2002 Dodge Durango
The Verdict
The 2002 Dodge Durango has 435 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (189 complaints) and transmission (66 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 31/100, it earns a "Check Engine" rating. If you're shopping for a Dodge Durango, consider the 2025 model year which has 98% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2025 has 98% fewer complaints
View the 2025 Dodge Durango dashboard →
Klunk Score: Check Engine
More complaints than most vehicles. Known issues exist — budget for potential repairs.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
Get notified if a recall hits this car.
We email you when NHTSA issues a new recall on the 2002 Dodge Durango. No spam, no marketing.
Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
| Year | Body | Brakes | Electrical | Engine | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 652 | 77 | 91 | 176 | 107 |
| 2001 | 336 | 50 | 120 | 75 | 99 |
| 2002 | 189 | 61 | 58 | 61 | 66 |
| 2003 | 144 | 31 | 88 | 56 | 18 |
| 2004 | 121 | 20 | 299 | 597 | 75 |
| 2005 | 119 | 14 | 197 | 1051 | 184 |
| 2006 | 52 | 22 | 123 | 607 | 42 |
| 2007 | 48 | 11 | 57 | 135 | 23 |
| 2008 | 19 | 0 | 29 | 46 | 2 |
| 2009 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 2 |
| 2011 | 34 | 69 | 370 | 289 | 34 |
| 2012 | 55 | 66 | 268 | 222 | 25 |
| 2013 | 116 | 65 | 237 | 193 | 27 |
| 2014 | 241 | 24 | 389 | 96 | 31 |
| 2015 | 141 | 6 | 264 | 58 | 32 |
| 2016 | 37 | 2 | 73 | 20 | 26 |
| 2017 | 35 | 6 | 109 | 40 | 19 |
| 2018 | 49 | 24 | 110 | 35 | 9 |
| 2019 | 22 | 22 | 56 | 31 | 7 |
| 2020 | 13 | 3 | 26 | 8 | 3 |
| 2021 | 45 | 7 | 97 | 28 | 5 |
| 2022 | 6 | 3 | 27 | 14 | 3 |
| 2023 | 5 | 2 | 14 | 9 | 3 |
| 2024 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Complaints
I have had my front wheel hub replaced 12 times yet my car isn't part of any recall
The hub on my 02 Durango has had to be replaced 8 times since I bought it in 2018 but everyone says my car isn't part of recall.
While pulling a travel trailer I got onto the freeway. As I have been pulling the trailer for a while now with this vehicle my comfort speed is around 45mph but will push up to 50mph maybe 55mph at the most. Anyways while entering the freeway I accelerated and as I got ready to merge I let my foot off the gas but the peddle stayed down and the vehicle continued to accelerate until around 80mph to 85mph when I finally got the peddle to release and stop acceleration. I quickly got off the freeway to calm myself as I was terrified I was going to crash. During this incident the first thing I did was tap the brakes lightly which did absolutely nothing and the car kept accelerating next I grabbed the floor mat thinking that maybe it was obstructing the peddle, it was not. Then I quickly used my foot to wiggle under the peddle and pull up multiple times until it finally released and came up stopping acceleration and luckily to my relief I did not crash although I had come very close had there been any more traffic or if I had got going g any faster I may not have been so lucky. This only happened the one time where I got to dangerous speeds but since then the peddle has started to stick two other times but this times it was much easier to get the peddle to release and I wasn't towing a trailer. I read that this happened in another model in freezing temperatures fro. The same manufacturer but couldn't find anything to it without freezing temperatures. I think it is a manufacturer defect that maybe affects other 2002 Dodge Durango I dony know if pulling the trailer triggered this or not as I said it has happened twice since and that was without a trailer attached. Definitely scary and should be looked at.. I don't have the funds to take it to a shop so I haven't had it professionally looked at yet
WHEN DRIVING TO THE STORE I SHUT VEHICLE OFF AND WENT IN . WHEN I CAME OUT I CRANKED IT OVER AND IT STARTERED AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE BY FIREWALL AND WAS INGOLFED IN FLAMES
WHEN DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS AND THE CAR DIES. IT HAS HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES WHILE I'M ON THE ROAD. REPLACED CAMSHAFT SENSOR BUT IT IS STILL DYING. IF YOU DO A GOOGLE SEARCH YOU WILL FIND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. IT IS DANGEROUS AND MY LIFE AND THE LIFE OF OTHERS CAN BE AT RISK. *TR
AFTER STARTING MY DODGE DURANGO AND TRY TO TAKE IT OUT OF GEAR, THE GEAR SHIFTER GETS STUCK IN PARK, IT WILL NOT MOVE. I HAVE TO KEEP PLAYING AROUND WITH IT UNTIL IT MOVES OUT OF PARK. IT DOES THIS OFF AND ON, JUST STATED THIS ABOUT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. TODAY IS 2/16/2020. YESTERDAY, I LOOKED UP THE PROBLEM ON YOU TUBE, AND FOUND OUT THAT I COULD TAKE THE BOOT OFF AT THE COLUMN BY THE SHIFTER AND SPRAY WD40 ON THE GEAR LOCK TO UNSTICK IT. I DID DO THAT AND IT WORKED. BUT WHAT IS MAKING IT DO THAT TO BEGIN WITH?
THE STEERING IS VERY LOOSE. HAS A LOT OF PLAY IN IT. HAVE REPLACED TIE ROD ENDS. AT THIS TIME WE CAN NOT SEEM TO FIND OUT WHAT IS CAUSING IT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE SPARE TIRE HOLDER WAS CORRODED, WHICH CAUSED THE SPARE TIRE TO DETACH FROM THE HOLDER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000.
WHILE DRIVING, NO MATTER WHAT SPEED THE VEHICLE STARTS TO SPUTTER, LOSES POWER AND WILL STALL. I WAS LOW ON GAS, AND TOOK MY CAR TO A LOCAL GAS STATION FOR FUEL. AFTER PUTTING $10 IN MY CAR WAS RUNNING EXTREMELY ROUGH. I WAS DOING ABOUT 20 MPH, WHEN IT JUST SHUT OFF. BRAKES GOT REAL HARD. AFTER RE STARTING THE VEHICLE ALL SEEMED NORMAL. THEN, I DROVE ABOUT 3 CAR LENGTHS AND IT DID IT AGAIN AT A RED LIGHT. I TRIED PUSHING THE GAS TO SEE IF THAT WOULD DO ANYTHING, IT DIDNT. I DROVE ALL IN , ABOUT 3 MILES, AND THE CAR STALLED 7 TIMES. WHILE IN THE DRIVE THROUGH, IT STALLED 3 ABD AT ONE POINT JERKED SO FAR I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. VEHICLE SPEED DOES NOT MATTER , AS IT WILL SLOWLY LOSE POWER AND TURN OFF. I WAS DRIVING LOCALLY ON A CITY STREET. MY BEST GUESS TO THIS PROBLEM WOULD BE SOMETHING RELATED TO THE EVAP SYSTEM, QUITE POSSIBLY THE PURGE VALVE BUT IM NOT 100% SURE BUT THIS SITUATION IS VERY UNSAFE, I HAVE 2 SMALL CHILDREN AND CANNOT DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. DURING MY TRIP THE SPEED WAS BETWEEN 20-45 MPH
MY VIN TAG: (XXXX) I REPLACED BLOWER MOTOR, RESISTOR, AND PLUG MULTIPLE TIMES ON MY 2002 DODGE DURANGO AND IT KEEPS MELTING/BURNING UP. IF I LEAVE IT ON LOW OR MEDIUM FAN SETTING EVENTUALLY IT WILL CATCH FIRE, I'M FINALLY COMING TO YOU TO SEE IF YOU CAN HELP. OWNERS OF THE 1998-2007 DODGE DURANGO'S & DAKOTA'S ALL HAVE THIS PROBLEM MANY WILL HAVE FIRES DUE TO IT AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THERE IS A FATALITY FROM IT! I WAS DRIVING HOME AFTER SNOW PLOWING AND NEEDED TO DEFROST MY WINDOWS SO I PUT IT ON MEDIUM AND WITHIN 6 MINUTES SMELLED A STRONG BURNING SMELL. GO HOME AND THE WIRING HAD MELTED THE FAN, PLUG AND HARNESS. I'VE CHANGED THIS PART NOW ABOUT 12 TIMES IN ABOUT A YEAR, LOW & MEDIUM SETTINGS CAUSE IT SO NOW I CAN ONLY USE HIGH FOR ANY USE UNLESS I WANT ANOTHER FIRE, 9TH TIME IT ALMOST CAUGHT BECAUSE IT WAS DRIPPING PLASTIC ABOUT TO CATCH WHEN I SPRAYED WATER ON IT AND PULLED CONNECTION ON BATTERY. MILD TO WILD ON RTE-34 IN ORANGE, CT WORKED ON IT AS WELL. REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
HEADLIGHTS FLICKING ON AND OFF AS WELL AS THE INTERIOR LIGHTS. CANNOT DRIVE AT NIGHT.
HAPPENED TWICE SINCE DEC. 2018 WHEN DRIVING ON CITY STREETS AT SPEED OF APRX. 35-45 AND ABS WAS DEPLOYED IT IMMEDIATLY UNLOCKED AND JUMPED FORWARD CAUSING THE CAR TO NOT IMMEDIATELY STOP. CAME VERY CLOSE TO REAR ENDING CAR IN FRONT OF ME HAD I BEEN CLOSER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE DURANGO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBAORD. IN ADDITION, BOTH REAR WHEELS SEIZED. THE CONTACT WAITED A WHILE AND CONTINUED DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000. *DT UPDATED 12/06/18*JB
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, GEAR SHIFT IS LOCKING IN PARK. AFTER STARTING VEHICLE AND TRYING TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE, GEAR SHIFT WILL NOT MOVE. HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES IN LAST TWO WEEKS. AFTER "PLAYING" WITH GEAR SHIFT, TRYING TO GET IT TO MOVE, I HEAR A CLICK AND THEN IT IS OPERATIVE. ON THE 3 OCCASIONS, TOOK FROM APPROXIMATELY 1 TO 3 MINUTES BEFORE HEARING CLICK. LOOKED UP ON LINE TO SEE IF OTHERS WERE HAVING ISSUE AND SEARCH LED ME TO A RECALL FOR2002 DODGE DURANGO ISSUED IN DECEMBER 2007. I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AT THAT TIME. NHTSA ID # 07V555000 RELATED TO IGNITION/PARK SHIFT INTERLOCK SYSTEM BECOMING INOPERATIVE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND FAILED TO RESTART INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY THAT REPLACED THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR, CAM SHAFT SENSOR, AND THE IGNITION SWITCH. AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO GET A DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE READING AND INDICATED THAT THE PCM OR TIPM MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC ALSO INDICATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE PART WAS NO LONGER IN PRODUCTION FOR THE YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
THE HUB UNIT BROKE WHILE DRIVING THE CAR DID NOT WANT TO GO IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO MOVE FORWARD AND THE STEERING WAS OFF. THERE WAS A POUND CLANKING NOISE RIGHT AFTER I STARTED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND THEN IT BROKE.
WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 65 MILES PER HOUR THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND I PULLED OFF ONTO THE SHOULDER. AFTER SITTING FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES I TRIED THE IGNITION KEY AND THE ENGINE STARTED AND I CONTINUED ON MY WAY.
DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEATS SLIDE BACK AND FORTH IN AN UNCONTROLLABLE MANNER WITH ACCELERATION, BRAKE AND TURNS. SEAT BELTS DO NOT ENGAGE TO LIMIT FORWARD/SIDE MOVEMENT OF HUMAN BODY. SEAT SLIDING/MOVEMENT HAS ENOUGH FORCE TO CAUSE INTERRUPTION OF CONTACT WITH VEHICLE'S GAS/BRAKE PEDALS. FORCEFUL FORWARD MOTION OF SLIDING SEAT HAS ENOUGH MOMENTUM ON DRIVER'S SIDE TO CAUSE HUMAN IMPACT ON THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN A HARD STOP/BRAKE ENGAGED. PASSENGER SIDE SEAT SLIDES WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO CAUSE HEAD TO IMPACT WINDSHIELD ON SUDDEN/HARD STOP. SEAT BELTS DO NOT ENGAGE TO STOP FORWARD OR SIDE MOTION OF HUMAN BODY WHEN EITHER SEAT SLIDES BACK/FORTH. 02/2015 CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM REPAIRED SEAT FRAME WITH A NEW SWITCH (TECH NOTES 545 AND 579) AT MILEAGE: 116,616. 2017 CURRENT MILEAGE: 124,674. DRIVERS/PASSENGERS AT OR BELOW AGE/GENDER APPROPRIATE BMI.
VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY WITH OUT WARNING AT ANY SPEED INCLUDING IN PARK AND WHILE IDLING. WHEN THIS OCCURS POWER STEERING IS LOST, GAUGES FREEZE IN LAST POSITION, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. VEHICLE STARTS RIGHT BACK UP WITHOUT HESITATION. DURING MY 7 MINUTE DRIVE TO WORK IT MAY STILL ONCE OR NOT AT ALL UP TO 7 TIMES. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY SITTING AT A DODGE DEALERSHIP GARAGE WHERE THEY ARE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE IT DUE TO VEHICLE NOT GIVING AND CODES EVEN WITH IT STALLING FOR THEM MULTIPLE TIMES. I ALREADY REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR AND IT DIDN'T FIX THE ISSUE. MY OPTIONS ARE TAKE MY CAR BACK STILL STALLING OR REPLACE THE PCM $500-$900 WHICH MAY NOT BE THE PROBLEM THEN I'M OUT THE MONEY. I GUESS FINGERS CROSSED SINCE NO ONE AT THIS GARAGE HAS EVER SEEN A VEHICLE NOT THROW A CODE WITH THEM WITNESSING THE ISSUE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE DURANGO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS POSITIONED IN A LOPSIDED MANNER WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
435 total