Reliable Auto DB

2021 Dodge Durango reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2021 Dodge Durango holds 202 complaints after 6 years, a rate of 17 per year. Durango years here cluster close together — the other years’ median is 18 complaints per year. NHTSA has 8 recalls on file, including Liftgate, Camera, and EGR valve.

2012 Dodge Durango
Photo by Alexander Migl, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

202

Per year

17

Recalls

8

Years on the road

6

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Exterior lighting (90 of 202), then Electrical system (40) and Engine (22). Those filings include 10 that report a crash, 4 that report a fire, and 4 that report an injury.

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 Durango has 55 complaints, 4 per year, and the 2022 has 56 complaints, 6 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2021 Dodge Durango. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (8)

Recall structure, body, liftgate 2026-08-13 · NHTSA campaign 26V528000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Dodge Durango vehicles. The rear spoiler may not be aligned properly with the roof, possibly resulting in damage to the spoiler during liftgate use.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace or repair the spoiler and align the liftgate as necessary, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 10, 2026. A second notice will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is 61D. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on August 20, 2026. Vehicles in this recall were previously recalled under 21V842 or 23V115. Vehicles repaired under the prior recalls will need the new repair completed.
Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2024-06-13 · NHTSA campaign 24V436000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Dodge Durango, 2021-2023 Chrysler Pacifica, Jeep Grand Cherokee L, 2022 Ram 1500, 2500, 3500, Chrysler Voyager, 2022-2023 Jeep Compass, Grand Cherokee, Wagoneer, Grand Wagoneer, and Ram Promaster vehicles. The radio software may prevent the rearview image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Remedy Dealers will update the radio software or the software will be OTA, "Over-The-Air," free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning July 9, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's numbers for this recall are 66B and 79B.
Recall structure, body, liftgate 2023-02-23 · NHTSA campaign 23V115000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Dodge Durango vehicles. The rear spoiler may not be aligned properly with the roof, resulting in damage to the spoiler during liftgate use.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the rear spoiler, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 9, 2023. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is 20A. This recall is an expansion of recall number 21V-842.
Recall engine and cooling, exhaust system, emission control, EGR valve 2022-04-28 · NHTSA campaign 22V284000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee WK, 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and 2021-2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L vehicles equipped with 3.6L engines. The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve may stick open, resulting in an unexpected loss of drive power.
Remedy Dealers will replace the EGR valve assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 23, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Z31.
Recall Steering rack 2022-03-14 · NHTSA campaign 22V154000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Dodge Durango and 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles. The steering gear rack bar may have been insufficiently hardened during manufacturing, possibly allowing it to bind within the steering rack, and resulting in difficulty steering or a loss of steering control.
Remedy Dealers will replace the steering gear assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 12, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-852-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Z18.
Recall Brake control module 2022-03-10 · NHTSA campaign 22V140000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Ram 2500 and 2021-2022 Dodge Durango vehicles, and 2019-2022 3500 cab chassis with GVWR less than 10,000 lbs. The ABS control module software may prevent the electronic stability control (ESC) malfunction indicator light from illuminating during certain conditions. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Remedy Dealers will update the ABS control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Z20.
Recall structure, body 2021-10-28 · NHTSA campaign 21V842000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Dodge Durango vehicles. The rear spoiler may not be aligned properly with the roof, resulting in damage to the spoiler during liftgate use.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the rear spoiler, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 21, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Y73.
Recall air bags, critical fasteners 2021-04-22 · NHTSA campaign 21V280000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Dodge Durango vehicles. The Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain (SABIC) fastener may be loose or missing.
Remedy Dealers will tighten or replace the fastener, free of charge. Owner notification letters were sent on May 7, 2021. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is Y16.

Complaints by component (202 total)

Exterior lighting
90
Electrical system
40
Engine
22
Structure
15
Air bags
11
Fuel and propulsion system
10
Powertrain
10
Back-over prevention
9
Service brakes
7
Forward collision avoidance
6
Engine and engine cooling
4
Steering
4
Visibility and wipers
4
Suspension
3
Wheels
3
Lane departure
2
Seat belts
2
Speed control
2
Tires
2
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Equipment
1
Hydraulic brakes
1
Visibility
1
Show 15 more Show less
Crash-flagged

10

Fire-flagged

4

Injury reports

4

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

122021172022212023452024552025522026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "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…"
    Structure, Visibility and wipers · filed 2026-09-24
  • "The contact owns a 2021 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that while pulling up to the residence, there was a gurgling sound coming from the vehicle. While the vehicle was parked and turned off, the gurgling sound got…"
    Engine and engine cooling · filed 2026-09-23
  • "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…"
    Air bags · filed 2026-09-21
  • "The driver side daytime running lamp no longer works after 55000 miles. The daytime running lamp (DRL) is an led light strip that requires the entire headlamp to be replaced. Anyone can inspect the issue at any time.…"
    Exterior lighting · filed 2026-08-31
  • "The vehicle’s manufacturer-installed infotainment system repeatedly displays an intrusive error message while the vehicle is being operated. The message obstructs the navigation display and requires the driver to…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-08-30

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Durango all-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 8-speed All-wheel drive 18 25 21 MPG $3100
Durango all-wheel drive 5.7L, 8-cyl Automatic 8-speed All-wheel drive 14 22 17 MPG $4350
Durango rear-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 8-speed Rear-wheel drive 19 26 21 MPG $3100
Durango rear-wheel drive 5.7L, 8-cyl Automatic 8-speed Rear-wheel drive 14 22 17 MPG $4350
Durango SRT all-wheel drive 6.4L, 8-cyl Automatic 8-speed All-wheel drive 13 19 15 MPG $5300
Durango SRT all-wheel drive 6.2L, 8-cyl Automatic 8-speed All-wheel drive 12 17 13 MPG $6150

Specs and fitment

WD generation (3rd gen), 2012–present
Body styles SUV
Oil 5W-20 full synthetic (3.6L V6 Pentastar) , 6 qt capacity
Tire size 265/60R18 (base), 295/45R20 (R/T and SRT trims)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 21V-280 covers certain 2020-2021 Dodge Durango vehicles: the Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain (SABIC) fastener may be loose or missing. Dealers inspect and repair the fastener as needed. Recall 20V-191 covers certain 2019-2020 Dodge Durango vehicles, along with many other FCA models with 8.4-inch or 12-inch radio displays: a software error can leave the rearview camera image on screen after the vehicle shifts out of reverse; dealers update the radio display software.

Compare

Previous year 2020 Dodge Durango Next year 2022 Dodge Durango See every Dodge Durango model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Dodge Durango reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2021 Dodge Durango holds 202 complaints after 6 years, a rate of 17 per year. Durango years here cluster close together — the other years’ median is 18 complaints per year. NHTSA has 8 recalls on file, including Liftgate, Camera, and EGR valve.

What are common problems with a 2021 Dodge Durango?

The complaints owners file most often name Exterior lighting (90 of 202), then Electrical system (40) and Engine (22). Those filings include 10 that report a crash, 4 that report a fire, and 4 that report an injury.

Is the 2021 Dodge Durango more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2020 Durango has 55 complaints, 4 per year, and the 2022 has 56 complaints, 6 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

Has the 2021 Dodge Durango been recalled?

The 2021 Dodge Durango has 8 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2021 Dodge Durango?

Owners have filed 202 complaints about the 2021 Dodge Durango with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Dodge Durango get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Dodge Durango is 17.3 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Dodge Durango take?

The 3.6L V6 commonly uses 5W-20 full synthetic with about 6 quarts including the filter.

What does NHTSA recall 21V-280 cover on the Dodge Durango?

Recall 21V-280 covers certain 2020-2021 Dodge Durango vehicles: the Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain (SABIC) fastener may be loose or missing.

What generation is the 2013 Dodge Durango?

WD generation (3rd gen) (2012-present).