2012 Dodge Durango Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2012 Dodge Durango most often describe the engine shutting off or failing to restart, frequently linked to the fuel pump relay and to alternator failure, and many complaints also cover follow-up work on those recalls. Electrical complaints dominate the sample, with engine, brake, and cooling concerns appearing at higher mileages.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   Stalls or no-start from fuel pump relay

   • 212 complaints (33%)
   • median 73,350 mi at 5.5 yrs old (173 state mileage)
   • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,100 (median of 17 quotes)
   • filed 2011–2026

   Owners describe the engine quitting without warning while driving, sometimes at highway speed, and sometimes refusing to start or dying right after start-up; several mention that tapping or hitting the fuel pump relay or its fuse restores power briefly. Complaints repeatedly reference the fuel pump relay inside the power module and campaign 19V813000, and many describe the dealer saying the recall part was not yet available or that a repair did not stop the stalling. Some note stalling after the recall work was completed. Reported across a wide mileage range from about 12,000 to over 200,000 miles, often on vehicles that had already had relay work done.

   Recall 19V813000Recall 15V1150001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether campaign 19V813000 was completed and whether the relay and its wiring were replaced rather than patched; check for any repair invoice. Note whether the engine restarts reliably on repeated key-off/key-on cycles during a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “It took 30 minutes for my husband to crank my car. He had to tap on relays in the fuse box to get it going. The car was parked in the driveway and had not been driven since the prior evening. Went to the dealership to ask about recall and they said chrysler had not come up with a fix yet. So the question is. What do we do if we keep having issues?”

   NHTSA complaint #11320307, filed 2020-04, 108,430 miles

   “The engine regularly will not start when I push the button. It stalls over and over. Sometimes leaving us stranded. This has been happening since at least 2016 and I have had all recalls repaired. The matter has never resolved! Now I have been informed that the initial recall replacement part was faulty and Dodge currently does not have a fix.”

   NHTSA complaint #11297870, filed 2020-01, 42,000 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Dead battery or alternator failure, loss of power

   • 156 complaints (24%)
   • median 75,000 mi at 5.8 yrs old (137 state mileage)
   • 23 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,200 (median of 12 quotes)
   • filed 2014–2026

   Complaints describe the battery and charging warning lights coming on, a sudden loss of electrical power, dimming or flickering electronics, and the vehicle shutting down; several owners report the alternator smoking, glowing, or catching fire and the battery needing replacement. Dealers and independent shops typically diagnosed a failed alternator and, in some cases, a failed battery, with repairs billed to the owner in some cases. Mostly reported between roughly 95,000 and 170,000 miles, with a few at lower mileage.

   Recall 17V435000Recall 14V6340001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Have the charging system and battery tested, and ask whether the alternator has been replaced and whether the alternator recall (17V435000 or 14V634000) applies and was done. Look for a burning smell or heat damage near the alternator.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My wife was driving her 2012 Durango and the battery light came on and blind spot warning was going off. The engine started making a loud noise. She was 2 miles from home, so I told her to drive home and take my truck. When I got home I investigated the issue. Within 1 minute of me idling the engine to listen for where noise the alternator started smoking and internal were glowing red.”

   NHTSA complaint #11402496, filed 2021-03, 108,000 miles

   “I had just made it through an intersection and was a few miles from home. Something smelled a little hot even though I didn't have the radio, heat or any extra controls. Suddenly, all of the lights on the dash began flashing at me and I began losing power of the vehicle. I couldn't even put my windows up. I pulled to the side as fast as I could before losing all power, including my blinkers to warn other cars. I had to call aaa for a tow and they had to use a bypass to get the car in neutral to even tow it. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11395884, filed 2021-02, 156,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Engine misfire, ticking and camshaft/lifter wear

   Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe a ticking or knocking noise from the engine, rough running, and loss of power, with some reporting the engine failed and required replacement after a camshaft and roller lifter failure. Complaints also describe coolant or oil leaks at the intake manifold and repeated low coolant with the check engine light on. Service bulletins describe camshaft lobe and lifter wear producing abnormal engine noise, rough idle, or misfire. Typically reported from around 65,000 miles upward, with the ticking noted before failure.

   Recall 11V4870004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Listen for ticking from the top of the engine at cold start and idle, check the oil and coolant levels and look for leaks, and ask whether any camshaft or lifter work has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “During summer 2017, 5.7l hemi started to make a noticeable clicking noise at 70,000 miles although it had been meticulously maintained. In sept 2017 at 72,000 the engine failed with a grinded camshaft due to a roller/lifter failure. The engine had to be replaced out of warranty by specialty hemi engien shop pro engines llc in elon, nc. Today, I am realizing that this was not a random occurrence. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11300536, filed 2020-01, 72,000 miles

   “Intake manifold leak at 65,470 miles. Leak at manifold near back of engine at throttle body. Caused engine to leak oil and coolant which can cause fire or engine to blow. Dealer repaired and replaced intake manifold and pcs valve.”

   NHTSA complaint #11298357, filed 2020-01, 65,470 miles

Buying note. Check the recall history first, especially the fuel pump relay campaign and the alternator and brake booster campaigns, and ask for documentation of completed repairs. A pre-purchase inspection covering the charging system, engine noise, and cooling system is worth the cost on a vehicle of this age and mileage.

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.