2020 Dodge Durango Reliability Report

Losing power under acceleration is the main pattern. At high RPM or under heavy load the engine shakes or bogs, the check engine light comes on, and a message says auto start-stop is disabled. Drivers describe this happening while passing on two-lane highways. One report ties it to a severe cylinder #1 misfire covered by a technical service bulletin, and new coils and plugs did not fix it. Two leaks also appear. Oil seeps from the oil filter housing and pools on top of the engine, which a dealer called common. The transmission oil cooler leaks at a factory-installed clamp.

These reports don't share a pattern. In one, the infotainment system acts up after a battery replacement and the backup camera stops coming on in reverse. Others describe a catalytic converter failure with a warning light and an airbag warning light on a police fleet vehicle. Another notes there is no alert if the driver walks away with the key fob while the engine is still running, which raises a carbon monoxide risk in an attached garage. One complaint is about a dealer refusing to do a recall repair, not about a vehicle defect.

Power steering assist cuts out suddenly while driving. A "Power Steering Unavailable" message appears and the wheel becomes very hard to turn, in one case on a vehicle with only 170 miles. Another report describes the steering wheel locking at 45 MPH. It was fixed by replacing the power steering rack, and the owner linked it to steering recall 22V154000 at 48,000 miles. One report says the steering column rubbed through a brake line until it burst. Another report in this group describes a Caravan, not a Durango.

Most reports are about seat belt sensing errors. The driver's buckle doesn't register, so the unbuckled chime keeps sounding and the airbag system turns itself off unless the belt is held down. Another report has the seat belt and airbag warnings chiming even with every belt fastened. Separately, a passenger active headrest deployed while driving without any impact. Dealers charge for the buckle repair even though it is a safety system.

One driver's seat belt doesn't retract after unbuckling and has to be pushed back up by hand. The owner notes a recall covered the same symptom on a Jeep Grand Cherokee. In the other report, a belt was assembled wrong at the factory and can't be fastened without twisting it. With only 2 reports, there is no wider pattern yet.

The vehicle speeds up on its own at highway speed without cruise control engaged. In one case it climbed from 42 mph to 65 mph and sped up again every time the brake was released. The second report describes a delayed throttle response, then the vehicle accelerating by itself as if cruise control had switched on. The brakes then failed to stop it. Both reports describe a direct risk of losing control, and one happened days after purchase.