2004 Dodge Durango Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,420 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2004 Dodge Durango, alongside 9 recall campaigns and 9 defect investigations. It scores 52/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 105,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2004 sits among all Durango years
What owners report
“Vehicle will die without warning you hole driving causing a serious risk for collision. Engine stops running and is very hard to steer or stop with no power.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Durango
“Takata recall and electrical interior lights stay on dimmer don't work needs cluster replaced dealer says that it may not be available after keeping my car for 5 days as of today 12 -31-18 they say they can't give it back to me because of the electric recall!?”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Durango
“Takata recall- i have been waiting more than a reasonable time to have the driver and passenger side airbags to be replaced.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Durango
“The transfer case will shift into 4 wheel drive on it's on. This happens when the vehicle is off and i unlock or lock the doors with the key fob. It also happens when the vehicle is in motion. It is unpredictable and happens very frequently. This is not very safe and can also cause very expensive…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Durango
“My engine shuts off while i am driving my vehicle . Without warning. This has happened on several occasions. The vehicle comes to a complete stop when it shuts off.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Durango
“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.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Durango
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 1,093 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 95,302 miles. Half of those reports fall between 51,000 and 125,562 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (9)
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling various Dodge, Chrysler, and RAM vehicles equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. A list of the affected trailer models is available at:…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners instructing them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 RAM 2500 trucks produced at the St. Louis North Assembly Plant. With this change, Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009…
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM owners. Mitsubishi owners will be notified by their…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Dodge Ram 2500, 2004-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 and Durango, 2006-2009 Dodge Ram 3500, 2008-2010 Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2005-2010 Chrysler 300, 300C, 300S, and SRT8,…
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler and Dodge owners and Mitsubishi will notify the affected Raider owners.…
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2004-2005 Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500, 2004-2005 Dodge Durango, 2005 Dodge Dakota, 2005 Dodge Magnum and 2005 Chrysler 300, 300C and 300 SRT8 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. For vehicles that were sold, or are currently registered, in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii,…
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
ON SOME SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, UNDER CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS, AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT CONTROLS INTERIOR LIGHTING MAY OVERHEAT.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE CLUSTER FOR DAMAGE AND REPLACE IT FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 2, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-140.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES BUILT WITH A 5.7L, 4.7L, OR 3.7L ENGINE, THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE MAY CONTACT THE FRONT SUSPENSION UPPER CONTROL ARM MOUNTING BRACKET.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BATTERY CABLE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPOSITION IT AWAY FROM THE CONTROL ARM MOUNTING BRACKET. THE RECALL BEGAN DECEMBER 14, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT…
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.7L AND 4.7L ENGINES, THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLE MAY INGEST WATER AND FREEZE DURING EXTENDED COLD TEMPERATURE.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JANUARY 19, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CIRCUIT BOARD CAPACITOR MAY OVERHEAT.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE CAPACITOR FROM THE CIRCUIT BOARD. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 17, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-992-1997.
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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,…
Component: AIR BAGS
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…
Component: STEERING
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…
Led to recall campaign 13V172000.
Led to recall campaign 07V092000.
Technical service bulletins
81 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and body & structure — are on file for the 2004 Dodge Durango. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2004 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 2004 Dodge Durango reliable?
The 2004 Dodge Durango drew 1,420 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 52/100, scored against the model's worst year (1999).
What are the most common 2004 Dodge Durango problems?
The top reported problems for the 2004 Dodge Durango are engine (581 complaints), electrical (285), and airbags (143).
At what mileage do 2004 Dodge Durango problems show up?
Owners most often report 2004 Dodge Durango problems around 95,302 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 51,000 and 125,562 miles.
Does the 2004 Dodge Durango have recalls?
9 recall campaigns apply to the 2004 Dodge Durango. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
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.