Dodge Durango 2016 — Reported problems

On September 4, 2026, the front passenger Active Head Restraint (AHR/headrest) in my 2016 Dodge Durango unexpectedly deployed and struck my daughter in the back of the head. The vehicle was completely stationary and parked in a parking lot after leaving her doctor’s appointment. I had started the vehicle, but we remained parked talking for approximately 1–2 minutes. There was no collision, impact, sudden stop, or other event involving the vehicle. Without any warning, we heard a very loud popping/banging sound. I initially turned toward the rear of the vehicle because I thought the noise had come from behind us. My daughter, who was seated normally in the front passenger seat, then told me that something had hit her head. I saw that the passenger head restraint had suddenly sprung open/deployed. It struck the back of her head with enough force to push her head forward. There were no warning lights, messages, or other symptoms before the deployment. The vehicle had not been struck or moved when the deployment occurred. The head restraint remains in the deployed position and has not been reset or repaired. I photographed it immediately after the incident, and the vehicle/component is available for inspection upon request. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by a Dodge dealer, manufacturer, insurance representative, police, or independent repair facility. This unexpected deployment put my daughter’s safety at risk because a safety restraint designed to protect an occupant during a collision instead deployed without a collision and physically struck her head. I am concerned about the potential for head or neck injury and about this occurring unexpectedly to other occupants.

On August 6, 2026, at approximately 6:00 a.m., I was driving my 2016 Dodge Durango northbound to work at approximately 60 mph. It was dark and the roadway was slightly wet from overnight rain. While traveling in the left lane under normal driving conditions, I suddenly heard a loud pop and the driver’s Active Head Restraint/headrest sprung forward, striking me hard in the back of the head. The impact caused my head to be thrown forward and caused me to swerve. I immediately pulled over to determine what had happened. After exiting the vehicle, I discovered that the driver’s headrest had sprung open and forward. There had been no collision or other impact immediately before the headrest deployed. I continued to work after the incident and developed a mild headache. Later that day, I began experiencing soreness in my neck. The unexpected deployment occurred without warning while I was traveling approximately 60 mph and created a serious safety concern because the impact caused me to swerve while driving. I have photographs documenting the condition of the headrest immediately following the incident.

Passenger active headrest deployed while parked on driveway.

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 sometimes require a complete restart before being able to shift to drive. This has put myself, my wife, and two children in immense danger as the vehicle can stop at any point in time in oncoming traffic. We've taken it to a dealer who inspected the shifter and they didn't see any issues they couldn't replicate the issue happening. Two separate mechanic shops also cannot replicate this issue consistently. it hasn't been inspected these problems didn't have any warning messages prior to the problem occurring.

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 was employed by an independent mechanic, so the independent mechanic inspected the vehicle; however, the contact was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall with a similar failure description; however, the VIN was not associated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

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 disintegrate. This is a commonly known, yet not addressed safety issue by DODGE. My vehicle will not pass the MA Safety Inspection at the end of the month. I have read on-line many, many complaints, as well as have spoken to other Durango owners who have experienced this same problem. I have already replaced the racetrack lighting ONCE on this vehicle due to water collection and the brake lights not properly working. THIS IS A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

Driving in the left lane of an interstate highway at 75mph, in moderate traffic, in daylight hours, clear weather, with my young son. Sudden, unexpected decrease in engine rpm resulted in unannounced, approximate 40 mph reduction in speed. The instrument cluster illuminated stating “ service transmission continue in D. Do Not Shift or Turn Engine Off”. Such an unforeseen event, without brake light illumination, resulted in several following vehicles to take evasive actions, thus preventing a potential mass casualty accident. I was able steer towards the right shoulder at the greatly reduced speed of 35mph, collect myself, check on my upset son and try to make sense of what had happened. At this point panic began to set in. I called my Father & he was able to provide the next step being to deliver the vehicle to the local Dodge dealership. Those few miles were miserable since the dash was still presenting dismal warnings, there was reduced power and the vehicle acted like it was in a very low gear. The dealership was closed, so the vehicle was parked on lot however, once the engine was turned off the battery power remained on. Unable to lock, turn off or change any electrical device. We returned the following day and spoke to the service advisor who stated, “the vehicle had entered the Limp Mode” Addition research states it is a safety feature that activates when a critical issue is detected by a computer. Well, I guess the engineers never thought about such a radical transformation at highway speeds….without brake lights! Such a device should never allow an automobile to suddenly and without notice, startle the driver with annunciations while simultaneously downshifting and reducing engine rpm.

Rear racetrack led lighting is failing. One segment has gone dark. You can only replace the entire assembly for over &1500. I found on line there is a class action lawsuit regarding exactly what I am seeing

Electrical issues involving specific fuses in the vehicle where the f13 fuse constantly fries and melts into the fuse box. Causing an electrical burning smell. No warning lights come on. Certain aspects of the car stop working like the blower motor.

This past week our 2016 dodge durango citadel driver side headrest pop out during the night while parked overnight outside our house. My wife discover the pop out headrest the next morning when she open the door to drive to her work. We are unable to return the head rest to its original position.

I have owned a 2013 Dodge Durango Citadel and traded it when it got to 100K because the fuel pump failed and now I own a 2016 Dodge Durango Limited and I'm currently at 99K miles and this fuel pump has failed. There needs to be a recall on the fuel pumps with the Dodge Durangos. The car will hesitate to start and malfunction while in traffic and that is dangerous to the driver and other vehicles. This can cause a crash because the vehicle will stall and not operate. The issue was confirmed by the Dodge, Jeep and Lincoln dealer with both vehicles I've owned. There were no indications that this component was failing other than the hesitation to start a month prior and the hesitation went from every few days to every single day.

The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Durango. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle shut off and the steering wheel became inoperable. The vehicle failed to restart, and the contact waited for approximately 1 hour later and the vehicle restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a TIPM failure. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to approximately 5 different dealers where it was diagnosed with the same failure. The vehicle was repaired approximately 5 times however, the failure recurred each time. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact discovered the NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V530000 (Electrical System) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that upon visual inspection, the contact became aware that the rear exterior lighting was not functioning properly. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was unknown.

Was driving and the vehicle stalled well driving, Had a hard time trying to stop and could barley steer the vehicle. Vehicle was flashing shift to park. This has happened two times to me now and I took it to the dealership and it happened to them as well. The radio screen sometimes doesn't light up and it will freeze and won't let you do anything, when cell phone is connected via blue tooth it will disconnect and then reconnect and randomly turn the volume all the way up and music will start playing, A/C will randomly kick on when I didn't have it on due to it being winter time and use only the heat now. rear brake light the race bar part of it is out and Mopar won't replace, Hood of the vehicle has rust bubbles and the lift gate has rust, I asked Mopar about the warranty and they said I missed the expiration date and they would not cover it. Three of the tires keep losing air and I am now on my second set of tires in a year and two months, Valve stems replaced two times as well.

Vehicle is going into park while driving, when it does that I have to come to a stop and restart the vehicle. I almost got into an accident and I’m scared for my life driving this. The dealership charged me to change the alternator, the batteries and I still have the same issue.

There is a design flaw with the coolant lines. The TOH coolant line makes contact with the rear heater return line and creates a coolant leak in that area. Due to the friction this caused a hole in the line. My car gashed out coolant and shut off on the highway. Only one flash on the dashboard that said engine overheating. This issue is a design flaw that could be Deadly. Luckily for myself I was traveling in the right line and had time to warn other drivers with hazards. Please investigate Dodge Durango vehicles for this Seriously potentially deadly issue.

The lighting system allowed water to enter the lights, causing them to fail as they filled up (from bottom to top) to the point that they won't properly indicate running lights or brake lights. This failure has been slowly occuring over the course of 4 years until it now fails to pass the safety inspection.

Intermittent start/stop, or extended start after driving for extended time. Vehicle fuel smell during if vehicle goes into an extended start mode. I have complained to Dodge about this problem. There was a previous recall on older and newer vehicles for TIPM module which caused similar symptoms I'm experiencing.

While my wife was driving our vehicle when the tire monitor light came on the dash. She made it home and showed me the tire. I thought she might have ran over an object on the road then began putting air in the tire. The tire started to inflate and rise then there was a sudden loud bang. I took the tire off the vehicle and saw that the inside sidewall of the tire blew out. The consumer stated that the tires are Cooper Discoverer SRX size 265/50 R20.

WHILE MOVING THE CAR LOSES POWER, SHIFT TO P THEN DESIRED GEAR AND COMES TO A STOP. NOT ABLE TO STEER.

Oil leak from top of the engine, Vehicle has being well maintained barely has 61,000 miles, well taken care of, oil leak from top of the engine, theres more people having this issue, possible cause: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdKLx_INOAY or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm5yuuv5KeI theres alot of issues with this leaks and is expensive repair. i was doing my monthly check up and i found this oil leak. did some research and theres other vehicles with the same Engine size 3.6 wit the same issue.

VEHICLE TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE IGNITION BUTTON GOES TO ACC. THE CLUSTER BOARD THEN SAYS TO PRESS BRAKE AND PUT VEHICLE IN PARK. THIS IS HAPPENING EVERY COUPLE TRIPS

ENGINE CRANKS FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE STARTING

Component or system failed or malfunctioned: The engine It appears there is a common problem with the 3.6L V6 F DOHC 24V engines in the Dodge and/or Chrysler auto line. The problem is a misfire in cylinder #2. Which causes the car to shake when idling or stall when driving. This problem leads to very expensive repairs which requires a new engine. The problem has been confirmed by the dealer and a independent service center. The warning prior to a failure. Is the illumination of the check engine light and the engine code P0302.

The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Durango equipped with Sailun Tires, Tire Line: Atrezzo SVR LX, Tire Size: 265/50/R20, DOT Number: 1YJDBNULY0217. The contact stated while driving 80 MPH in the passing lane, the front driver's side had a blowout, causing the vehicle to be pulled into the grassy area towards the railing. The contact maneuvered the vehicle while the vehicle rolled 100 yards. The contact stated that upon inspecting the tire, he noticed that the tire was still attached to the wheel, but the tread had separated from the tire. The contact had not sustained any injuries. The vehicle was towed to a tire mechanic where the tire was replaced. The contact later became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21T018000 (Tires) however, the tire line was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The tire failure and vehicle failure mileages were unknown.

Around Thanksgiving of this year (2022), I noticed that my taillight housing for the center LED Racetrack lighting on my 2016 Dodge Durango was retaining water. I found this odd because light housings are supposed to be sealed and not allow water to enter. If water gets in, the electrical is at risk and lights can be shorted out or even cause an electrical fire. I conducted research and have found that this is a common issue with the Dodge Durango since this model has been sold. Water has been reported all over the internet of rear light housings that have shorted out or caused major issues. If the lights go out, it can cause visibility issues for vehicles behind you. I have noticed that the lights are now flickering on my vehicle in the area where the water settles. The same light housing contains the license plate lights, the back-up camera, and the reverse lights. I have also noticed that the main taillights that have the functioning brake lights and turn signal have had condensation as well. The part to replace this entire one section of lighting and electrical components is around $1,000. I have noticed that a technical bulletin was sent out by Dodge reference the "License Plate LED Light Inoperative - Moisture Visible Within the Lens" but it seems to only apply to the license plate lights. However, I believe the issue is much bigger than just the license plate lights and should be addressed with the manufacturer. Most of the components on this light housing contain lighting that is required by most state laws, especially in Texas, to be functional. The rear license plate lights and the reverse lights must be functional to pass vehicle inspection that is required to register the vehicle every year. Worst case scenario, the entire housing shorts out and the owner is left with a vehicle that has non-functioning license plate lights, reverse camera, and reverse lights.

The contact's daughter owns a 2016 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that while her daughter was taking out an item from the trunk, the rear liftgate inadvertently closed on her back. The contact stated that her daughter's back was badly injured. The contact stated that her daughter was taken to the hospital and was informed that she needed to see an orthopedic surgeon. The vehicle had not yet been taken to an independent mechanic or a local dealer for diagnosis or repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.

The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Durango equipped with Windforce Tires, Tire Line: Performax, Tire Size: 285/60/R18, DOT Number: (N/A). The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle started to wobble. Upon inspection, she noticed that there were bubbles on the driver's and passenger's side rear tires. Additionally, the tire pressure reached 65 PSI. The vehicle was taken to the tire dealer and the driver's and passenger's side rear tires were replaced; however, the failure recurred with the driver's and passenger's side front tires. The dealer informed the contact that the tires were not covered under warranty and she would need to pay out-of-pocket for the replacement tires. The driver's and passenger's side front tires were not replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Vehicle was parked in a public parking area. Engine off. No one in vehicle. Vehicle had a combustible event occur under the hood. Fire Department came to extinguish. Vehicle was declared a total loss. Vehicle was in excellent condition and well maintained … no prior history of issues other than routine maintenance. No recent maintenance done under hood on vehicle. No body was hurt. Thankfully. One other vehicle was damaged … plastic melted due to heat of fire on the driver side.

Gas backs up and comes out when filling.

The back axel on the driver side snapped while going 75 down the highway. Causing major damage and totally the car.

WATER HAS LEAKED INTO THE "RACE TRACK LIGHTING" ON THE LIFT GATE. THIS IS FROM NORMAL, EVERYDAY DRIVING USE AND CARE. THE LIFT GATE TAIL LIGHTS, AS WELL AS LICENSE PLATE LIGHTING NO LONGER FUNCTION. THIS MAKES MY VEHICLE DANGEROUS, AND ILLEGAL TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. I HAVE READ ON MULTIPLE DODGE DURANGO FORUMS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND ONE DODGE DEALER I SPOKE TO SAID THEY SEE THIS ALL THE TIME. THE PART ALONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM IS QUOTED AT $1000 BEFORE TAX. TO ME, IT IS CRAZY THAT IT COSTS THIS MUCH SIMPLY TO MAKE MY VEHICLE LEGAL AGAIN, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS A COMMON ISSUE ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH. I FEEL THAT DODGE SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL, AS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, IT'S A SAFETY, AND LEGAL ISSUE, AND IT IS SO EXPENSIVE TO FIX. I BOUGHT A NEWER VEHICLE TO NOT HAVE PROBLEMS, AND IT IS HARD TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD SUCH AN EXPENSIVE FIX WHEN ALL I AM TRYING TO DO IS MAKE MY VEHICLE LEGAL TO DRIVE AGAIN. DODGE NEEDS TO DO THE RIGHT THING, AND TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM THAT HAS PLAGUED MANY OF ITS LOYAL CUSTOMERS.

Check Engine light came on. Code states P0440 Evaporative Emission Systems. However, i looked to see if recall was issued for my vehicle and it states a recall was issued for this but not my vehicle vin number.

The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that he discovered an oil leak in the engine after the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where they diagnosed the vehicle with a defective vapor canister purge valve and valve cover gasket. The vehicle was repaired; however, the oil leak failure persisted. The contact took the vehicle back to the dealer where the vehicle was then diagnosed with a defective motor mount; the service mechanic suggested both motor mounts be replaced. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000.

The car will just turn off, requiring it be placed in park and restarted.

The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that his daughter was in the passenger seat when she activated the push start button and the vehicle rolled backward while in the park position. The contact's daughter got out of the vehicle midway while it was rolling backward and sustained scrapes to her knees and elbows. The vehicle crashed into the neighbor's garage door. The rear windshield was shattered, and the rear fender and liftgate were damaged. No medical attention was received. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer informed the contact that they would reach out in 4 days. The failure mileage was 77,800.

3 malfunctions within a month time frame. The car will start and run normally. Then it will suddenly come to a halt because the engine will continue to run but the transmission knob will not be able to move, and the entire electrical panel lights up. Repeated attempts to use the push button start to unlock the transmission knob and be able to start car fail. This has happened 2 of the 3 times on major roadways in traffic. PD was called for last incident. The car has been to the dealer 3 times, dealer is unable to replicate problem and unable to pull codes from computer every single time. Vehicle has been inspected by dealer every single time. No warning lights or lamp or messages have appeared prior to this issue. The last incident - as described on major roadway - my children were in vehicle. This is a complete and dangerous issue, still not being addressed. The car had come to a light, stopped, the auto engine had kicked in, and when time to move, the entire panel lit up and transmission knob locked once again.

My car showed all kinds of notices on the screen and was not turning on correctly and shaking while driving or standing. I took it to the dealer and was told my entire engine will have to be replaced due to oil sludge on the engine and this will cost be around $9000. I’ve been researching and it seems this tends to happen a lot to dodge car engines. My car has under 60,000 miles.

Portions of the rear LED taillight have shorted out due to water accumulation in the housing

Very common cylinder 2 misfire. Replaced all spark plugs and the cylinder two ignition coil. Replaced upper and lower intake gasket seals, replaced the fuel injector. Still having issues with misfire. Wiring is all correct - pumps and valves are right. It must be a broken head and this is a known issue with previous years of Chrysler engines that have had recalls. This is an expensive fix and dangerous if not fixed. It is not fair to the consumer that Chrysler has still yet to fix such issues after prior years have been recalled, and yet they don’t recall the 2016 pentastar 3.6L. I am requesting this be looked into and recalled for I am one of many who are encountering this serious issue that will inevitably cause wrecks.