2012 Dodge DURANGO

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Dodge DURANGO has 917 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 11.5x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (38% of all complaints), specifically: there has been more than one incident date on this issue. i just entered the last time it has happened. when going to start my vehicle it starts, than automatically stalls. i have had this happen over 6 times in the last 2 months. i have read countless reports of other chrysler vehicles having t. ⚠️ 36 fire reports filed.

36 fire reports 23 crash reports 17 injuries

917

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

11.5x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

344 complaints

38%

• THERE HAS BEEN MORE THAN ONE INCIDENT DATE ON THIS ISSUE. I JUST ENTERED THE LAST TIME IT HAS HAPPENED. WHEN GOING TO START MY VEHICLE IT STARTS, THAN AUTOMATICALLY STALLS. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN OVER 6 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS. I HAVE READ COUNTLESS REPORTS OF OTHER CHRYSLER VEHICLES HAVING T
• I WAS SETTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN MY HEADLIGHTS CAME ON AND ALL DASH LIGHTS WENT OUT,ANOTHER OCCASION PARKED AND MAP LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF ALSO DASH LIGHTS WENT OUT THIS IS HAPPENING TO OFTEN I HAVE HAD IT IN THE DEALER WITH NO LUCK I WILL NOT DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AT NIGHT BECAUSE T
• OUR 2012 DODGE DURANGO R/T WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW AS A REPLACEMENT FOR LEMON LAW BUY BACK OF OUR 2009 DODGE JOURNEY. THE DURANGO IS PLAGUED WITH DESIGN FLAWS. THE MOST OBVIOUS IS THE TIPM TOTAL INTEGRATED MODULE. THE FAILURE OF THIS MODULE RESULTING IN OUR VEHICLE CATCHING FIRE. THE VEHICLE CRANKS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 30 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“THERE HAS BEEN MORE THAN ONE INCIDENT DATE ON THIS ISSUE. I JUST ENTERED THE LAST TIME IT HAS HAPPENED. WHEN GOING TO START MY VEHICLE IT STARTS, THAN AUTOMATICALLY STALLS. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN OVER 6 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS. I HAVE READ COUNTLESS REPORTS OF OTHER CHRYSLER VEHICLES HAVING T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

149 complaints

16%

• BRAND NEW VEHICLE LEASE. AT DEALERSHIP WHEN VEHICLE WAS PUT IN GEAR ENGINE STALLED 4 TIMES. SALESMAN ENTERED VEHICLE AND ACCELERATED ENGINE THEN PUT IN GEAR AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO RUN AND STATED VEHICLE WAS OK. ABOUT 30 MILES AWAY WHEN COMING TO A STOP BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MID
• SITTING IDLE ON A DRIVEWAY VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE AND SMELL. PUNCHED GAS THREE TIMES AND EACH TIME HUGE WHITE BLUE CLOUD OF SMOKE PUSHED OUT. SMELL OF BURNING METAL CAME WITH CLOUD OF SMOKE. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY AT FIRST COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM. AFTER PLACING THE VEHICLE ON AN INCL
• PULLED OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND VEHICLE WENT INTO "LIMP MODE". WAS ABLE TO SLOWLY MOVE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BUT ALMOST GOT HIT. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS VEHICLE HAS DONE THIS. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“BRAND NEW VEHICLE LEASE. AT DEALERSHIP WHEN VEHICLE WAS PUT IN GEAR ENGINE STALLED 4 TIMES. SALESMAN ENTERED VEHICLE AND ACCELERATED ENGINE THEN PUT IN GEAR AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO RUN AND STATED VEHICLE WAS OK. ABOUT 30 MILES AWAY WHEN COMING TO A STOP BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MID”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

99 complaints

11%

• SITTING IDLE ON A DRIVEWAY VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE AND SMELL. PUNCHED GAS THREE TIMES AND EACH TIME HUGE WHITE BLUE CLOUD OF SMOKE PUSHED OUT. SMELL OF BURNING METAL CAME WITH CLOUD OF SMOKE. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY AT FIRST COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM. AFTER PLACING THE VEHICLE ON AN INCL
• ON JAN 24TH AND ON FEB 7TH, THE DODGE DURANGO DID NOT START AND WAS TOWED VIA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE 5 TOWNS CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS THAT COST UNNECESSARY 1200.00. AN EXTERNAL FUEL PUMP RELAY WAS INSTALLED BY THE DEALER. THIS IS A S A RESULT OF AN INADEQUATE, FAULTY AND DEFECTIVE THE FU
• WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ON THE WAY TO THE GARAGE AS THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN HAVING DIFFICULTY STARTING ON 4 OR 5 OCCASIONS OVER THE PREVIOUS DAYS. AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF, NO GAS NOTHING. I WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE PLACE AND EVENTUALLY IT STARTED BACK UP

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“SITTING IDLE ON A DRIVEWAY VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE AND SMELL. PUNCHED GAS THREE TIMES AND EACH TIME HUGE WHITE BLUE CLOUD OF SMOKE PUSHED OUT. SMELL OF BURNING METAL CAME WITH CLOUD OF SMOKE. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY AT FIRST COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM. AFTER PLACING THE VEHICLE ON AN INCL”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

76 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS AT APPROXIMATELY 3 TO 5 MPH AND PULLING INTO HER CARPORT, AS SHE WAS DEPRESSING THE BRAKES THEY DID NOT ENGAGE. THE BRAKES FAILED, AND SHE CRASHED INTO HER LAWN MOWER, PUSHING IT INTO HER GARAGE DOOR. T
• WHAT HAPPENS: INCONSISTENT AND INTERMITTENT TEMPORARY BRAKE/POWER FAILURE. BRAKE PEDAL TEMPORARILY BECOMES EXTREMELY HARD AND HIGH WITH ALMOST NO PEDAL MOVEMENT OR NO/MINIMAL PERCEIVED BRAKING. SUSTAINED MAXIMUM PEDAL PRESSURE (UP TO 5 SECONDS) AND THE BRAKES MAGICALLY RETURN. PEDAL DEPRESSED TO TH
• BRAKING SYSTEM VACUUM BOOST IS LEAKING OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME (TYPICALLY 8 HOURS). PEDAL FEEL IS FIRM AFTER THE TIME PERIOD AND DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS. AFTER VEHICLE IS STARTED THE VACUUM BOOST AND PEDAL FEEL RETURNS TO NORMAL. A DEALER SERVICE APPOINTMENT HAS BEEN MADE FOR A DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 5 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS AT APPROXIMATELY 3 TO 5 MPH AND PULLING INTO HER CARPORT, AS SHE WAS DEPRESSING THE BRAKES THEY DID NOT ENGAGE. THE BRAKES FAILED, AND SHE CRASHED INTO HER LAWN MOWER, PUSHING IT INTO HER GARAGE DOOR. T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

41 complaints

• ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHEN I GET IN THE VEHICLE TO START IT, VIA PUSH BUTTON START, THE VEHICLE WILL START AN IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE VEHICLE RESULT IN A 15-30 SECOND REPETITIVE START LOOP WITHOUT THE VEHICLE STARTING, AT WHICH POINT A RED LIGHT WILL BEGIN BLINKING ON THE CENT
• WHILE TRAVELING ON I-75, HAD THE VEHICLE ON ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, THE VEHICLE SLAMMED THE BRAKES AND THEN ACCELERATED BACK UP TO 75MPH. NO VEHICLES IN FRONT, NOT DEBRIS, NO REASON WHY IT DID IT. VEHICLE HAS HAD CONSTANT ISSUES WITH THE FORWARD COLLISION SYSTEM ALERTING TO BRAKE WHEN NOTHING IS
• WHILE TRAVELING ON I-75, HAD THE VEHICLE ON ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, THE VEHICLE SLAMMED THE BRAKES AND THEN ACCELERATED BACK UP TO 75MPH. NO VEHICLES IN FRONT, NOT DEBRIS, NO REASON WHY IT DID IT. VEHICLE HAS HAD CONSTANT ISSUES WITH THE FORWARD COLLISION SYSTEM ALERTING TO BRAKE WHEN NOTHING IS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHEN I GET IN THE VEHICLE TO START IT, VIA PUSH BUTTON START, THE VEHICLE WILL START AN IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE VEHICLE RESULT IN A 15-30 SECOND REPETITIVE START LOOP WITHOUT THE VEHICLE STARTING, AT WHICH POINT A RED LIGHT WILL BEGIN BLINKING ON THE CENT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 917 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: THERE HAS BEEN MORE THAN ONE INCIDENT DATE ON THIS ISSUE. I JUST ENTERED THE LAST TIME IT HAS HAPPENED. WHEN GOING TO START MY VEHICLE IT STARTS, THAN AUTOMATICALLY STALLS. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN OVER 6 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS. I HAVE READ COUNTLESS REPORTS OF OTHER CHRYSLER VEHICLES HAVING T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: BRAND NEW VEHICLE LEASE. AT DEALERSHIP WHEN VEHICLE WAS PUT IN GEAR ENGINE STALLED 4 TIMES. SALESMAN ENTERED VEHICLE AND ACCELERATED ENGINE THEN PUT IN GEAR AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO RUN AND STATED VEHICLE WAS OK. ABOUT 30 MILES AWAY WHEN COMING TO A STOP BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MID
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: SITTING IDLE ON A DRIVEWAY VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE AND SMELL. PUNCHED GAS THREE TIMES AND EACH TIME HUGE WHITE BLUE CLOUD OF SMOKE PUSHED OUT. SMELL OF BURNING METAL CAME WITH CLOUD OF SMOKE. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY AT FIRST COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM. AFTER PLACING THE VEHICLE ON AN INCL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS AT APPROXIMATELY 3 TO 5 MPH AND PULLING INTO HER CARPORT, AS SHE WAS DEPRESSING THE BRAKES THEY DID NOT ENGAGE. THE BRAKES FAILED, AND SHE CRASHED INTO HER LAWN MOWER, PUSHING IT INTO HER GARAGE DOOR. T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)