Brands/Dodge/Durango/2nd generation

Dodge Durango 2nd generation (2004–2008)

Generation-specific owner insights from 30+ substantive owner discussions, with US complaint and recall records.

Photo: IFCAR / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons

Should I buy one?

3,906

US owner complaints (NHTSA), 2004–2008

recall campaigns

fuel system

most-complained area

What owners say about this generation

Our take, from owner reports

13 problems reported (13 isolated) · medium confidence

Problems owners report

IsolatedIgnition lock cylinder failure preventing the key from turning
IsolatedThrottle position correlation error (P0068) with rough idle and poor fuel economy, possibly linked to a damaged air filter housing allowing unfiltered air in
IsolatedCylinder misfire requiring coil, plug, and wire diagnosis

+ 10 more issues

IsolatedRPM surge at idle with belt squeak
Attributed to dirty throttle body, vacuum leak, or idle air control valve.
IsolatedTPMS light illuminated constantly
With owner uncertainty over whether the 2005 model even has sensors.
IsolatedCargo hatch water leak traced to the roof rack
High-mount brake light gasket, or tailgate seams, with rust forming at the tailgate corners.
IsolatedMDS solenoid code (P3449) returning after replacement alongside a transmission code
IsolatedSeatbelt tensioner issue tied into the airbag system
IsolatedBlend door failure causing HVAC problems, described as a common early-2000s Chrysler issue
IsolatedECU solder joints cracking in cold weather, producing hard-to-diagnose electrical faults
IsolatedTransmission failure
IsolatedHemi misfires and lifter failure ("hemi tick")
IsolatedPower steering weakness accompanied by engine squeak

The version owners recommend

Insufficient owner data available to declare a consensus. The 5.7 Hemi is the only engine owners speak positively about, with one owner calling it a "workhorse" that reached 200k miles, but no trim or model-year consensus emerges.

Competitors to consider

Owners compare it most often with the Toyota 4Runner, Toyota Sequoia, Chevrolet Trailblazer, Ford Explorer and Jeep Liberty.

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Full owner report

Overall sentiment

Owner sentiment for the 2004-2008 Durango is mixed and leans negative, with several owners calling it a "piece of shit" and warning others away, while a smaller group defends it as a capable, safe rig. The strongest positive signal is crash safety: one owner reported walking away from a 50 mph T-bone in a 2006, and another credited a 2009 4.7 (a different generation) with saving his wife's life. Criticisms center on electrical and electronic gremlins, transmission weakness, and general reliability concerns, with the 4.7 and 5.7 engines drawing both praise and complaints depending on the owner. There is no clear early-versus-late split in the discussions, though the 2005 model year appears most often in problem threads.

Positioning vs competitors

Owners consistently position the Durango below the Toyota 4Runner and Sequoia on reliability, with the 4Runner described as capable of 300k miles on scheduled maintenance and the Sequoia recommended over the Durango specifically because of ECU solder-joint failures in cold weather. The Durango is presented as the cheaper, riskier choice in a budget SUV comparison, with owners steering buyers toward the Toyota alternatives. Against domestic competitors like the Trailblazer and Explorer, the discussions offer no direct comparison.

Recommended configurations

Insufficient owner data available. The only configuration signal is a preference for the 5.7 Hemi over the 4.7 based on one owner's long-term experience, and a note that a 2004 Limited came well-equipped from the factory.

General recommendations

Owners considering this generation should prioritize a pre-purchase inspection of the electrical system, transmission, and ignition lock cylinder, and should budget for repairs. Buyers in cold climates are specifically warned about ECU solder-joint cracking. The 5.7 Hemi is the engine owners speak most favorably about. Given repeated reliability complaints and transmission concerns, this generation suits buyers who can do their own work or who want a cheap, safe full-size SUV and are willing to accept ongoing maintenance.

Remarks

One owner reported a 2004 Durango Limited with 225k miles running synthetic fluids and Mopar brake rotors, needing only a lower coolant hose, which suggests high-mileage examples can still be serviceable with maintenance. A separate discussion about a 2004 with 250k+ miles covered the same throttle position correlation code and damaged filter housing, indicating this fault pattern may recur on high-mileage 4.7 trucks. Owners also noted that key fobs on this generation use a replaceable battery tied to a security feature. Analysis based on approximately 30 substantive owner discussions about this generation.

Complaints and recalls by model year

Year	Complaints	Recalls	Most-reported area
2008	97	2	air bags
2007	275	4	fuel system
2006	852	10	fuel system
2005	1,567	9	fuel system
2004	1,115	9	engine

Source: US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Higher-selling years naturally accumulate more complaints.

Recall notices for this generation

2008 · air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator modulecampaign 15V313000

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, 2006-2010 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Magnum, 2005-2011 Dodge Dakota, and 2006-2009 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

2008 · air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator modulecampaign 16V352000

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 RAM 3500, 2007-2010 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2010 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, 2004-2009 Dodge Durango, 2007-2009 Chrysler Aspen, 2007-2012 Jeep Wrangler, 2008-2012 Dodge Challenger, 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum, 2005-2012 Chrysler 300, 2006-2012 Dodge Charger, 2005-2011 Dodge Dakota, and 2006-2009 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Chrysler is also recalling 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM 3500, 2007-2009 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2009 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, 2004-2009 Dodge Durango, 2007-2009 Chrysler Aspen, 2007-2009 Jeep Wrangler, 2008-2009 Dodge Challenger, 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum, 2005-2009 Chrysler 300, 2006-2009 Dodge Charger, 2005-2009 Dodge Dakota and 2006-2009 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in AZ, AR, DE, Washington D.C., IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV, or "Zone B." Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Chrysler is recalling certain 2005-2008 RAM 2500, 2006-2008 RAM 3500, 2007-2008 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, 2004-2008 Dodge Durango, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2007-2008 Jeep Wrangler, 2008 Dodge Challenger, 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum, 2005-2008 Chrysler 300, 2006-2008 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Dodge Dakota, and 2006-2008 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles originally sold, or registered, in AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY.

2007 · air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator modulecampaign 16V352000

2007 · air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator modulecampaign 15V313000

2007 · steeringcampaign 06V386000

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE RIGHT FRONT STEERING KNUCKLE MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. BECAUSE OF A BROKEN COOLING LINE, PARTS CAST IN TOOL CAVITY #63 ON JULY 18 AND JULY 19, 2006, MAY HAVE A COLD SHUT CONDITION AND COULD FRACTURE.

2007 · power train:automatic transmissioncampaign 06V341000

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE SOFTWARE PROGRAMMED INTO THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE CAN CAUSE A MOMENTARY LOCK UP OF THE DRIVE WHEELS IF THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING OVER 40 MPH AND THE OPERATOR SHIFTS FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL AND BACK TO DRIVE.

2006 · air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator modulecampaign 16V352000

2006 · air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator modulecampaign 15V313000

2006 · exterior lightingcampaign 09E012000

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 STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

2006 · suspension:rearcampaign 06V240000

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE LEFT REAR SUSPENSION WATTS LINK MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING VEHICLE ASSEMBLY AND COULD FAIL.

2006 · power train:automatic transmissioncampaign 05V460000

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 42RLE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE CUP PLUG THAT RETAINS THE PARK PAWL ANCHOR SHAFT MAY BE IMPROPERLY INSTALLED. IF THE SHAFT MOVES OUT OF POSITION, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE 'PARK' POSITION.

2006 · air bagscampaign 06V044000

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE WRONG OCCUPANT RESTRAINT CONTROLLER (ORC) WAS INSTALLED ON THESE VEHICLES.

11 more recalls not shown. Check nhtsa.gov with your VIN for the full history.

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Owner insights summarize real ownership discussions for this generation only. Complaint and recall data is public NHTSA (US) information. Always verify recalls against your VIN at nhtsa.gov.