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2020 Dodge Durango problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
51%
22 of 43 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

51% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2020 Dodge Durango are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 68% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 32 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 29%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2020 Dodge Durango have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 22 of 43 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Dodge Durango concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (51%), and the largest group is filed under power train (11). For comparison, the 2019 scores 42% and the 2021 scores 35%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
22
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
75
this model year
Fires reported
3
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
2
5 crashes · 9 injuries

Complaints by component

EXTERIOR LIGHTING23 · 31%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM13 · 17%
POWER TRAIN11 · 15%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER9 · 12%
ENGINE9 · 12%
AIR BAGS8 · 11%

The years either side

2010
no data
2011
40%
310 of 800
2012
40%
240 of 640
2013
37%
214 of 640
2014
31%
126 of 782
2015
35%
90 of 503
2016
45%
45 of 161
2017
47%
60 of 212
2018
27%
46 of 232
2019
42%
38 of 142
2020
51%
22 of 75
2021
35%
36 of 202
2022
50%
17 of 58
2023
52%
12 of 37

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2020 Dodge Durango

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN01/31/2024CRASH1 INJURED
On [XXX] after filling van with gas I entered and started my van. I noticed the gas cap was open so I put the van in park, took my foot off the brake, took off my seat belt, opened the door and exited leaving the door open. After a couple minutes while I was putting the gas cap back on, the vehicle started to back up…

One of 22 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2020 Dodge Durango?

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2020 Dodge Durango, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

2 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
air bags: critical fasteners21V280000 · Apr 2021
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Dodge Durango vehicles. The Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain (SABIC) fastener may be loose or missing.
back over prevention: sensing system: camera20V191000 · Sep 2020
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2020 Jeep Gladiator and Jeep Cherokee, 2019-2020 Ram 1500 Pickup, Ram 2500 Pickup, Ram 3500 Pickup, Chrysler Pacifica, Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee,…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2020 Dodge Durango? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2020 Dodge Durango

Does the 2020 Dodge Durango have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 22 of 43 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Dodge Durango concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (51%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2020 Dodge Durango?

No. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2020 Dodge Durango, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Dodge Durango years are better?

Among the Dodge Durango years we track, the 2018 (27%), the 2014 (31%) and the 2015 (35%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2020 (51%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2020 Dodge Durango?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2020 Dodge Durango has an elevated transmission complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing transmission work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the transmission. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.