Problems · NHTSA complaints

2021 Dodge Durango problems

Owners filed 208 complaints about the 2021 Dodge Durango with NHTSA between Jan 2021 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is exterior lighting (94).

Complaints
208
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
10
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Exterior lighting94
  2. Electrical system41
  3. Engine22
  4. Structure15
  5. Fuel/propulsion system11
  6. Air bags11
  7. Back over prevention10
  8. Power train10
  9. Service brakes7
  10. Forward collision avoidance6
  11. Visibility/wiper5
  12. Engine and engine cooling4
  13. Steering4
  14. Suspension3

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

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 7, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
202112
202217
202321
202445
202555
202658

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Exterior lighting

94 reports1 crash
“Dodge Durango daytime running lights are a known problem. Running lights commonly stop working on 2020+ Dodge Durango’s. It is not a replaceable bulb, the entire headlight assembly must be replaced. This is a safety concern as many people do not turn their lights on while driving in fog. Dodge needs to be held responsible for this faulty part.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 27, 2026Exterior lightingODI 11773942

Electrical system

41 reports3 crashes1 fire
“The rear license plate light burned out and I was pulled over. I ordered 2 new lights and installed them. Neither worked. I put the old lights back in and then both stopped working. Then the race track light failed. Additionally, the front headlight race track also failed. This is a know manufacturing defect in these cars and nothing is being done about it. Took the vehicle to a repair shop and they said the entire rear race track needs replaced. The part is 1800 and back ordered until 2027. The labor is an additional 1500. This is totally unacceptable and the car should be repaired at no cost. There is literally a class action law suit going on over this well documented issue.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 22, 2026Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11773101

Engine

22 reports1 crash1 fire
“I'm having issues with my 2021 Dodge Durango I have a recall on a rear view camera a recall on a rear spoiler a recall on the steering assembly a recall on the ESC light mail function ABS system loose airbags”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 3, 2026Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, EngineCrash reportedODI 11721618

Structure

15 reports3 related recalls
“On XXX I had to have the rear window replaced as it shattered on Royal Palm Beach Community High School property in [XXX]. Earlier that morning before heading to work I stopped to get gas and cleaned the rear window at the XXX on the corner of [XXX]. When I went out to my car on break I noticed the rear window had a large hole in it. I contacted school police and they confirmed no one was near my car. I scheduled the fix and Safe Lite came to my work and replaced the windshield in the parking lot, under school surveillance [XXX]. My out of pocket cost was $50.00 which I put on my capital one credit card, even though I could ill afford it. In XXX my husband and I moved to [XXX], during one of the many 3.5 hour trips across the state, the ENTIRE REAR SPOILER ASSEMBLY DETACHED WHILE I WAS MERGING ONTO XXX. I did not know it at the time. Later I realized the assembly was no longer attached and there was a wire hanging down, getting hit by the wiper blade.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 24, 2026Structure, Visibility/wiperODI 11766613

Fuel/propulsion system

11 reports1 fire
“Driving down the I-10 early morning there was a loud bang, didnt notice anything in the road ahead of me so I kept driving for another mile or so until I heard something dragging. Activated my trunk camera and saw sparks flying. Pulled off the freeway and found my fuel line dragging on the ground and fuel spilling out the bottom of my fuel tank.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 6, 2026Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11769360

Air bags

11 reports6 crashes1 related recall
“The vehicle was involved in a collision that resulted in deployment of the frontal airbag system. After obtaining the vehicle following the collision, I observed what appears to be an abnormal deployment of the front passenger airbag. The driver frontal airbag deployed outward from the steering wheel into the driver occupant area. However, the front passenger airbag appears to have deployed underneath and/or inside the instrument panel rather than fully deploying outward into the front passenger occupant space. The passenger airbag is visibly located behind and underneath portions of the dashboard. During deployment, the upper passenger-side instrument panel was severely displaced and torn. A large portion of the dashboard was pushed upward toward the windshield, and the dashboard covering separated and tore near the windshield. The airbag itself appears to have remained substantially trapped or obstructed behind the instrument panel instead of fully presenting itself in front of the passenger seating position. This raises a serious safety concern because the purpose of the passenger frontal airbag is to provide occupant protection during a qualifying…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 21, 2026Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11765958
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026

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