The Dodge Durango is a seven-seater that is spacious enough and offers a rugged off-road experience. The Durango comes with a powerful engine on all trims, it offers a composed ride quality and a decent interior. Hence, it ranks well in the affordable midsize SUV segment. In terms of problems, the 2015 Durango so far has received almost 4 recalls, 3 investigations, and 395 complaints. Most of the complaints about the Durango are with the exterior lighting, mainly with the tail and brake lights being filled with water and fog. The rest of the complaints are with the electrical system, seats, powertrain, airbags, and engine. The 2015 Dodge Durango is compared with the Jeep Cherokee, the Chevrolet Traverse, and the Buick enclave. Dodge Durango does look good and is potent in its performance but how well does it fare in terms of overall safety and reliability? Let's find out!
2015 Dodge Durango User Problems and Complaints
Mechanical problems
- Engine misfiring Problems: Most users had problems with the engine misfiring and few were required to change the coil pack and spark plug. Other issues were the engine not starting and ticking sounds from the engine, which required the owners to change the rocker arms.
- Suspension making weird noises: Similar complaints related to the engine, buyers have reported ticking and weird noises from its suspension unit. While there were some cases of the rear shock mounts being defective, a fractured rear control arm could also result in a similar problem. To deal with the issue, Dodge has introduced a recall, referenced by NHTSA ID 15V469000.
- Powertrain failure: Few users have noticed the failure of the transmission shifting into correct gears. For other complainants, the issues with the transmission unit relate to the vehicle shifting to “Neutral” from “Park”, and rolling over, causing an injury to a passenger and the driver.
- Service brake recalls taking time: A couple of registered complaints were also regarding the recalls not taking place properly for the brake (refer to NHTSA ID 16V168000). Other complaints were received against the brake seizing and warning lighting for the brake illuminating, where there is no need for braking.
- Fuel/Propulsion system issue: Few users noticed that the fuel pump was defective and would have problems before even reaching 100,000 miles on it. Few other users mainly found out that the vehicle would leak fuel because the SUV would fail on recognising when the gas tank is full.
Electrical problems
- Exterior Lighting Problems: Exterior lighting received the most complaints about the SUV. The problem was with the exterior brake and tail lights having developed cracks due to poor design flaws causing water and fog to fill inside, which might cause an electrical short circuit and even affect the visibility for users at night.
- Electrical system malfunction: Apart from the issues of exterior lighting, other electric system complaints were regarding the radio security being weak and malfunctioning, the fuel relay being defective, and the entire SUV switching off due to an electrical system problem. Dodge made a recall regarding the radio safety and buyers can refer to NHTSA ID 15V461000 for further details.
Safety problems
- Unexpected deployment of head restraints: The main source of complaint received for the safety system was with the active head restraint deployed automatically with no warning illuminated, causing injuries to the user or passenger’s head.
- Vehicle speed control: Complaints where the SUV inadvertently accelerated while driving at a certain speed have been made on the official platform. Buyers of the SUV have reported the inability of the vehicle to maintain speed or acceleration even after trying to deactivate the cruise control. To deal with the issue, Dodge has issued a recall, referenced by NHTSA ID 18V332000.
- Seatbelt Failure: A couple of users have complained that the seatbelts would not retract properly after the seat belt has been unbuckled. Other users claimed that the plastic sleeve above the seat belt tensioner of the front passenger seat has cracked.
2015 Dodge Durango Recalls
|
S.no |
Date |
NHTSA ID |
Issues noticed |
Additional remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
May 17 2018 |
18V332000 |
The cruise control of the SUV cannot be controlled |
If the SUV maintains its speed even after trying to deactivate the cruise control, would increase the risk of a crash. |
Owners will be notified of the issue and dealers will inspect the software and fix the problem, free of charge |
|
2 |
March 23 2016 |
16V168000 |
Front left brake caliper might break |
Cracked brake caliper will increase the length of the distance needed to stop the SUV, increasing the chances of a crash |
Owners will be notified and dealers will replace the front left brake caliper depending on its casting date, free of charge |
|
3 |
July 27 2015 |
15V469000 |
Rear lower control arms have incorrect heat treatment |
Due to incorrect heat treatment, the lower control arm may fracture, resulting in the change of height, stability, or decrease in braking performance, increasing the chances of crash |
Owners will be notified and dealers will replace the lower control arm if necessary, free of charge |
|
4 |
July 23 2015 |
15V461000 |
Radio software security vulnerabilities |
Due to radio software vulnerabilities, third parties might get access to the networked vehicle control systems. |
Owners will be notified and will be mailed with a USB drive that includes a software update that eliminates the problem, free of charge |
Should you buy the 2015 Dodge Durango
After a detailed investigation, the 2015 Dodge Durango has a lot of flaws, mainly with the exterior lighting that has not received a recall till now. After multiple complaints and requests, Dodge “dodged” assistance for the problems and recalls. The brand has made recalls for minor problems like the brake caliper and lower control arm problem. NHTSA has also given the SUV 4 stars out of 5 stars for overall safety, however, the SUV is proven to be unreliable and most dealerships and manufacturers deny assistance. Therefore, the 2015 Dodge Durango is a questionable choice. The 2015 Buick Enclave is a better alternative. The Buick SUV managed to get much lesser complaints than the 2015 Durango and has a better safety and reliability record.
