Problems · by component

2005 Dodge Durango engine and engine cooling problems

216 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Dodge Durango cite engine and engine cooling, 14% of all 1,567 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
216
14% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine and engine cooling

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS AN EMISSIONS LEAK AND THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MT. EPHRAIM CHRYSLER DODGE RAM (620 N BLACK HORSE PIKE, MT EPHRAIM, NJ 08059 (856) 931-2000) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A VERY SMALL EVAPORATIVE EMISSION SYSTEM LEAK. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW O-RING, LOCK RING, AND THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V003000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED TWICE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,680.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 2, 2017Engine and engine cooling, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11042588
“DURANGO IS STALLING WHILE I AM DRIVING IT. FIRST TIME IT STALLED I WAS ON A ONRAMP TO ENTER THE FREEWAY. I WAS LUCKY THE CAR BEHIND DID NOT HIT ME. THE VEHICLE STALLS WHEN I AM TRYING TO FIND A PARKING PLACE AND SOMETIMES WHEN I AM TRYING TO LEAVE MY DRIVEWAY. IT HAS NEVER HAPPEN YET AT HIGH SPEED ONLY AT LOW SPEEDS BUT I DO THINK THIS IS DANGEROUS. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN FOR THEM. THERE ARE NO WARNING LIGHTS. IT JUST HAPPENS BUT IT HAS NOT HAPPENED FOR THEM. SO I AM DRIVING NOT KNOWING WHEN THE VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT. I AM UNDER WARRANTY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 28, 2014Engine and engine coolingODI 10629156
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE DURANGO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND OBSERVED SMOKE RISING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED OIL LEAKING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 214,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 12, 2014Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10621851
“MOISTURE ENTERED INTO THE CYLINDERS VIA THAT AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD DUE TO A WATER SEAL DESIGN DEFECT IN THE AREA OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARMS. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED, RAIN WATER COMING DOWN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WILL FLOW DIRECTLY UNDER THE COWL AND ONTO THE ENGINE BLOCK. THIS WATER INTRUSION CAUSES UNDUE STRESS ON THE PISTONS, RODS, AND CRANKSHAFT EVENTUALLY CAUSING A ROD TO BREAK AND PUNCTURE THE ENGINE BLOCK. IF THIS HAPPENS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE RESULTS COULD BE DEADLY. THE OTHER KNOWN SCENARIO IS AFTER THE CAR IS PARKED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME (EXPOSED TO RAIN), THE CYLINDER WILL FILL WITH WATER, CAUSING A HYDRO-LOCK CONDITION AND THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START. THE ENGINE USUALLY IS FOUND TO ALSO HAVE A BENT OR FRACTURED ROD AT THIS POINT. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY DODGE / CHRYSLER AND THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. SEE THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON EDMUNDS.COM BLOGS AND ON YOUTUBE REGARDING THIS TOPIC. I MADE A VIDEO OF THE PROBLEM SO YOU SEE HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=WTQ2GKNO0N8. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 24, 2014Engine and engine coolingODI 10605660
“JUST GOT MY DURANGO ON 1-14-2013 COMING HOME AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND IT JUST CUT OFF COMING DOWN A BUSY HIGHWAY WHEN IT CUT OFF THERE IS NO POWER STALLS HARD TO GET OFF THE ROAD THE CARS BEHIND ME DON'T KNOW WHAT GONE ON JUST IN FRONT OF THEM SO THEY DON'T KNOW TO STOP. WHEN I GOT THIS DURANGO NO ONE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS .. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 18, 2014Engine and engine coolingODI 10560482
“MY 2005 DODGE DURANGO 5.7 HEMI HAS HAD A VAST AMOUNT OF STALLING. I WAS GOING TO PICK MY SON UP AND THE THROTTLE LIGHT AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE THROTTLE LIGHT WAS BLINKING. I WOULD JUST BE DRIVING AND IT WOULD DIE. THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER AND IF DODGE IS NOT MADE ACCOUNTABLE SOMEONE COULD BE HURT. I HAD MY DURANGO TOWED TO A DODGE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE EGR VALVE. SO I HAD THAT REPLACED ALONG WITH NEW SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES. IT WAS FINE FOR A WEEK THEN IT DID THE EXACT SAME THING ON A VERY BUSY ROAD. IT WOULD START THEN DIE. SO I HAD IT TOWED A SECOND TIME TO THE DODGE DEALER. THIS TIME I WAS TOLD IT HAD PULLED 12 CODES BUT THEY WERE NOT ACTIVE BUT JUST STORED CODES. THE DEALER COULD NOT DIAGNOSE MY DURANGO. I WAS TOLD THEY ALSO CHECKED THE WIRING AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. SO I PAID FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC AND WAS TOLD IT NEVER ACTED UP ON THE MECHANIC. SO AGAIN A WEEK LATER IT DID THE SAME THING AND SO WE REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL. IT RAN OK FOR A WEEK AND NOW IT IS DOING THE EXACT SAME THING. IT STALLED ON THE INTERSTATE AND MY HUSBAND WAS NEARLY HIT. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS WITH DODGE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. THE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 14, 2013Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10556070

Showing 6 of 216 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.