AutoUtility currently tracks 191 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2021 Dodge Durango. Exterior Lighting issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 84 complaints (44% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 9 filings cite a crash, 4 cite a fire, 4 report one or more injuries.
Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records
84 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
40 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
20 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
18 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis
5 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"Drivers side running lights are not working. So you are forced to turn off daytime running lights or have one out. This seems to be a very common issue with dodge Durango for some reason."
"It’s known that the DRL and race track tail lights go out faster than what they should. Also the tail lights once the lift gate is open on the edges of both sides are very sharp. My DRL on my 21 Durango with only 59k miles just went out. That is way to fast and the price to fix is insane"
"I am submitting this complaint regarding an ongoing headlight/turn signal failure on my 2021 Dodge Durango involving the factory LED turn signals that are sealed/encased within the headlight assemblies. The driver-side front LED turn signal failed first, and now the passenger-side front LED turn..."
"There is a daytime running light (DRL) malfunction with both headlights, it started with the drivers side slowly going out and now the passenger side is slowly going out. This is happening to several Dodge Durango owners of the 2021 model and can be found in the Dodge Durango forum online. The..."
"Started having problems with the engine losing power and sputtering was told by a repair shop that the engine needs replaced it has been sitting since"
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Dodge Durango | 503 | 26 | 4 | View 2015 Problems → |
| 2016 Dodge Durango | 160 | 23 | 3 | View 2016 Problems → |
| 2017 Dodge Durango | 209 | 9 | 2 | View 2017 Problems → |
| 2018 Dodge Durango | 229 | 9 | 5 | View 2018 Problems → |
| 2019 Dodge Durango | 140 | 4 | 4 | View 2019 Problems → |
| 2020 Dodge Durango | 73 | 5 | 2 | View 2020 Problems → |
| 2021 Dodge Durango Current Page | 191 | 9 | 8 | Current |
| 2022 Dodge Durango | 56 | 2 | 7 | View 2022 Problems → |
| 2023 Dodge Durango | 34 | 2 | 2 | View 2023 Problems → |
| 2024 Dodge Durango | 13 | 0 | 0 | View 2024 Problems → |
| 2025 Dodge Durango | 7 | 0 | 0 | View 2025 Problems → |
| 2026 Dodge Durango | 0 | 0 | 0 | View 2026 Problems → |
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 51 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Injury Entries | Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 64 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention / Camera NHTSA category: BACK OVER PREVENTION | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance NHTSA category: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering NHTSA category: STEERING | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires NHTSA category: TIRES | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels & Hubs NHTSA category: WHEELS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment & Accessories NHTSA category: EQUIPMENT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,AIR BAGS,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cross-reference safety recalls, crash test safety ratings, and EPA fuel economy for this model year
Key performance indicators, EPA fuel economy specs, powertrain variants, and summary ratings.
Official recall campaigns, safety defect descriptions, and manufacturer free remedy instructions.
NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test results, driver assistance systems, and rollover resistance ratings.
EPA fuel economy ratings, electric range, and annual energy cost benchmarks.
Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2021 Dodge Durango
In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2021 Dodge Durango is Exterior Lighting, appearing in 84 records (44% of submitted filings).
Secondary reported categories include Electrical System (40) and Engine & Cooling (20).
AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 191 consumer defect complaints and 8 safety recall campaigns for the 2021 Dodge Durango.
Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.
Among consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2021 Dodge Durango, 9 filings cite a crash, 4 cite smoke or fire, and 4 report one or more injuries.
Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.