2015 Dodge Durango Engine Problems

Engine light came on, no warning. Took to garage to check diagnostic system, went through system, did some work and light went off. Week later, light back on..took back to garage - they documented all they saw within diagnostic system and sent me to dealer. There was no indication of failure, drove fine but dealer made appt. Did some research and found out this year/make/model had complete engine failure at low mileage. No recall ever made. 3.6L Pentastar V6. Dealer took apart manifold, ran compression test, intake/exhaust valves leaking, engine block flatness - had to replace engine block. No precipitation of this issue other than engine light. A complete engine failure without an accident, at low mileage and a known issue without a recall on a specific engine is quite concerning. I basically paid $14, 400 for a new engine where I could have bought a used Durango . My 2000 Durango had well over 100k miles when I donated to charity and purchased this 2015 in 2016 off lot as used with 22 miles on it. I am not sure how to reconcile this damage and out-of-pocket expense for a known issue when no recall was made. Did I buy a lemon? Given the same engine was put back in, will I have to replace again in another 50k miles? I feel like I am due some type of refund given this problem is a known problem but no recall was issued. Thankfully it did not overheat, blow the engine while driving or cause an accident given this issue was a ticking time bomb.

NHTSA ID

11731627

Incident

Jan 12, 2026

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Passenger and driver seat caught on fire spontaneously, engine or battery has also been dying/ malfunctioning, touch screen also has issues. Yes available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Almost burned by seat of if I didn’t smell a burning smell. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Not yet. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Not yet. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No.

NHTSA ID

11729015

Incident

Mar 31, 2026

Mileage

117,322 mi

When driving home from work the car started malfunctioning wrong , accelerating by itself and I started to smell smoke when I pulled over to the side I started smelling smoke as soon I exited the vehicle it started flaming. Everything in my vehicle was burnt the fire department came and stated I should look up any recalls they said it was electrical. I bought the vehicle 30 days ago , dealership will not help neither the loan company I'm stuck with a vehicle who was sold with electrical problems almost to my life.

NHTSA ID

11688515

Incident

Sep 16, 2025

Cooling system

NHTSA ID

11675549

Incident

Jul 23, 2025

Oil Filter Housing Cracked resulting in a major oil leak . My vehicle just turned 125,000 miles. it ended up with an engine knock and needing to replace all of the lifters.

NHTSA ID

11653118

Incident

Jun 3, 2024

The contact owns a 2015 Dodge Durango. The contact stated while driving, parked, or stationary, the vehicle started making a clicking noise. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with the pen star tick. The contact attempted to repair the vehicle by performing several oil changes, but the failure persisted. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.

NHTSA ID

11638300

Incident

Aug 20, 2024

Mileage

104,000 mi

Front differential has went out. The motor is also over heating and has been since I’ve got the car

NHTSA ID

11613627

Incident

Dec 20, 2023

The contact owns a 2015 Dodge Durango. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact stated that there was a recall for the failure; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact researched online and became aware of NHTSA Action Number: 10239957 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11605655

Incident

Jan 10, 2024

1. Oil cap/oil cooler reservoir leaking oil and antifreeze on engine. I will be replacing soon and will keep defective part for your review. 2. Safety concern is that due to oil and coolant can pool up on top of engine, the liquids could catch on fire. This create high safety risk to my family and other people that may try to put out fire. 3. The leaking issue is well known to dealers and repair shops. Many on line leak issue noted. The original oil cooler reservoir base is made of plastic. Since the cooler is sitting right on top of pentastar 3.6 engine, the plastic base is exposed to severe heat and heat/temp cycles. The suspect cause of leaks points to plastic base warping creating seal leaks or stress cracks in housing. Part should be more a robust material like aluminum. 4. Leak was found recently April 17, 2024, by service tech during oil change. No oil or temp lights came on. Has not been reviewed by police, manuf, insurance. Cost to repair $800 to $1200.

NHTSA ID

11584964

Incident

Apr 17, 2024

Audible ticking noise from valve train. Upon further inspection a discovered a damaged roller follower. Cause of damage was the failure of the needle bearings within the roller follower

NHTSA ID

11567069

Incident

Aug 4, 2023

Oil Filter Housing Cracked resulting in a major oil leak . My vehicle just turned 120,000 miles this is the 2nd Durango I have owned that has developed the same issue. The first time it ended up with an engine knock this time I hope to have caught it soon enough

NHTSA ID

11554405

Incident

Nov 8, 2023

My vehicle does not let off any warning that the engines overheating and the line stays in the middle of hot and cold but really my engines overheating my fan is not on and I get no indication No Light No notification stating me what the real problem is every time we hook something up to it to see what's wrong it lets off another issue with the vehicle and I can't seem to get it answer to what's wrong with the vehicle

NHTSA ID

11547617

Incident

May 16, 2022

my 2015 dodge Durango is making a ticking noise from the engine at all times. The truck only has 122088 miles and upsetting that something like this is messed up so early on. The noise seems like it must be the engine lifters. Have done some research and it’s common issue in similar make and models.

NHTSA ID

11510071

Incident

Feb 14, 2023

Front passenger seat belt won’t retract. Rocker arms ticking. They were fixed 15 months ago and ticking again

NHTSA ID

11509239

Incident

Feb 13, 2023

With hard acceleration, engine begins to overheat with temp gauge going all the way up to H, triggering overheating warning on instrument cluster. Vehicle ran normal, under any driving condition, up until 2-3 months ago when incident first occurred. I believe this is a major safety issue and other drivers are having the same issue. I believe this warrants a recall to ensure the safety of the vehicle and passengers.

NHTSA ID

11484364

Incident

Jul 1, 2022

There’s a tIck on the engine, sometimes there’s a strong smell of gasoline and idle is rough. There’s been a P0302 code. It’s already been inspected and a lot of components replaced but nothing seems to fix it. After research there’s plenty of people with this same problem apparently caused by premature rocker arms wear.

NHTSA ID

11472084

Incident

Jul 2, 2022

The contact owns a 2015 Dodge Durango. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled inadvertently. After several minutes the was vehicle restarted. The contact stated that the message to shift to park(P) was displayed; along with a message stating the vehicle was driving too fast. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with a defective fuel pump relay. The fuel pump was replaced; however, the fuel pump relay was not replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 96,000.

NHTSA ID

11470813

Incident

Jun 1, 2022

Mileage

96,000 mi

The contact owns a 2015 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine was misfiring. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the motor mounts had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the motor mounts; however, the failure reoccurred while driving. The contact stated that she also noticed a strong fuel odor while driving and her friend who was sitting in the rear seat of the vehicle informed her that he could hear fluid running while she was driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that fuel was leaking and the fuel tank needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

NHTSA ID

11446618

Incident

Aug 7, 2020

Mileage

58,000 mi

The key fob would be in the car, foot on break and the car wouldn't start. Even with a replaced key fob battery. It didn't give any indication that the key fob wasn't detected but the car wouldn't start. It happened a total of 5 times. Twice leaving me stranded with 3 kids in the car.

NHTSA ID

11443869

Incident

Dec 5, 2021

Engine code P0306 (cylinder misfire #6) Replaced the coil pack and spark plug, still misfiring. Moved the cylinder #6 injector to another cylinder head and it still misfires on #6. Know problems with the 3.6L Pentastar Engine but they say my vin isn't listed in Chrysler's extended warranty covering it. Also a lawsuit about it currently going on it Montana https://www.classaction.org/news/fca-us-hit-with-class-action-over-allegedly-refusing-warranty-coverage-for-pentastar-v-6-engine-ticking-defect Dodge refuses to fix it under any warranty and wants $4,000+!!! There are THOUSANDS of people having the same problem!!!!!!

NHTSA ID

11442769

Incident

Oct 28, 2021

There is a ticking sound coming from my engine. The dealer told me I need to replace my rocker arms. I've search and seen a lot of people having this problem with the rocker arms failing in the engine. If "a lot" of people are having this problem it sounds to me like a part defect by the manufacturer...

NHTSA ID

11435319

Incident

Sep 24, 2021

I WAS EXITING A PARKING GARAGE AND APPLIED MY BRAKE TO STOP TO PAY THE PARKING FEE. WHEN I CAME TO A STOP THE TRUCK UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. I PUSHED AS HARD AS I COULD ON THE FOOT BRAKE BUT THE ENGINE WAS REGISTERING 4 TO 5,000 RPMS. MY TRUCK MOVED ON THRU THE PARKING GATE BREAKING THE GATE AND THEN MY TRUCK ENTERED INTO THE MAIN ROAD. I ALMOST HIT TWO PEOPLE WALKING ON THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THE PARKING GARAGE. I WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE TRUCK INTO NEUTRAL ONCE THROUGH THE GATE AND THE RPMS WENT BACK TO NORMAL. SECOND EVENT: IN JUNE OF 2020 I WAS ENTERING A DIFFERENT PARKING GARAGE. I HAD TO PUT THE TRUCK IN PARK TO OPEN MY DOOR TO RETRIEVE THE PARKING TICKET. I GOT BACK IN AND PUT THE TRUCK IN DRIVE WHEN I PUSHED ON THE GAS PEDAL THE TRUCK AGAIN ACCELERATED UP TO 4,000 TO 5,000 RPMS. I WAS ABLE TO BRAKE AND MOVE THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL AND EVERYTHING RETURNED TO NORMAL. THIRD EVENT OCCURRED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO. I HAD STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT WITH A CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE ENGINE ACCELERATED TO 4,000 TO 5,000 RPMS. THIS TIME I HAD BOTH FEET ON THE FOOT BRAKE. I THEN MOVED ONE FOOT OVER TO ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. WHILE STOPPED I COULD NOT MOVE THE TRUCK FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL. ONCE THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME MOVED ON. I WAS ABLE TO PULL THE TRUCK OVER TO THE RIGHT CURB AND THEN I WAS ABLE TO MOVE IT INTO NEUTRAL. IF I HAD NOT ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE I WOULD HAVE RAM THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO A DODGE DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THIS EVENT. THESE EVENTS ARE VERY ALARMING AND VERY RANDOM. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

NHTSA ID

11383500

Incident

Dec 11, 2020

Mileage

40,000 mi

I HEARD A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE. TOOK IT TO FARRISH OF FAIRFAX, VA (703-273-0200) DEALERSHIP AND THEY DID THE FOLLOWING, "REMOVED VALVE COVER AND INSPECT VALVE TRAIN. FOUND WORN OUT ROCKERS ON CYLINDER #5 INTAKE. CAMSHAFT LOBE ALSO WORN OUT. REPLACED RIGHT BANK INTAKE CAMSHAFT." AT THE CURRENT LEVEL, WE DID NOT NOTICE ANY DRIVABILITY ISSUES AND FUEL MILEAGE APPEARED TO BE NORMAL. WE COULDN'T EVEN HEAR THE TICKING FROM INSIDE THE CAR WITH THE WINDOWS UP AND RADIO OFF. WE COULD ONLY HEAR IT FORM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE. THE MECHANIC KNEW EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS WHEN I TOLD HIM WE HAD A TICKING NOISE IN A DURANGO. I DIDN'T TELL HIM THE ENGINE AND HE CAME BACK WITH "IF IT'S A 3.6 MOTOR PROBABLY A WORN OUT CAMSHAFT CAUSED BY ROCKER ARM ROLLER BEARINGS WEARING OUT PREMATURELY. BRING IT ON IN." HERE'S TWO LINKS TO A SIMILAR OWNERS' EXPERIENCES: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=2DPHCJLDSW4 HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=JZIF0GC4BGI WE ONLY HAD 49,237 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, BUT WERE JUST OUT OF THE 5 YEAR/100,000 MILE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. DEALERSHIP DID COVER COST OF REPAIR.

NHTSA ID

11376274

Incident

Nov 20, 2020

Mileage

49,237 mi

I AM AT 92,000 MILES AND I HAVE A TICKING SOUND IN MY ENGINE. WHILE JUST IN PARK YOU CAN HEAR THE TICKING SOUND AS WELL AS WHEN YOU EXCEL WHILE DRIVING. I DO MY OIL CHANGES EVERY 3,000 MILES AND I SEEN THIS IS AN ISSUES ON A LOT OF OTHER DODGE DURANGO MODELS. SHOULD THIS ME A RECALL WITH THIS HAPPENING TO SO MANY?

NHTSA ID

11363918

Incident

Oct 1, 2020

Mileage

92,100 mi

ROCKER ARMS OR LIFTERS CAUSING 'TICKING NOISE/ SOUND' AT 113,000 MILES. AFTER ONLINE RESEARCH, MANY DODGE DURANGO 2014 AND LATER MODES HAVE SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11361315

Incident

Aug 4, 2020

Mileage

113,000 mi