no report yet
Air bags
Risk. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE MATERIAL COULD INTERFERE WITH THE CLOCKSPRING RIBBON AND CAUSE AN OPEN CIRCUIT.
1998 Dodge DurangoProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 965 owner complaints about the 1998 Dodge Durango, most often about the suspension. It is covered by 4 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 15, 2021. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 1998 Dodge Durango has problems
965 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
540Suspension8 crash/fire/injury
103Power train8 crash/fire/injury
90Steering5 crash/fire/injury
85Service brakes, hydraulic15 crash/fire/injury
66Engine and engine cooling
50Visibility
43Seats
34Electrical system
30Air bags
16019 other systems16 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 540 | 8 |
| Power train | 103 | 8 |
| Steering | 90 | 5 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 85 | 15 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 66 | 1 |
| Visibility | 50 | 2 |
| Seats | 43 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 34 | 5 |
| Air bags | 30 | 23 |
| 19 other systems | 160 | 16 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
4 recalls
1998 Dodge Durango recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Risk. IF THE TUBE WERE PERFORATED, THERE WOULD BE A REDUCTION IN BRAKING FROM THE REAR WHEELS, INCREASING STOPPING DISTANCES.
no report yet
Tank assembly: mounting
Risk. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
no report yet
Electrical system: alternator/generator/regulator
Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Dodge.
Mileage at failure
When do suspension problems start?
68kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 310 suspension complaints. 86% were reported before 100,000 miles.
Only 46% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.
14under 30k miles268under 100k miles42100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Suspension
52 owners mentioned a cost$1,003median
Middle half: $819 – $1,400
Power train
9 owners mentioned a cost$1,500median
Middle half: $1,350 – $2,000
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
1998 vs. every other Durango year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Durango median. How we score
'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
1998 Dodge Durango safety ratings
1998 Dodge Durango 4-DR. 4X4 in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 1998 Dodge Durango, and the recalls they led to.
- UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATIONLed to recall 04V-596
- SAFETY BELT CINCHING LATCH PLATENo recall
- FRONT SUSP. UPPER BALL JOINT FAILURENo recall
In owners' words
What Durango owners report
Recent suspension complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
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…
THE CV JOINT CAME OUT RUIN THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WHICH CAUSED RUBBING ON MY INNER RIM, AFTER A WHILE IT HAS CAUSE THE INNER RIM TO TO BREAK OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING. WE HAVE REPLACED THE CV JOINT, WHEEL HUB BEARING, UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND THE STEERING BALL JOINT. NOW THE LOWER BALL JOINT IS…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, HE NOTICED AN ABNORMAL NOISE FROM THE FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS, WHO STATED THAT THE FRONT UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE…
Own a 1998 Durango?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.