1998 Dodge Durango Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,553 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1998 Dodge Durango, alongside 6 recall campaigns and 3 defect investigations. It scores 48/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Suspension leads the reports, typically around 69,000 miles.
Below average
Where 1998 sits among all Durango years
What owners report
“Premature wear of both upper and lower ball joints on my 1998 dodge durango. The dealership where the vehicle was purchased new and serviced periodically wanted to replace them after 36000 (highway) miles at a cost of $1200.00. Two other dodge dealerships have since reported the same problem.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Durango
“The overdrive failed at 65 mph, the transmission locked up/failed at 30 mph and vehicle skipped to a stop.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Durango
“The front wheels do not lock when applying the brakes. The rear brakes seem to be defective. The dealer can find no defects.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Durango
“1998 durangos should be recalled also they all have the same ball joints as the others in the recall”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Durango
“Intake manifold resealed, intake & plenum gasket replaced, intake & pan & o-ring replaced, intake resealed & pcv valve replaced, manifold & intake replaced, rod bearings & valve guide seals & #4 spark plug & intake replaced. Purchased as trade-in at ford dealer 21504 miles. Problems began 2-3 wks…”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Durango
“Vehicle will not start due to security system alarm failure caused bt defective computer.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Durango
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 751 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 69,100 miles. Half of those reports fall between 50,000 and 90,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (6)
CERTAIN REPLACEMENT K&N FUEL PERFORMANCE KITS, P/NOS. 57-1509, 57-1511, 57-1511-1, 57-1517, 57-1517-1, 57-1527, AND 57-1530. ALSO, A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THESE KITS WERE SOLD UNDER THE MOPAR PERFORMANCE PARTS BRAND NAME (P/NOS. P5007069 AND P5007070). ALL…
Fix: K&N WILL PROVIDE OWNERS WITH A FREE REPAIR KIT ALONG WITH REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 20, 2006.
CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT BRAKE CYLINDERS FOR CERTAIN FORD, DAIMLERCHRYSLER, AND JEEP PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE BRAKE CYLINDERS WERE SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF NAPA, RAYBESTOS, AIMCO, AC DELCO, CARQUEST,…
Fix: AFFINIA (BRAKE PARTS, INC.) WILL REPLACE THE SUBJECT BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 20, 2006. OWNERS CAN CONTACT AFFINA GROUP CUSTOMER SERVICE AT…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PICKUP TRUCKS. SOUND DEADENER MATERIAL INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL COULD BECOME DETACHED FROM THE COVER AND HOUSING. NOTE: THE RAM PICKUP TRUCKS WERE BUILT AT THE WARREN ASSEMBLY PLANT ("S" IN THE 11TH VIN POSITION) FROM MAY 16, 2000…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 18, 2001. ALSO SOME 1997-200 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES THAT, ACCORDING TO WARRANTY RECORDS, HAVE HAD A SUSPECT REPLACEMENT…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE REAR BRAKE TUBE CAN CONTACT AN UNDERBODY CROSSMEMBER EVENTUALLY WEARING A HOLE IN THE TUBE.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RUBBER ISOLATOR ON ALL VEHICLES THAT DO NOT INDICATE TUBE CONTACT. VEHICLES THAT SHOW CONTACT AND HAVE LESS THAN 45,000 MILES AND NO SIGNS OF RED RUST WILL HAVE THE RUBBER…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE FUEL TANK STRAP CAN SEPARATE DUE TO FATIGUE DURING OPERATION. IF THIS OCCURS, THE TANK WILL BE UNSUPPORTED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A FUEL LEAK.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DOUBLE TOGGLE LOCK FUEL TANK STRAPS WITH SINGLE TOGGLE LOCK DESIGN. NOTE: AFFECTED VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH MAY 21, 1998, ALSO REQUIRE THE REAR BRAKE TUBE…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS. THE FASTENER WHICH SECURES THE GENERATOR CABLE TO THE POWER DISTRIBUTION CENTER (PDC) HAS AN INSUFFICIENT CLAMP LOAD, RESULTING IN A LOOSE CONNECTION AND ELECTRICAL ARCING AT THE CONNECTION.
Fix: DEALERS WILL RETIGHTEN THE GENERATOR CABLE AND BATTERY CABLE FASTENERS TO THE PROPER TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS.
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 04V596000.
Technical service bulletins
114 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and body & structure — are on file for the 1998 Dodge Durango. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1998 Durango TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1998 Dodge Durango reliable?
The 1998 Dodge Durango drew 1,553 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 48/100, scored against the model's worst year (1999).
What are the most common 1998 Dodge Durango problems?
The top reported problems for the 1998 Dodge Durango are suspension (820 complaints), transmission & drivetrain (111), and brakes & stability (104).
At what mileage do 1998 Dodge Durango problems show up?
Owners most often report 1998 Dodge Durango problems around 69,100 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 50,000 and 90,000 miles.
Does the 1998 Dodge Durango have recalls?
6 recall campaigns apply to the 1998 Dodge Durango. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.