1998 Dodge Durango Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 103 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 1998 Dodge Durango, 11% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 68,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “ball joints” (15% of reports).
- 103power train complaints
- 68,000median miles at failure
- 7mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $3,300typical repair cost reported by owners
- 33%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Ball joints: mentioned in 15 of 103 complaints (15%)
- Rear differential: mentioned in 10 of 103 complaints (10%)
- Transfer case: mentioned in 7 of 103 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 1998 Dodge Durango at $3,300, and half of them between $2,750 and $3,950.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2000–2003), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 41 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 103 complaints, 7 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 2 an injury.
Dodge Durango power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Durango | 2 | 14% | 651 |
| 2024 Durango | 5 | 36% | — |
| 2023 Durango | 9 | 28% | 55,000 |
| 2022 Durango | 9 | 16% | — |
| 2021 Durango | 10 | 5% | 63,000 |
| 2020 Durango | 3 | 5% | 29,980 |
| 2019 Durango | 13 | 9% | 40,000 |
| 2018 Durango | 13 | 6% | 11,763 |
| 2017 Durango | 23 | 11% | 12,000 |
| 2016 Durango | 30 | 19% | 23,055 |
| 2015 Durango | 38 | 8% | 29,000 |
| 2014 Durango | 42 | 5% | 32,250 |
| 2013 Durango | 34 | 5% | 44,550 |
| 2012 Durango | 37 | 6% | 49,958 |
| 2011 Durango | 51 | 6% | 51,624 |
| 2009 Durango | 1 | 8% | 88,527 |
| 2008 Durango | 4 | 4% | 118,093 |
| 2007 Durango | 18 | 9% | 102,000 |
| 2006 Durango | 55 | 6% | 109,500 |
| 2005 Durango | 217 | 14% | 110,000 |
| 2004 Durango | 99 | 9% | 101,950 |
| 2003 Durango | 24 | 7% | 41,000 |
| 2002 Durango | 71 | 17% | 81,059 |
| 2001 Durango | 106 | 16% | 69,250 |
| 2000 Durango | 120 | 11% | 57,008 |
| 1999 Durango | 181 | 9% | 76,400 |
| 1998 Durango | 103 | 11% | 68,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the 1998 Dodge Durango. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Due to to uneven driveway the vehicle stalled, or transmission began to spin and not move, at which the vehicle ignition was shut-off. It was attempted to push the vehicle about 50 feet to a parking place. Another person offers to help, then pushes vehicle 25/50 feet...advises to turn the wheel…
Bought my durango new in may 1998. The automatic transmission started shifting improperly in july 2000. Took it to a dodge dealer because it was still under warranty (31,418 miles). They dropped the transmission pan and pronounced it doa (pan was full of metal shavings). Should have seen the…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 dodge durango. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph, the vehicle failed to accelerate. The contact applied the accelerator pedal to the floorboard but the vehicle would not respond beyond 30 mph. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1998 Dodge Durangos have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 103 owner complaints about power train for the 1998 Dodge Durango (11% of the 965 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Dodge Durango power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 68,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 1998 Dodge Durango?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,300 (half paid between $2,750 and $3,950), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 1998 Dodge Durango?
The most frequent phrase is “ball joints”, in 15 of 103 complaints, followed by “rear differential” (10).
Other 1998 Dodge Durango problems
See all 1998 Dodge Durango problems or power train problems across all Durango years.