2016 Dodge Durango problems & reliability
159 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Dodge Durango, alongside 3 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
9 complaints report injuries (11 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2016 Dodge Durango vehicles were involved in 20 fatal crashes with 2 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 53 | 33% |
| Electrical System | 40 | 25% |
| Power Train | 30 | 19% |
| Unknown OR Other | 26 | 16% |
| Engine | 16 | 10% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 9 | 6% |
| Air Bags | 6 | 4% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 6 | 4% |
| Structure | 6 | 4% |
| Suspension | 5 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 41,050 miles (middle 50% between 19,625 and 57,625 miles), based on 100 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“We had an issue with an error message in the middle of driving that stopped the acceleration of the vehicle, this seems to be common, looking at forums online. The inspection request is acceptable. The message we receive is "Shift to P before changing gears". The vehicle will stop in the middle of traffic and…”
Electrical System · filed Nov 5, 2025
“The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a strong fuel odor in the interior of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed the strong fuel odor. The contact…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Oct 10, 2025
“The Rear License Plate Light bulb (right) was out and I went to have the bulb replaced. I was quoted over $1100 from the dealer, as the LED racetrack lighting was not properly sealed and is collecting water. The collection of water within the light compartment has caused corrosion within, and the wiring to…”
Electrical System · filed Jul 30, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment
Preliminary Evaluation PE19014 · opened Sep 9, 2019 · closed Feb 25, 2026
- Vehicle Rollaway
Preliminary Evaluation PE16014 · opened Dec 16, 2016 · closed Jan 25, 2024
Technical service bulletins
302 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2016 Dodge Durango. The 10 most recent:
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S1623000028 Rev. K · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 12, 2026
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S1623000028 REV.J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 5, 2026
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S1623000028 REV.I · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 29, 2026
COOLER - ENGINE OIL
112191 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 19, 2026
COOLER - ENGINE OIL
112192 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 19, 2026
Power Liftgate Inoperative.
S2623000023 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 8, 2026
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S1623000028 REV.H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2026
Power Liftgate Inoperative Or Intermittently Will Not Open Or Close.
S2223000022 REV.E · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2026
Flash: Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Updates Customers must experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illumination and the vehicle must SYMPTOM: exhibit/set one or more of the following Diagnostic Trouble Codes…
18-044-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 21, 2026
Memory Seat Does Not Work There Is No Response from The Seat While Pressing the Memory Seat Profiles from the Switch Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) B1D9B-54- Seat Horizontal Front Stop Not Learned-Missing Calibration
S2608000015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 19, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2016 Dodge Durango has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2016 Dodge Durango?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 41,050 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.