2020 Dodge Durango: engine and transmission complaints
HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
52%
22 of 42 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
52% 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 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 31 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 30%).
The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.
What owners 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…
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE02/28/2026
1, The rear taillights fill up with water making it difficult to see the lights when breaking. 2, The engine had to be repaired due to power failure and was told that the cams and lifters were worn out on drivers' side at 85000 miles. The garage said this should not have happened. And that they have had to repair oth…
ENGINE12/11/2025
Under heavy load or high RPM the engine starts shaking badly and the engine loses power and is very unresponsive to throttle. After 30 seconds of light use the problem goes away but comes back immediately upon heavy load or high rpms. There is a technical service bulletin about this, TSB: 09-011-25. The computer indic…
Three of 22 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Recall campaigns on this model year (2)
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
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 Du…
AIR BAGS:CRITICAL FASTENERS
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.
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2020 Dodge Durango
Ask the seller whether the transmission has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many transmission faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the transmission.
2 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A transmission already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
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.
