Problems · by component

2004 Dodge Durango steering problems

31 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Dodge Durango cite steering, 3% of all 1,115 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
31
3% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the steering

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Driving home the steering became very stiff hard to drive , Made it home, power steering pouring out . found out the hydraulic transfer lines had burst Only 100,000 miles on durango. Lucky i was not driving on the express way. dodge durango 2004 5.7 L v8 2wd piece of junk”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 28, 2022SteeringODI 11471463
“MY 2004 DODGE DURANGO HAS THE 5.7 HEMI. DURING HEAVY RAINS THE ENGINE WOULD START TO RUN ROUGH AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN ON ME THREE DIFFERENT TIMES IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING DUE TO THE RAIN. DURING THIS ELECTRICAL SHUTDOWN STEERING WAS IMPOSSIBLE AND I WOULD HAVE TO STOP THE VEHICLE IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE DID THIS TO ME ONE TIME IN THE MIDDLE OF TURNING AT AN INTERSECTION. FORTUNATELY NO ACCIDENT OCCURED. I FOUND THAT THE ISSUE WAS BEING CAUSED BY A FAULTY SEAL AT THE WIPER COWL. THIS LEAK LATER BLEW MY ENGINE AS THE WATER LEAK FOUND IT'S WAY INTO THE CYLINDERS AND BLEW A PISTON ROD. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS DEFECT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO CHRYSLER BY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 19, 2018Steering, Electrical system, EngineODI 11120887
“WHENEVER IT RAINS OR I GO THROUGH A CAR WASH MY CAR DIES AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THE STEERING WHEEL WON'T MOVE, THEREFORE I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER MY CAR. WE WERE IN TENNESSEE THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED AND WE WERE COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN WHEN IT DIED AND WE LOST ALL CONTROL AND ALMOST GOT HURT AND ALMOST HURT OTHERS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 29, 2016Steering, EngineODI 10862283
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DURANGO. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V313000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,271.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 21, 2015Steering, Air bagsODI 10784449
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING UNSTABLE AND THERE WAS A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO RESPOND. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SPUN AROUND CAUSING IT TO ROLL OVER. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO AN EMBANKMENT. THE CONTACT WAS UNCONSCIOUS UPON HITTING HER HEAD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD, THE CHEST THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,890.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 27, 2014Steering, Service brakes, EngineCrash reportedODI 10650466
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT 25 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 16, 2014Steering, EngineODI 10588864

Showing 6 of 31 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.