safety problems

Brake failure: Even though Dodge recalled plenty of 2013 Durangos for the brake fail issue, several owners have faced this issue. While driving, the brake boosters would fail to work resulting in complete brake failures and crashes.
Malfunctioning active head restraints: For a lot of owners, the active head restraints of their vehicles malfunctioned. The owners report that while driving, the head restraints popped open and in some cases, caused injuries too.

Miscellaneous problems

Leaking transfer case: A single case mentioning this issue is there for the 2013 Durango. The issue was discovered by the owner while driving the vehicle.

2013 Dodge Durango recalls

S.No.	Recall Date	NHTSA Campaign ID	Issues noticed	Additional remarks	Remedy
1	August 8, 2012	12V391000	Occupant Restraint Control Module	In the event of a side impact, rearward of the second row seat, the supplemental side airbag inflatable curtain may not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of occupant injury.	Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ORC module, free of charge. The safety recall began on September 24, 2012.
2	December 4, 2012	12V560000	Incorrect Seating Capacity Label	The vehicle may be filled over capacity which could increase injury during a vehicle crash.	Chrysler will notify owners, and provide replacement labels free of charge. At the owner's option, they may take their vehicle to a Chrysler dealer for installation of the label. The service will be performed free of charge. The recall began on February 18, 2013.
3	March 4, 2014	14V104000	Hard Brake Pedal may Lengthen Stopping Distance	If the driver experiences a hard brake pedal, the driver may not push the pedal as intended, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.	Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the ABS module software, free of charge. The recall began on April 3, 2014.
4	April 1, 2014	14V154000	Loss of Power Brake Assist	The water inside could freeze and limit the braking ability of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.	Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will add a water diverter shield to the booster after the booster has been tested to confirm it can hold an acceptable amount of vacuum pressure. If the booster inspection confirms an unacceptable loss of vacuum pressure, the booster will be replaced. Repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2014.
5	July 2, 2014	14V391000	Vanity Lamp Short may Result in Fire	If the vanity lamp wiring shorts, there is an increased risk of fire.	Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and repair any damaged wiring, and install a new sun visor that properly routes the wire, free of charge.
6	October 8, 2014	14V634000	Alternator may Fail Resulting in Engine Stall	If the alternator fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.	Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will replace the alternator, free of charge. The recall began on February 27, 2015.
7	February 27, 2015	15V115000	Fuel Pump Relay may Fail Resulting in Stall	A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash.	Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump relay with one external to the TIPM. The recall began on August 7, 2015.
8	December 28, 2015	15V879000	Vanity Lamp Short may Result in Fire	The vanity lamp wiring may short, increasing the risk of a vehicle fire.	Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install clearance for sun visor wiring, protection from sharp edges, and replace the sun visor, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2016.
9	July 10, 2017	17V435000	Alternator may Fail Resulting in Engine Stall	If the alternator fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash. There is also the possibility that the alternator may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.	Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the alternator and, depending on the part number, will replace the alternator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2018.
10	September 18, 2017	17V572000	Incorrectly Installed Brake Booster Shield	If the brake booster shield was not installed properly, the vehicle's braking ability may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.	Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake booster shield, correcting the installation as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on November10, 2017.
11	November 14, 2019	19V813000	Fuel Pump Relay May Fail Resulting In a Stall	A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash.	Chrysler (FCA US LLC) will replace the affected fuel pump relay and related wire harness. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed beginning December 19, 2019. Vehicles that experience a fuel pump failure will receive an interim repair. Owners will receive a second notice when the final remedy becomes available. Owner notification letters were mailed on December 10, 2020.

Should you buy a used Dodge Durango?

The Dodge Durango looks and feels like the muscle car of SUVs in its class and a lot of points go for it too. Among its strengths are the plush ride quality, easy maneuverability despite its size, a proper third-row seat for adults, and a handsome towing capacity. Moreover, the SUV has been selling in good numbers too but the ongoing reliability issues have given it a bad name. Getting a used Durango might be a risky idea given the nature of the issues it has. On the contrary, a used example of the GMC Acadia would make a better option but you’d lose out on the towing capacity and the third-row space.

Users Opinions on 2013 Dodge Durango

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Larry B
• 31/03/2022
Rating:
(1 Out Of 5 stars)
Update to previous review. Had to trade in the Jeep Wrangler due to engine issues. Even though the vehicle was under warranty, reliability suffered and once again we lost money on the vehicle. At this poiRead More
Source: edmunds
BD
Brian Donnelly
• 03/03/2017
Rating:
(1 Out Of 5 stars)
I recently brought my 2013 Dodge Durango (4 year old vehicle) into the Dealership for repairs and am very disappointed with the quality of materials and workmanship on my vehicle. During the last 30 days I have had to spend over $2,000 in repairs on my vehicle for materials that should never go badRead More
Source: edmunds
R
Rats
• 27/07/2015
Rating:
(2 Out Of 5 stars)
... Unfortunately the fun stops there. Dodge has several recalls out on this vehicle that they don't have the parts to fix. Our car currently won't start due to a recall issue and the dealership has no idea how to fix the problem because there are no parts to fix the issue. Imagine owning a 50000 dollar vehicle that won't start and has an unfixed brake booster recall. That is the Dodge experience.Read More
Source: edmunds