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Dodge DurangoModel year report

2015 Dodge Durango Problems

Compared with other Dodge Durango years

More complaints than typical for this model

66/100 1.4× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2017

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
504filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
51,304miles, 320 complaints with mileage
Recalls
4campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
4 / 5stars overall, 2 rated versions
EPA fuel economy
20 mpgcombined, 3.6L 6-cyl · flex-fuel RWD · 18 city / 25 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2015 Dodge Durango (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often report two distinct problems: water getting into the rear liftgate taillight assembly and knocking out the LEDs, and the front active head restraints deploying with no impact. Complaints also mention seat-belt buckle and retractor trouble, occasional stalling traced to the fuel pump relay, and a clicking noise from the engine. Reports come in across a wide mileage span, from under 30,000 miles to well past 100,000.

  1. Exterior lighting

    Water in rear liftgate taillight, LEDs out

    • 178 complaints (35%)
    • median 52,000 mi at 4.5 yrs old (119 state mileage)
    • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 36 quotes)
    • filed 2017–2026

    Complaints describe water pooling inside the rear liftgate 'racetrack' light assembly after rain, snow melt, or a car wash, after which part or all of the LEDs stop working. Owners say the license plate lamp and backup camera share the assembly, and that dealers quoted very high prices for a full replacement because the unit is not serviceable. Some report that one dealer fix was to drill drain holes, and others say replacement lights still take on water. Reported from roughly 28,000 to 135,000 miles, often after wet weather or a car wash.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Look inside the rear liftgate light lens for pooled water, haze, or dark dead segments, and test every rear light including the license plate lamp. Ask whether the assembly has already been replaced and whether the new one has stayed dry.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have contacted FCA (fiat chrysler of america) about the highly common issue with the tail lamp issue on my vehicle as well as many others having the exact same issue. In cold temperatures my center 'track bar' and passenger tail lamp don't turn on whatsoever including the LED brake light or turn signal on the one side. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11388496, filed 2021-01, 113,000 miles

    “Whether it rains or I get my the vehicle washed, water collects in both sides of the tail light and shorts the LED out. This poses a risk of night time rear-end collisions if the entire light shorts out which I am afraid it may eventually. The cost is over $1000 to replace it because it is one, big assembly which houses both the left and right lights and also the backup camera.”

    NHTSA complaint #11399444, filed 2021-03, 29,000 miles
  2. Seats

    Front active head restraint deploys on its own

    • 114 complaints (23%)
    • median 68,000 mi at 5.6 yrs old (65 state mileage)
    • 23 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $800 (median of 5 quotes)
    • filed 2017–2026

    Owners report the front active head restraint firing forward with no collision, sometimes while parked overnight, sometimes while driving or stopped at a light. Complaints describe the headrest hitting the occupant in the back of the head and, in some cases, the plastic housing or retaining parts breaking so the unit cannot be reset. Several say dealers told them there was no open recall and quoted a replacement cost out of pocket. Spread from very low mileage up to about 110,000 miles, with many reports between roughly 45,000 and 90,000 miles; often while parked, sometimes while driving.

    What to check: On both front seats, push the headrest gently to see whether it has already moved forward or looks separated, and check the plastic housing at the back for cracks. Ask the seller whether either headrest has been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “We were driving our 2015 Dodge Durango and we came to a stop sign. When we pulled away from the stop sign and the vehicle was in motion the safety assist headrest on the passenger side fired off without warning striking me in the back of the head. I ended up in the er and getting a ct scan and was diagnosed with a concussion.”

    NHTSA complaint #11340673, filed 2020-07, 61,760 miles

    “My 2015 Durango doesn't get used much now a days. The driver said head restraint deployed with out an accident. I've looked this up and it seems to be an issue with chrysler. Dealership is charging me a lot of money to get it fixed.”

    NHTSA complaint #11341818, filed 2020-07, 53,700 miles
  3. Fuel system

    Stalls or cranks without starting (fuel pump relay)

    • 31 complaints (6%)
    • median 43,911 mi at 4.4 yrs old (20 state mileage)
    • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2015–2026

    Owners report the engine cranking but not starting, or the vehicle losing power and stalling while driving, with the restarted engine later running normally. Complaints say the cause was traced to the fuel pump relay rather than the pump itself, and that replacing only the pump did not resolve it. One owner also describes unintended high engine revs while the brake was applied in a parking garage. Reported between roughly 47,000 and 96,000 miles.

    Recall 18V332000

    What to check: Ask whether the fuel pump relay has been replaced, and whether the vehicle has any history of no-start or stalling episodes. Recall 18V332000 concerns electrical software on this model; check whether it has been performed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was exiting a parking garage and applied my brake to stop to pay the parking fee. When I came to a stop the truck unexpectedly accelerated with my foot on the brake. I pushed as hard as I could on the foot brake but the engine was registering 4 to 5,000 rpms. My truck moved on thru the parking gate breaking the gate and then my truck entered into the main road. I almost hit two people walking on the sidewalk in front of the parking garage. I was able to move the truck into neutral once through the gate and the rpms went back to normal. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11383500, filed 2020-12, 40,000 miles

    “Vehicle will turn over but will not start. Dealer claims battery issue, but most individuals discovered that it is a fuel pump relay issue. 2nd time this has happened with same vehicle.”

    NHTSA complaint #11301276, filed 2020-01, 47,822 miles

Buying note. Inspect the rear liftgate light assembly for trapped water and dead LEDs, and test both front headrests for signs they have already deployed. Also confirm belt latches work and ask about the fuel pump relay and any engine ticking before purchase.

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.

NHTSA recorded 504 consumer complaints for the 2015 Dodge Durango. 320 of the complaints include a mileage, and 46% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 51,304 miles. Of all complaints, 26 involved a crash, 4 a fire, 37 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 349 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 13 Dodge Durango model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 66 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Seat belts (16), Brakes (9), Suspension (9), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (7), Equipment (4), Steering (3), Engine cooling (2), Lane departure (2), Tires (2), Electronic stability control (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1).

Example complaints

Exterior lighting: “First my driver side headlight went out. Replaced the bulb an it still does not work. It not the fuse or connector either. Then my passager side taillight an my lift gate light do not work. Bought new taillight an plugged it in an still not working. It's not the fuse or connector so I don't know what else to do.”

NHTSA complaint #11258224, filed 2019-09, 125,000 miles

Electrical system: “Water is inside the lift-gate race track lighting assembly. Warranty does not cover water intrusion of which this is. Next month my vehicle will be 2 years old so if I don't it fixed at a cost of $1,100 the lights will soon be moldy, shorted out or causing the liftgate to rust out. This should be a warranty fix regardless of age or miles.”

NHTSA complaint #10991827, filed 2017-05, 52,000 miles

Seats: “I was driving home from work on a city street just exiting a roundabout going no more than 15 miles per hour and my headrest exploded forward hitting me in the back of the head. It was quite jarring. It felt like something heavy as in my back seat and shot forward hitting my drivers seat. There were no cars around me, and nothing hit my car.”

NHTSA complaint #11257508, filed 2019-09, 30,000 miles

Other or unknown: “Our 2015 Durango limited makes a thumping noise, sounds like an impact in the rear of the vehicle. The dealership has not been able to diagnose the problem, and cant duplicate it. My wife has heard this noise since we purchased this vehicle. We have owned 3 other durangos with the same body style and have never heard the same sound.”

NHTSA complaint #10971937, filed 2017-04, 4,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

46% of the 320 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 35,000 and 72,000 miles.

8%0–107%10–2531%25–5031%50–7513%75–1009%100–1501%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (320 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 51,304 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

201620182020101202220242026
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2015 Dodge Durango. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Durango · SUV 2WD★★★★☆4 / 5554 · 19.8% risk
Durango · SUV 4WD★★★★☆4 / 5553 · 21.2% risk

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2015 model year: forward collision warning optional, lane departure warning not available, automatic emergency braking not available.

Neighbouring years: 2014: same overall rating; 2016: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2015 Dodge Durango version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Durango AWD5.7L 8-cyl8-speed automatic142216$4,750
Durango RWD5.7L 8-cyl8-speed automatic142217$4,450
Durango AWD3.6L 6-cyl · flex-fuel8-speed automatic172419$3,550
Durango RWD3.6L 6-cyl · flex-fuel8-speed automatic182520$3,350

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2015 Dodge Durango → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 349 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 349 bulletins →

Other model years of the Dodge Durango

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2026145,8260420—Too new
20258280420—Too new
20241418,5000421—Too new
20233255,00024210 · FewerToo new
20226059,000742113 · FewerRising
202120531,206842170 · MoreRising
20205629,98024210 · FewerRising
201914526,059442136 · TypicalRising
201823324,000542159 · TypicalStable
201721534,552242134 · FewerStable
201616140,000342139 · TypicalFalling
201550451,304442066 · MoreFalling
201478463,0001142090 · MoreFalling
201364076,5001141996 · MoreFalling
201264066,0001041999 · MoreFalling
201180067,0008—1997 · MoreFalling
20091265,0004—16—Not enough data
20089764,0002—150 · FewerFalling
200719173,0404—15Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200685264,0009—15Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20051,56774,0008—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20041,11594,0008—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200333962,9504—15Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200242358,0004—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200166555,4005—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20001,07559,0822—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
19991,96771,0003—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199896570,0004—13Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Dodge Durango model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2015 Dodge Durango?

Owners of this model year most often report two distinct problems: water getting into the rear liftgate taillight assembly and knocking out the LEDs, and the front active head restraints deploying with no impact. The issues reported most often: Water in rear liftgate taillight, LEDs out; Front active head restraint deploys on its own; Stalls or cranks without starting (fuel pump relay).

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2015 Dodge Durango have?

NHTSA recorded 504 consumer complaints for the 2015 Dodge Durango as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2015 Dodge Durango is reported most often?

Exterior lighting is named most often, in 197 complaints (39% of the total), followed by electrical system with 95.

Has the 2015 Dodge Durango been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2015 Dodge Durango do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2015 Dodge Durango 4 out of 5 stars overall, across 2 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2015 Dodge Durango get?

The EPA rates the 2015 Dodge Durango (Durango RWD, 3.6L 6-cyl · flex-fuel) at 20 mpg combined, 18 city and 25 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,350 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2015 Dodge Durango reported?

Among the 320 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 51,304 miles and the middle half falls between 35,000 and 72,000 miles; 46% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.