2011 Dodge Durango Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2011 Durango most often describe the vehicle stalling or shutting down without warning — at stops, in turns, at highway speed — and many complaints mention a fuel pump relay inside the power module, an alternator that failed or caught fire, and repeated no-start conditions. Electrical complaints dominate the sample and cluster across a wide mileage range, roughly 35,000 to 250,000 miles. Engine complaints center on misfire from camshaft/lifter wear and on overheating or coolant loss.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   Stalling or shutting off without warning

   • 312 complaints (39%)
   • median 65,000 mi at 4.9 yrs old (269 state mileage)
   • 17 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,200 (median of 29 quotes)
   • filed 2012–2026

   Owners describe the engine cutting out with no warning while driving at low speeds, at stops, in turns, or on the highway; lights may stay on but power steering and power assist are lost. Most say the vehicle restarts after being shifted into park, some report repeat occurrences. Complaints frequently reference the fuel pump relay in the power module, and several owners say dealers could not duplicate the stall or told them the VIN was not covered by a recall campaign. Reported from roughly 50,000 to 250,000 miles, with many under 130,000 miles and no clear seasonal pattern.

   Recall 19V813000Recall 14V5300002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether recall 19V813000 (fuel pump relay in the power module) was performed and whether the stalling persisted afterward. During a test drive, note any hesitation at idle or on light throttle, and ask for service records of relay, pump, or module work.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My fianc and I were headed to his parents house and when my fianc started to go left towards our turn and the Durango just died. Lights and everything were still on but no steering, luckily there were no other vehicles around as it could have caused an accident. Once he got the Durango stopped he put it in park pushed the start hitting and it started up just fine. Can this be related to the fuel pump recall?”

   NHTSA complaint #11318220, filed 2020-03, 125,443 miles

   “While driving my Dodge Durango on city streets as well as multi lane highway the vehicle will unexpectedly experience a stall condition. I have experienced this failure approximately six times. Placing the vehicle in neutral while in motion to attempt a restart was unsuccessful as I found that the vehicle must be in park for a restart. This is especially concerning on the multilane highway at 50 MPH speeds, as the potential for collision without power is of great risk to me. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11361720, filed 2020-09, 80,000 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   No-start and repeated start attempts

   • 200 complaints (25%)
   • median 57,000 mi at 4.0 yrs old (180 state mileage)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,100 (median of 27 quotes)
   • filed 2013–2026

   Owners report intermittent no-start conditions: pressing the start button several times, a battery that drains, or the engine cranking and sputtering before catching. Some say the fuel pump relay was replaced but the problem returned, and others were told the relay or module needed replacement. Complaints also describe the vehicle dying after being shut off briefly and then failing to restart. Spread from low mileage up to about 220,000 miles; several reports come after the vehicle sat for a short time.

   Recall 19V813000Recall 14V5300003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Try several cold and warm restarts during inspection and watch for a key-not-detected or slow-crank pattern. Ask if the relay/module recall work was done and whether a battery or starter was replaced chasing the same symptom.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 2011 Dodge Durango has trouble starting on the first start. Mechanic said there was a bulletin regarding the issue and informed me that we should try updating the software. That did not work. Durango continues to sputter when it is started. It eventually does start either on its own or after another try. Will attempt another solution at next regularly scheduled service.”

   NHTSA complaint #11297576, filed 2020-01, 170,000 miles

   “2011 Dodge Durango crew awd 3.6l I have been expericencing no start or stall out on the truck. I have taken the truck to anchorage chrysler Dodge in anchorage alaska for fuel pump relay recall repair. They stated that over the 3 day they had my truck that it started every time but did stall out twice. They have refused to fix the recall stating that the no start issue did not happen while in there care but that it did start and stall out. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11360938, filed 2020-09, 145,906 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Alternator failure, smoke or fire from engine bay

   • 242 complaints (30%)
   • median 79,000 mi at 6.0 yrs old (209 state mileage)
   • 58 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,300 (median of 25 quotes)
   • filed 2012–2026

   Complaints describe the battery warning light coming on, a burning smell, smoke or flames from the alternator area under the hood, and in some cases a total loss of power while driving. Owners report being told the alternator, wiring harness, PCM, or battery needed replacement, and several mention that the dealer said the VIN was not included in the alternator recall. Some vehicles were towed after the fire was put out. Mostly reported between about 100,000 and 230,000 miles, often while driving at speed or shortly after start-up.

   Recall 17V435000Recall 14V6340001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the alternator recall (17V435000 or 14V634000) applies and was completed, and inspect for scorched wiring or a melted alternator. Watch for a battery light or dimming lights on the test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On august 22, 2020 while driving to and from a restaurant my car components notified me of a battery issue with the red light on. I then kept driving to park the car and while the car was parked it started to stall unusually but the engine car did not stop completely. Then there was heat coming in from the air condition vents with a rubbery smell then I had to turn the car off. I did not want to open the hood because there was smoke coming out of the engine. I was afraid opening the hood might have caused a fire feeding oxygen to the engine. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11376718, filed 2020-11, 118,740 miles

   “The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that when starting the ignition, multiple warning lights were illuminated and smoke was seen exiting from under the hood. The contact stated that the push to start button was depressed several times to turn the engine off and all electrical functions were disabled. The contact stated that her husband inspected the engine and discovered that the alternator had burnt. The vehicle was not drivable. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11325564, filed 2020-05, 127,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   Engine misfire from camshaft and lifter wear

   Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe a ticking or abnormal engine noise, rough idle, misfire codes, and reduced power; diagnosis reportedly shows a worn camshaft lobe or failed roller lifter on one or more cylinders. Some say the repair was done and the misfire returned, and complaints describe the same symptom being associated with prior engine work on the same side. A separate set of complaints describes overheating, coolant loss, or a failed head gasket. Reported from about 68,000 to 145,000 miles; several owners note regular maintenance before the noise started.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Listen for ticking at cold start and check for misfire codes or stored history. Ask for records of camshaft, lifter, or valve train work, and check coolant level and condition for overheating history.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving down the highway at 70 MPH and the car stalled shortly after the etc indicator light started flashing next to a fcw off and orange triangles appeared in my side view mirrors. The engine light came on, acc off indicator light came on along side with the ESC light. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11339847, filed 2020-07, 325,599 miles

   “The engine developed a misfire on cylinder 3. After diagnoses, it turned out the lifter for that cylinder had failed, and the camshaft lobe was ground down, causing a misfire. Sadly this is a well known issue. We have only 90k miles on our very well maintained Durango.”

   NHTSA complaint #11344140, filed 2020-08, 90,000 miles
5. 5
   Air bags

   Airbag light and seat belt buckle wiring

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report the airbag warning light staying on after start-up, with the dealer tracing it to wiring inside the driver's side seat belt buckle. Complaints say the buckle had to be replaced and that the repair was quoted to the owner. Steering wheel and dash controls becoming inoperable alongside warning lights is also described. Reported mostly above 100,000 miles, appearing after start-up rather than in motion.

   What to check: Turn the key on and confirm the airbag light goes out after the self-test; ask whether the seat belt buckle or clock spring has been replaced, and check that horn and steering wheel buttons work.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2 complaints 1st my trucks gear shift has been locking up when running an say I stop at a store an run it I leave it running but locked an when I come get bac in an try to put it in drive its locked I cnt move it as if it was remotely started I have to turn the truck off an restart it to fix issue this also has happened when I dnt lock it ex. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11315375, filed 2020-03, 90,000 miles

   “My 2011 Dodge Durango was in park and running when my front windshield wipers came on, and I could not shut them off. I also came to realize my steering wheel and dash accessories were inoperable (including my horn and blinkers). My traction control light came on along with fcw/ acc system failure light. I brought my Durango to the rainbow Dodge dealership. They advised me that the steering angle sensor needed to be replaced, but the part was on back order. Since they did not have the part, I ordered the part myself and had it replaced. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11321961, filed 2020-04, 82,000 miles

Buying note. For a 2011 Durango, get the recall history by VIN — the fuel pump relay and alternator campaigns in particular — and confirm any open campaigns were completed. A pre-purchase inspection should cover the charging system, camshaft noise, and airbag warning lights, since these come up repeatedly in owner complaints.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.