2001 Dodge Durango — Known Issues & Recalls

Electrical wiring under the middle front seat caught fire in your vehicle, burning the seats, floor, and personal items inside. This happened while you and your young son were exiting at a store, and bystanders had to help put out the fire. As a result, your radio, interior lights, dashboard lights, and cigarette lighter (phone charger port) no longer work.

Your Durango's electrical system has multiple issues: the passenger window controls work only intermittently while the driver's controls work consistently, your left headlight has stopped working entirely (and your right headlight won't work on high beam), your rear passenger brake light won't illuminate, and your radio occasionally turns itself back on about 30 seconds after you shut off the engine. These problems occur whether the car is running, parked, or sitting still. A mechanic will need to diagnose the underlying electrical fault, which could involve checking the wiring, switches, relays, and possibly the body control module.

Your headlights, dashboard lights, and tail lights flicker on and off intermittently. When you turn on the lights, your engine starts more slowly than usual, and the flickering happens more frequently over time. This suggests an electrical system issue that's likely related to power delivery or a failing component.

Your right rear brake is locking up, causing the wheel to stick even after you release the brake pedal. You have to back up and apply the brakes hard multiple times before it suddenly releases with a "pop." This happens at any speed and is especially dangerous on gravel, wet, or snowy roads. The fix will likely involve a complete inspection and possible redesign of the rear brake system, including the brake shoes, drums, proportioning valve, and related hardware.

Your ABS (anti-lock brake) motor continues running even after you turn off the vehicle, making noise and staying on until you manually disconnect the ABS module harness. Both the ABS and brake warning lights turn on while the vehicle is parked, and this problem happens repeatedly. This issue hasn't been diagnosed or repaired by a dealer.

Your 2001 Dodge Durango was involved in a T-bone collision at 30 mph. During the crash, the seat belt failed to retract properly, allowing you to hit the windshield, and the airbags did not deploy at all. You sustained a concussion and bruises to your chest and abdomen as a result. This safety system failure may have contributed to your injuries, and the vehicle was totaled.

Your vehicle was struck on the front driver side at 5 mph, but the airbags failed to deploy and the driver's seat belt didn't engage—even though no warning lights appeared on the dashboard. The driver was injured and required medical attention. This is a critical safety failure that should have been prevented by these protective systems.

Your ball joint failed during a crash in your 2001 Dodge Durango. You're asking whether a recalled ball joint defect may have caused or contributed to the accident. A ball joint is a critical suspension component that connects your wheel to the steering and suspension system.

Your upper ball joint failed completely, causing a tire blowout on the day you bought the vehicle. Although Dodge initially agreed to cover the repair and towing, they later reversed that decision and refused to pay, leaving your car stranded at the repair shop. You'll need to get the failed ball joint replaced and address any tire damage from the blowout.

Your 2001 Dodge Durango is making a loud clanking noise when you start it up. A mechanic believes this is caused by a worn-out rod bearing inside the engine. This type of bearing failure can lead to serious engine damage if not fixed. The repair will likely require engine work to replace the faulty rod bearing.

While driving at 5 mph and turning, your Durango made an unusual noise and the check engine light came on. The noise and warning light suggest an engine-related problem that needs diagnosis. A mechanic will need to scan the engine computer to identify the specific issue.

Your passenger front seat rocks back and forth during acceleration and braking, which poses a safety risk in an accident. The dealer typically charges $600-800 to fix this by replacing the seat motor assembly. Additionally, your ball joints may be defective even if previously recalled, and your brakes may have issues with lock-up or failure on this heavy SUV — both serious safety concerns that need attention.

Your tire completely separated from the axle while driving, which is a serious safety issue—especially concerning since your young grandson was in the vehicle at the time. Your Durango has also been experiencing problems with acceleration and significant vibration/shaking, and these issues have persisted despite multiple repair attempts. This will likely require inspection and replacement of wheel hub components, suspension parts, and possibly the axle assembly.

Your driver's side wheel wobbles and makes a roaring noise while driving. A mechanic diagnosed this as a faulty ball joint. This is a suspension component that connects your wheel to the steering system, and it needs to be replaced before the vehicle is safe to drive.

Your vehicle's undercarriage and some body panels have developed extensive rust that makes it unsafe to drive. This has happened despite the vehicle never being near an ocean and being kept in Frankfurt, Germany and Atchison, Kansas. Addressing this will likely require professional rust removal, treatment, and potential replacement of severely corroded structural components.

While driving, your turn signals and radio stop working randomly, which creates safety concerns on the road. This happens unexpectedly while you're in motion. The issue likely involves a loose or failing electrical connection, faulty relay, or wiring problem that needs diagnostic testing and repair.

Your front driver and passenger seats move forward and backward on their own while you're driving. The dealer found that the seat track assembly is deteriorated, but the part wasn't available for repair. Fixing this will likely require replacing the seat track assembly.

Your Durango pulls to the right when turning, accompanied by a cracking sound from the front suspension—likely caused by worn ball joints. Your brake lights don't illuminate properly and require repeated bulb and socket replacements. Additionally, your engine's plenum gasket is leaking oil, causing a loss of engine power. Repairs would likely involve replacing the ball joints, brake light components, and the plenum gasket.

Your car is experiencing multiple electrical failures including non-functioning power door locks, headlights, interior lights, windshield wipers, and steering wheel controls. A red security light remains on constantly and has drained your battery completely, and you suspect a faulty alarm system is responsible since the issues recur even after a repair attempt. The fix will likely require a Dodge dealer to reprogram or replace the security/alarm system and diagnose the underlying electrical fault causing the battery drain.

Your vehicle has an open recall that needs to be completed, but you're currently located in the Middle East where there are no Dodge dealerships available to perform the required maintenance. You'll be able to have the recall completed once you return to the continental United States.