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2002 Dodge DurangoProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 423 owner complaints about the 2002 Dodge Durango, most often about the suspension. It is covered by 4 safety recalls.

2002 Dodge Durango
52
CarFlaw IndexSolid year6% below the Durango median · #13 of 26 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Free fix at dealersOwner complaints42371 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage44kSuspension, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 23, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: Cutlass, CC0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2002 Dodge Durango has problems

423 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Suspension1447
Power train715
Electrical system487
Service brakes, hydraulic468
Engine and engine cooling465
Steering284
Air bags1610
Visibility151
Service brakes101
16 other systems8216

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

4 recalls

2002 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

Lever and linkage: column shift

Recall 07V-555 · Dec 4, 2007 · 576,418 vehicles

Risk. EITHER OF THESE CONDITIONS COULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO ROLL AWAY CAUSING A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Electrical system

Recall 06V-339 · Sep 7, 2006 · 35,103 vehicles

Risk. THIS MAY ALLOW DEVELOPMENT OF A HIGH RESISTIVE SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE CONNECTOR, WHICH COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A FIRE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Control arm: upper ball joint

Recall 04V-596 · Dec 21, 2004 · 592,707 vehicles

Risk. EXCESSIVE WEAR IN THE UPPER BALL JOINT MAY ALLOW IT TO SEPARATE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

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?

44kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 86 suspension complaints. 85% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
25under 30k miles73under 100k miles13100k 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

8 owners mentioned a cost

$813median

Middle half: $424 – $1,143

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

2002 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

2002 Dodge Durango safety ratings

2002 Dodge Durango 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2002 Dodge Durango frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
  • Rollover: 3 stars (0.0% risk)
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
5 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2002 Dodge Durango, and the recalls they led to.

  1. UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATIONEA03023 · closed Feb 11, 2005
    Led to recall 04V-596
  2. VEHICLE UNDER-SEAT FIREEA06011 · closed Sep 22, 2006
    No recall
  3. SAFETY BELT CINCHING LATCH PLATEPE02082 · closed Apr 23, 2003
    No recall
  4. FRONT SUSP. UPPER BALL JOINT FAILUREPE03032 · closed Nov 19, 2003
    No recall
  5. FIRE UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEATPE06008 · closed Jun 19, 2006
    Led to recall 06V-339
In owners' words

What Durango owners report

Recent suspension complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The hub on my 02 Durango has had to be replaced 8 times since I bought it in 2018 but everyone says my car isn't part of recall.
Complaint 11633843 · Jan 3, 2025
THE HUB UNIT BROKE WHILE DRIVING THE CAR DID NOT WANT TO GO IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO MOVE FORWARD AND THE STEERING WAS OFF. THERE WAS A POUND CLANKING NOISE RIGHT AFTER I STARTED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND THEN IT BROKE.
Complaint 11112349 · Jul 19, 2018 · 165,000 miles
WHEN I SHIFT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION INTO GEAR IT MAKES A TICKING NOISE AND ALSO WHEN I TURN THEY'RE ALWAYS KIND OF A THUMP FEEL TO THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. I ALSO CAN TAKE MY KEY OUT OF IGNITION NO MATTER IF ITS IN DRIVE, PAR, REVERSE ETC...
Complaint 10958341 · Mar 3, 2017 · 58,000 miles

Own a 2002 Durango?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.