EQUIPMENT
2004 Dodge Durango
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
NHTSA has issued a “do not drive” advisory affecting this model year.
Campaign 16V352000. Confirm whether your specific vehicle is covered using its VIN before acting on this.
Check your VIN on NHTSA.govOverview
Our database contains 1,114 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2004 Dodge Durango, most frequently naming the engine, electrical and airbags categories. 9 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 9 NHTSA investigations name it; and 81 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2016 | 9 | 967 |
| Apr 2016 | 5 | 972 |
| May 2016 | 3 | 975 |
| Jun 2016 | 6 | 981 |
| Jul 2016 | 7 | 988 |
| Aug 2016 | 6 | 994 |
| Sep 2016 | 11 | 1,005 |
| Oct 2016 | 1 | 1,006 |
| Nov 2016 | 1 | 1,007 |
| Dec 2016 | 6 | 1,013 |
| Jan 2017 | 4 | 1,017 |
| Feb 2017 | 5 | 1,022 |
| Mar 2017 | 2 | 1,024 |
| Apr 2017 | 2 | 1,026 |
| May 2017 | 2 | 1,028 |
| Jun 2017 | 4 | 1,032 |
| Jul 2017 | 1 | 1,033 |
| Aug 2017 | 2 | 1,035 |
| Sep 2017 | 4 | 1,039 |
| Oct 2017 | 3 | 1,042 |
| Nov 2017 | 3 | 1,045 |
| Dec 2017 | 2 | 1,047 |
| Jan 2018 | 2 | 1,049 |
| Mar 2018 | 3 | 1,052 |
| Apr 2018 | 2 | 1,054 |
| May 2018 | 1 | 1,055 |
| Jul 2018 | 3 | 1,058 |
| Aug 2018 | 2 | 1,060 |
| Sep 2018 | 1 | 1,061 |
| Oct 2018 | 1 | 1,062 |
| Nov 2018 | 3 | 1,065 |
| Dec 2018 | 2 | 1,067 |
| Jan 2019 | 5 | 1,072 |
| Feb 2019 | 4 | 1,076 |
| Mar 2019 | 4 | 1,080 |
| Apr 2019 | 1 | 1,081 |
| May 2019 | 1 | 1,082 |
| Jun 2019 | 1 | 1,083 |
| Jul 2019 | 1 | 1,084 |
| Sep 2019 | 1 | 1,085 |
| Oct 2019 | 3 | 1,088 |
| Dec 2019 | 5 | 1,093 |
| Jan 2020 | 1 | 1,094 |
| Feb 2020 | 1 | 1,095 |
| Apr 2020 | 1 | 1,096 |
| Jun 2020 | 1 | 1,097 |
| Jul 2020 | 2 | 1,099 |
| Aug 2020 | 2 | 1,101 |
| Nov 2020 | 1 | 1,102 |
| Jan 2021 | 2 | 1,104 |
| Jun 2021 | 1 | 1,105 |
| Sep 2021 | 1 | 1,106 |
| May 2022 | 1 | 1,107 |
| Jun 2022 | 1 | 1,108 |
| Jul 2022 | 1 | 1,109 |
| Oct 2022 | 1 | 1,110 |
| Mar 2023 | 1 | 1,111 |
| Jul 2023 | 1 | 1,112 |
| May 2024 | 1 | 1,113 |
| Oct 2024 | 1 | 1,114 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Engine57541.8%
- Electrical23016.7%
- Airbags14310.4%
- Powertrain (other)674.9%
- Driver assistance584.2%
- Body & structure352.5%
- Interior & seats332.4%
- Steering312.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
9 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govAIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Safety investigations
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.During the course of PE14-016, ODI determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by Takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.Nonetheless, at ODI's insistence, all 10 vehicle manufacturers initiated a regional recall within approximately two weeks of the opening of the investigation.The regions recalled initially included Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, areas with high absolute humidity and climatic conditions believed to be a significant factor in the inflator ruptures.As part of the recall actions, inflators removed from remedied vehicles are to be returned to Takata for testing.Takata's initial test results on passenger inflators from remedied vehicles indicated a much higher than anticipated rupture frequency for inflators returned from Florida.Accordingly ODI requested all 10 manufacturers expand the regional recalls for passenger inflators to include other geographic areas where high absolute humidity conditions exist, including the Gulf States and other coastal areas.Takata's testing of the passenger inflators to date continues to indicate this geographic area as having the highest risk, with no ruptures occurring from inflators returned from outside the expanded recall regions.During PE14-016 four additional passenger inflator field events occurred, all in vehicles from the same expanded geographic region.Also during PE14-016 four additional driver inflator field events occurred including two in vehicles from regions not known for high absolute humidity, specifically California and North Carolina.Accordingly, ODI requested all five of the affected vehicle manufacturers currently using the subject Takata driver inflators expand to nationwide recalls.Significantly, neither of the affected vehicle manufacturers or Takata provided any explanation to account for these two driver air bag inflator ruptures outside the area of high absolute humidity.Takata testing of returned driver inflators indicates a lower rupture frequency as compared to passenger inflator testing.All test ruptures reported by Takata to date have occurred on inflators returned from high absolute humidity areas.The investigation now includes all manufacturers and vehicles known to be affected at this time.ODI's investigation will focus on, among other things, root cause analysis, other potential defect consequences, identification of affected vehicles scope, and adequacy of the remedy.The five ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification numbers: 10537899, 10568848, 10585224, 10605877, 10651492
STEERING WHEEL AND STEERING SHAFT BOLTS
ON MARCH 9, 2006 ODI UPGRADED PRELIMINATRY EVALUATION PE05-056 TO ENGINEERNING ANALYSIS EA06-004 TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF LOOSE OR MISSING STEERING SHAFT COUPLING BOLTS AND STEERING COLUMN RETAINING BOLTS IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2004 THROUGH 2006 DODGE DURANGO SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND MY 2005 THROUGH 2006 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP TRUCKS.EITHER CONDITION COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL.ALTHOUGH ODI IDENTIFIED SOME QUALITY ISSUES IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESSES FOR THE DAKOTA AND DURANGO VEHICLES, THE DATA DO NOT INDICATE THAT A SAFETY DEFECT TREND IS PRESENT IN EITHER POPULATION.THE FAILURE RATES ARE LOW FOR EACH CONDITION AND TREND ANALYSES INDICATE THAT PROBLEMS WITH THE SUBJECT BOLTS WERE ISOLATED TO A FEW UNITS AFFECTED BY ASSEMBLY ERROR THAT WERE DETECTED EITHER PRE-SALE OR OCCURRED EARLY IN VEHICLE SERVICE.FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES IN THIS MATTER DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR COMPLAINTS AND OTHER INFORMATION RELATING TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE SUGJECT VEHICLES AND WILL TAKE FURHTER ACTION INTHE THE FUTURE IF WARRANTED.FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.During the course of PE14-016, ODI determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by Takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.Nonetheless, at ODI's insistence, all 10 vehicle manufacturers initiated a regional recall within approximately two weeks of the opening of the investigation.The regions recalled initially included Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, areas with consistently high absolute humidity and climatic conditions believed to be a significant factor in the inflator ruptures.As part of the recall actions, inflators removed from remedied vehicles are to be returned to Takata for testing.Takata's initial test results on passenger inflators from remedied vehicles indicated a much higher than anticipated rupture frequency for inflators returned from Florida.Accordingly, ODI requested all 10 manufacturers expand the regional recalls for passenger inflators to include other geographic areas where high absolute humidity conditions exist, including the Gulf States and other coastal areas.Takata's testing of the passenger inflators to date continues to indicate this geographic area as having the highest risk, with no ruptures occurring from inflators returned from outside the expanded recall regions.During PE14-016, four additional passenger inflator field events occurred, all in vehicles from the same expanded geographic region.Also during PE14-016, four additional driver inflator field events occurred including two in vehicles from regions not known for high absolute humidity, specifically California and North Carolina.Accordingly, ODI requested all five of the affected vehicle manufacturers currently using the subject Takata driver inflators expand to nationwide recalls.Significantly, neither of the affected vehicle manufacturers or Takata provided any explanation to account for these two driver air bag inflator ruptures outside the area of high absolute humidity.Takata testing of returned driver inflators indicates a lower rupture frequency as compared to passenger inflator testing.All test ruptures reported by Takata to date have occurred on inflators returned from high absolute humidity areas.The PE is now closed/upgraded to an Engineering Evaluation (EA15-001) to include all manufacturersand vehicles known to be affected at this time.ODI's EA investigation will focus on, among other things, root cause analysis, other potential defect consequences, identification of affected vehicles scope, and adequacy of the remedy.The recalls related to this PE are: 14V343, 14V344, 14V348, 14V351, 14V353, 14V655, 14V700, 14V701, 14V752, 14V763, 14V770, 14V773, 14V787, 14V802 and 14V817.The number of vehicles affected are an estimate since some vehicles may have both the driver and passenger side inflators recalled. The five ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification numbers: 10537899, 10568848, 10585224, 10605877, 10651492
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
I was coming home. As I pulled in my garage, hit the brake to stop and put in park. The vehicle started winding up to a point where my foot on the brake didn't matter. It accelerated forward, going through the wall of my garage, through my backyard, thru a chain guard, and into the corner of the museum wall next door. I was finally able to stop it completely by shutting the vehicle off. Despite the speed and impact to the front of my vehicle, the airbags never deployed.
- NHTSA ID
- 11618187
- Incident
- Oct 4, 2024
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 10 MPH and making a left turn in the rain, the vehicle shut off. There were no warning lights illuminated. While at a car wash, the vehicle shut off. The contact stated that the water was entering the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where an unknown diagnosis was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 115,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11588740
- Incident
- Jan 1, 2012
- Mileage
- 115,000 mi
Was sitting at a traffic light and a driver pull up beside me on my drive side, and ask me was my car running hot because she saw that it was smokeing, and i told her no it's not running hot and i would check it out at the service station down the street. before i could pull off another car pull up on my passenger side and said that my car was on fire and that i needed to get out before it blows up and get on the ground. i got out and look on the passenger side and saw that it was on fire , i saw fire droping on the ground like plastic melting . and said to myself that it might be a electrical fire so i was going to disconnect the battery as i walk back to the front of the car i saw withe smoke coming out from under the hood near the windshiled on the passenger side and before i could get to the front it turn to black smoke in and few seconds later it was on fire by the time i walk over to the dirver side. call 911 police got there frist in about 7 min it was so hot that it melting the windshiled i move to the other of the building that it was on the side of and look on as it burn fire department came, and in ten minutes the A/C lines popped and i heard the battery pop. the fire department put it out in about 3 sec . in ten minutes it had burn up just greatful to god i got out to look before trying to go to the service satation and ended up dead from blowing up the service station. i had taken it to McSweeney CHRYSLER DODGE Jeep RAM. ON 09/28/22 DASH LIGHTS COMING ON AND TACH DROPPING AND STICKING. REPLACE THE BATTERY I GOT FROM University Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Anniston 08/13/22. replace the ALTERNATO I GOT From Autozone 08/13/2022.
- NHTSA ID
- 11530055
- Incident
- May 15, 2023
While driving my vehicle this morning my odometer completely shut off while on the freeway and all my little lights on the dashboard went on. My turn signals, as well as my brake lights stopped working as well.
- NHTSA ID
- 11513425
- Incident
- Mar 23, 2023
2004 DODGE DURANGO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO RUSTING OF THE HITCH.
- NHTSA ID
- 11491264
- Incident
- Oct 28, 2022
While driving in rain my car stalls and gets shaky. I had it cut off in the midst of driving which can cause harm to myself and others. The cowl doesn’t protect the components under the hood from moisture when it rain causing my vehicle not to function properly. As a result of this my engine light has displayed but goes away when it stops raining. Not a safe car to drive in the rain.
- NHTSA ID
- 11472935
- Incident
- Jul 8, 2022
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
- NHTSA ID
- 11471463
- Incident
- Jun 28, 2022
Airbag warning dash light comes on intermittently. The Takata airbag recall has been corrected, but the light still comes on. This warning light first appeared on, or about 6 months ago. I have not taken this vehicle back for dealer to re-inspect the issue. The obvious concern here, is whether or not the airbag will fail, when needed, or the airbag might deploy inadvertently.
- NHTSA ID
- 11464952
- Incident
- Feb 4, 2021
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
Verify Reman part number availability. Order the "R" part number for all orders: Warranty, Mopar, customer pay and service contract. Order "68" part number for New unsold units only.
POWER TRAIN
Plate - Planetary
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Security Module Lock Out After Entering the PIN to Unlock The Wireless Control Module (WCM)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Security Module Lock Out After Entering the PIN to Unlock The Wireless Control Module (WCM)
EQUIPMENT
Mechanical rocker arm, intake, 1.7 ratio.
POWER TRAIN
Mechanical rocker arm, intake, 1.7 ratio.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2026 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 44.2 |
| 2025 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2024 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 38.4 |
| 2023 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 56.6 |
| 2022 | 55 | 6 | 0 | 60.1 |
| 2021 | 187 | 7 | 0 | 61.4 |
| 2020 | 54 | 2 | 1 | 65.3 |
| 2019 | 141 | 4 | 1 | 61.2 |
| 2018 | 229 | 5 | 2 | 61.0 |
| 2017 | 210 | 2 | 2 | 60.3 |
| 2016 | 160 | 3 | 2 | 62.6 |
| 2015 | 502 | 4 | 4 | 65.1 |
| 2014 | 781 | 11 | 7 | 65.3 |
| 2013 | 640 | 11 | 5 | 65.8 |
| 2012 | 637 | 10 | 5 | 62.2 |
| 2011 | 797 | 8 | 5 | 64.2 |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 56.2 |
| 2008 | 97 | 2 | 1 | 50.2 |
| 2007 | 191 | 4 | 4 | 60.1 |
| 2006 | 851 | 10 | 7 | 61.1 |
| 2005 | 1,567 | 9 | 10 | 60.0 |
| 2004Viewing | 1,114 | 9 | 9 | 65.8 |
| 2003 | 339 | 6 | 5 | 64.1 |
| 2002 | 423 | 6 | 5 | 64.0 |
| 2001 | 665 | 7 | 5 | 64.9 |
| 2000 | 1,075 | 4 | 4 | 64.0 |
| 1999 | 1,967 | 5 | 3 | 59.3 |
| 1998 | 965 | 6 | 3 | 59.7 |
| 1997 | 4 | 2 | 2 | — |
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.