2003 Dodge Durango Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Durango years
- More complaints than other years 14th of 29 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 339 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Dodge Durango. That ranks 14th out of 29 Durango model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is suspension (91 complaints, 27%), typically at around 41,000 miles. Complaints mention 29 crashes, 18 fires, 28 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 5 defect investigations involving it.
- 339owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 5NHTSA investigations
- 29complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Dodge Durango problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension problems | 91 | 27% | 41,000 | “ball joints” (42%) | — |
| Electrical System problems | 57 | 17% | 98,000 | “central timer” (14%) | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 40 | 12% | 54,881 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 39 | 12% | 96,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 26 | 8% | 10,918 | — | — |
| Power Train | 24 | 7% | 41,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 22 | 6% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 20 | 6% | 60,749 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 16 | 5% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 16 | 5% | 50,450 | — | — |
| Wheels | 14 | 4% | 46,200 | — | — |
| Engine | 12 | 4% | 74,910 | — | — |
| Equipment | 10 | 3% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 10 | 3% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 9 | 3% | 27,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 8 | 2% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 7 | 2% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 | 2% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 6 | 2% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 2% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 6 | 2% | 87,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 1% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 1% | 138,294 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 1% | 187,000 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 0% | 11,400 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 0% | 18,306 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 86,500 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Dodge Durango recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with front bench seats only, if fluid is spilled from the floor mounted cup holder, an unused console power outlet connector located under the seat may become contaminated.
Risk: This may allow development of a high resistive short circuit in the connector, which could eventually lead to a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the console wiring connector for corrosion, clean as required, and install a cap to prevent additional fluid from contaminating the connector free of charge. The recall began on october 30, 2006. Owners may contact daimler chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks equipped with four-wheel drive (4x4), if moisture leaks into the front suspension upper ball joint, evacuation of the lubricant and corrosion of the joint may cause the joint to wear over an extended period of time. This could cause a clunking noise in the front suspension, which may not always be heard by the vehicle occupants.
Risk: Excessive wear in the upper ball joint may allow it to separate, which could result in loss of control of the vehicle.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front suspension upper ball joints. This safety improvement campaign began on december 21, 2004. Owners can contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Visibility:windshield wiper/washer
Problem: On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, the windshield wiper module motor may be susceptible to water intrusion that could cause internal corrosion and result in partial or complete loss of front windshield wiping capability.
Risk: Driver visibility could be reduced, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front windshield wiper module. Owner notification began on july 12, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Exterior lighting:headlights:switch
Problem: On certain pickup trucks, the central timer module (ctm) has an improperly sized circuit board trace that could potentially cause the right headlamp low beam to become inoperative.
Risk: If the lights fail, a visibility problem could occur, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the ctm. Owner notification began december 23, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Vehicle under-seat fire (EA06011) — opened Jun 19, 2006, closed Sep 22, 2006.
- Fire under the driver's seat (PE06008) — opened Feb 2, 2006, closed Jun 19, 2006, led to recall 06V339000.
- Upper ball joint separation (EA03023) — opened Nov 19, 2003, closed Feb 11, 2005, led to recall 04V596000.
- Front susp. Upper ball joint failure (PE03032) — opened Jul 16, 2003, closed Nov 19, 2003.
- Safety belt cinching latch plate (PE02082) — opened Nov 6, 2002, closed Apr 23, 2003.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The seatbelt is locking up and won't pull out for the driver and the front passenger.
The obd reader on my 2003 Durango brings up code for central timing module and eeprm checksum error were the safety recall is in order but the vin number is not in the list of recall. It has all the specification of recall but vin number isn't in the list of recalls. I'm driving around in a unsafe…
Clogged or leaking A/C drain hose. This hose is responsible for draining condensation from the A/C evaporator, the condensation pools in large quantity on the passenger floorboard. This constitute a hazard for the electrical systems near it and a risk of corrosion not to mention potential toxic…
The contact owns a 2003 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that the battery had been replaced after being drained due to an unknown electrical failure. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the alarm would inadvertently sound while the vehicle was turned off. Additionally, the lights…
TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF HIS MOTHER WHO OWNS A 2003 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATE THAT WHILE HIS MOTHER WAS DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED TO FIRST GEAR WITHOUT WARNING TEMPORARILY AND THEN RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. LEITH…
Other Dodge Durango years
← 2002 Durango · 2004 Durango →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Durango | 14 | 0 |
| 2025 Durango | 8 | 0 |
| 2024 Durango | 14 | 0 |
| 2023 Durango | 32 | 2 |
| 2022 Durango | 58 | 7 |
| 2021 Durango | 203 | 8 |
| 2020 Durango | 55 | 2 |
| 2019 Durango | 144 | 4 |
| 2018 Durango | 233 | 5 |
| 2017 Durango | 213 | 2 |
| 2016 Durango | 161 | 3 |
| 2015 Durango | 503 | 4 |
| 2014 Durango | 782 | 11 |
| 2013 Durango | 640 | 11 |
| 2012 Durango | 640 | 10 |
| 2011 Durango | 800 | 8 |
| 2009 Durango | 12 | 4 |
| 2008 Durango | 97 | 2 |
| 2007 Durango | 191 | 4 |
| 2006 Durango | 852 | 9 |
| 2005 Durango | 1,567 | 8 |
| 2004 Durango | 1,115 | 8 |
| 2003 | 339 | 4 |
| 2002 Durango | 423 | 4 |
| 2001 Durango | 665 | 5 |
| 2000 Durango | 1,075 | 2 |
| 1999 Durango | 1,967 | 3 |
| 1998 Durango | 965 | 4 |
| 1997 Durango | 4 | 1 |
See all Dodge Durango problems by year, every Dodge model, or the Dodge VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Dodge Durango?
Owners most often report suspension, electrical system, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, suspension, accounts for 91 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Dodge Durango?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Dodge Durango a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Durango model years, the 2003 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.