2018 Dodge Durango
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 232 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 14th highest complaint count among 25 Durango model years with reports.
Of the 2018 reports, 9 involved a crash. 5 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/moduleNov 7, 2024
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles. A malfunction in the antilock-brake system (ABS) module may incorrectly illuminate the brake lights and disable the ABS and electronic stability control (ESC). In addition, the vehicle operator may be able to start and shift out of Park without the brake pedal being applied.
A vehicle that can be started and shifted out of Park without applying the brake pedal can result in a vehicle rollaway. Disabled ABS and ESC systems can reduce vehicle handling and control in certain driving situations. Brake lights that incorrectly illuminate can fail to properly indicate the driver's intention to following traffic. Any of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the integrated pressure transducer and update the ABS module software, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 16, 2025. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 94B. This recall replaces previous recall number 22V-426. Vehicles previously remedied under 22V-426 will need to have the new remedy completed.
Campaign 24V838000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/moduleJun 9, 2022
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles. A malfunction in the antilock-brake system (ABS) module may illuminate the brake lights, and allow the vehicle to start and shift out of Park without the brake pedal being applied.
A vehicle that starts and shifts out of Park without applying the brake pedal can result in vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash without prior warning and/or injury to others outside of the vehicle.
This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall number 24V838. Vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedy completed. The remedy includes updated HCU/ABS module software that prevents the HCU/ABS module from falsely reading pressure in the primary circuit. FCA has decided to do a two-Phase Campaign remedy schedule. Phase 1 began November 17, 2022. Phase 2 begin date has not been determined yet. Interim owner notification letters explaining the safety risk were mailed July 28, 2020. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 29, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Z48.
Campaign 22V426000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, wiring, front underhoodAug 9, 2018
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Renegade, Compass and Grand Cherokee, RAM 1500 and Promaster, Fiat 500x, Dodge Journey, Challenger, Charger and Durango and Chrysler 300x vehicles, 2017-2018 Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles and 2018-2019 Jeep Cherokee and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid vehicles. The powertrain control module may be equipped with a voltage regulator chip in the circuit board that may fail, causing a stall or a no start condition.
A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began October 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U87.
Campaign 18V524000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, wiringMay 17, 2018
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.
If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.
Campaign 18V332000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmissionMay 1, 2018
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Dodge Charger, Durango and Challenger, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wrangler, Chrysler 300, and RAM 1500 vehicles. An incorrect transmission park lock rod may have been installed in the transmission.
If the incorrect park lock rod is installed, the transmission may not shift into 'PARK' and keep the vehicle from moving, increasing the risk of unintended vehicle movement and the risk of a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install the correct park lock rod, free of charge. The recall began June 28, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U43.
Campaign 18V280000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
232 reports, newest first.
Service brakes, Jan 3, 2023
The vehicle braking system will start alerting the driver to brake when not necassary. Alarm will sound in the vehicle, and Dashboard will start flashing "BRAKE" multiple times. it did break automatically once while driving, children were present in the vehicle. I am concerned if the vehicle brakes on it own it cause an accident. FCA has sent out a notice that our vehicle VIN is not one that is effected but we are having the same problems.
Electrical system, Dec 27, 2022
Touchscreen display failure. Causes erratic and distracting behaviors of the HVAC, radio, navigation, phone, and other systems while vehicle is in use. Prevents setting or changing of safety related settings (ie; lane departure settings, automatic headlamp controls, alarms, etc).
Other or unspecified, Dec 14, 2022
The “do you want to adjust your clock settings” pop up screen keeps popping up repeatedly and disconnecting the car battery does not fix it.
Other or unspecified, Dec 12, 2022
The sunroof bursted and shattered in what can only be described as an explosion. Driver and passenger were occupying the vehicle at the time the sunroof broke. The vehicle was operated in a standard manner and driven on a highway. The sunroof without having observed any cracks or dings shattered without warning. The resolving explosive noise scared both the driver and passenger, which in itself could lead to an accident if the driver had reacted differently. Some of the shattered glass fell on the occupants. The majority of the glass from the sunroof lifted off and crash down on the road behind the vehicle. The drivers brother was able to witness in his rare view mirror the moment when the glass lifted off and flew over the back of the affected vehicle. There were no vehicles driving behind the affected vehicle at the time, but the glass could have created a safety hazard to people behind and in the vicinity of the affected vehicle. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center, but so far to the knowledge of the owners or the affected vehicle a comparable situation has not been a reported issue at their preferred dealer. The damage is still being dealt with and at this time has not been inspected by anyone. Again the sunroof bursted without any warning signs. There was just suddenly a bang that can only be compared to a gun shot.
Back over prevention, Oct 27, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Dodge Durango. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the rear camera activated independently, without warning. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted or notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 20,000.
Electrical system, Back over prevention, Forward collision avoidance, Oct 13, 2022
The LCD Screen for my computer has an awkward spot in the top right corner when I bought my vehicle (which only had a very few miles on it). I thought it was just cosmetic and didn't worry much about it. Eventually, the awkward spot spread into a crack across the top of the screen. I have read online that this is a known problem that occurs on many of the vehicles of the same year and make. The screen began to perform on its own, it pushes multiple buttons constantly. This is more than an irritation it is a safety hazard for my family. The screen controls my heat and air, it turns the heat up and down, from hot to cold and hot again. I cannot defrost my windshield, as the air flow continues to switch from blower to blower. The seat warmers turn on and off. I am unable to control them, and my passengers can be burned. My backup camera does not function properly effecting the safety of everyone around us. The screen has pushed emergency call more than once. and totally controls my phone making calls and randomly hanging up on calls as well as muting or turning on and off apps. This is very dangerous for me, as the driver, trying to grab my phone and stop the emergency calls and other things. I cannot start my car using the auto start to warm up and defrost because the vehicle will not stay on defrost it will continuously switch around. The uconnect usually warns me of traffic hazards and storms in my area, as well as posting the speed limit and directions on the screen. Without these items, I put myself and my passengers at risk each time we are in the car. According to many dodge, durango, and general safety forums and blogs I have read, this is a common problem in this vehicle. This should be a safety recall for many reasons. How can I make a claim to get this replaced at no cost.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Oct 6, 2022, crash
The contact owns a 2018 Dodge Durango. The contact stated while driving at 25 MPH, the vehicle that was 20 feet away from his vehicle stopped. The contact depressed the brake pedal but it failed to respond, causing the vehicle to crash into the rear of the other vehicle. The air bags deployed. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact did not sustain any injuries. The other driver did not sustain any injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot, where it remained. The dealer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact later became aware that his VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V426000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), which he associated with the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.
Seats, Sep 30, 2022
The contact's wife owns a 2018 Dodge Durango. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the headrest deployed inadvertently and struck the contact in the back of the head. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road for a moment. There was no injury sustained. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that they could not assist since the VIN was not included in an unknown recall and the vehicle was no longer under warranty. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 76,050.
Electrical system, Sep 29, 2022
The radio is started to ghost touch which means that it is randomly choosing anything on the screen. Because it controls many of the cars features, it can cause things to get out of control while trying to drive. I have video which I couldn't upload.
Other or unspecified, Sep 28, 2022
The 8.4 inch Uconnect system will malfunction causing it to randomly press things on the screen. This can cause it to raise the temperature to HIGH with you unable to turn it off. In doing so can be detrimental to the driver because they then become distracted from the road due to the incredibly high temperatures. This is happening for all 8.4 Uconnect systems across all models.
Electrical system, Seats, Other or unspecified, Sep 13, 2022
The vehicle 8.4 inch display has become delaminated. It constantly changes comfort, radio, navigation, and Wi-Fi setting while the vehicle is in motion. This is a serious distraction to the driver and a serious safety issue.
Other or unspecified, Sep 11, 2022
On multiple occasions and at multiple gas stations, whenever I insert the nozzle and fully engage the trigger, the pump shuts off. My options are to either partially depress the trigger and run the pump at about 1/4 speed or turn the nozzle counterclockwise over 90-degrees. After posting this matter, I've learned that this is a very common defect with the Dodge Durango that has yet to be addressed with a factory recall. My concern is that this could create a longer term safety issue if it not taken care of. My concern is that something may be wrong internally with my tank that could lead to possible leak down the road that I would never know about until its too late.
Electrical system, Sep 11, 2022
On multiple occasions, my touchscreen pops up asking if I want to update the clock settings. There is actually nothing wrong with my clock. This message continues to repopulate regardless if I hit yes or no. This message deactivates everything else on the touchscreen (radio, navigation, etc) and causes a major distraction while driving. This has happened multiple times over the last month and the only way it ends is when I turn the engine off.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Aug 29, 2022
The hydraulic control unit antilock break system module in vehicle system reads falsely for pressure in primary circuit. I use car for rental service but can no longer use it until it is fixed
Other or unspecified, Aug 12, 2022
Rear taillights. The outter section that is lit around, one small section of leds are not working, very common on all the Durangos. Dodge dealership won't pass my inspection. It has nothing to do with brake lights. This should be a recall
Suspension, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Aug 5, 2022, crash
I was driving on I75 North in Florida near Ocala (exit 358) traveling about 70mph when I approached slowing traffic. I attempted a slow and steady stop without slamming on the brakes. The emergency braking system engaged but the vehicle failed to stop and I was not able to completely floor the brakes. In an effort to avoid hitting the vehicle in front of me and causing a multiple car collision I swerved onto the grassy side of the road. Because the car would not stop completely my passenger front wheel made contact with a concrete ditch and my vehicle flipped over resulting in a total loss.
Electrical system, Engine, Aug 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle lost power steering and braking functionality. During the failure, the vehicle had not lost electrical power with the interior lights and instrument cluster illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer on multiple occasions for the same failure and the power train control module, engine mounts, and an unknown wiring harness were replaced; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V524000 (Electrical System). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 50,000.
Seats, Jul 30, 2022
Unknown. My son hit the front passenger headrest with a toy and the headrest deployed. I was in the front passenger seat at the time this happened but it did not hit the back of my head.
Seats, Jul 26, 2022
SUV was parked not and overnight my passenger seat headrest "active head restraint" activated and opened up. I contacted Dodge/Chrysler Headquaters and they stated a recall was found for this safety feature but my vehicle VIN was not part of the recall. I should not be responsible for repairs. I know first hand how important safety features are needed on vehicle and how they save lives when working/used properly. I'm an FARS FL Analyst currently contracted with NHTSA
Electrical system, Back over prevention, Jul 26, 2022
STARTED TODAY - THE CAR NO LONGER WILL TURN OFF. THE CAR JUST DINGS AND DOES NOT STOP. YOU CAN NOT TURN OFF IT WON'T DO IT. CLAIMS ITS NOT IN PARK AND STAYS RUNNING.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Jul 25, 2022
Throwing codes of of lost communication of body control module and cylinder 3 misfire.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Jul 25, 2022
This is occurring frequent the system freaked abs system came on doing 38 miles an hour. Than system freaked out and brake light came on empty tank showed. Check engine than for 2 miles horn Blasted on its own . After the temperature gauge stopped working and now it continues to state it’s not in park when it is .
Seats, Jul 17, 2022
Headrest deployed while driving
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 7, 2022
Had to replace fuel canister and sensor. Had to redo fuel system . The evap sensor appeared while driving, engine light came on and car started driving really weird and shaking. It was freaking out did not drive right.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 7, 2022
This is the 4th time in 2 weeks that the ABS system freaked. I was driving and reached 70mph and it randomly will start slowing kick on the check engine light. Blinks and then throws on the abs warning light. This has happened in summer and the 1 time it has rained day before. The system than alerted me to start/stop engine turn off and turn back on. I did do this. This happens though WHEN I am driving. The sensors go off, a few days later. It will happen again. This is extremely dangerous ! I made a video of it this past time