2011 Dodge Durango: True Cost, Problems & Verdict

798 NHTSA owner complaints · 8 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.

Dodge Durango

Editor's note

The third-generation Durango launched for 2011 on the Grand Cherokee's platform and inherited its early electrical problems — the Totally Integrated Power Module, the alternator recall, and the Pentastar V6 cylinder-head failure. The 2011–2014 years score in the 20s and 30s. Read the full note on the model page. 2011 specifically: this is one of the years the note above says to approach with care — 798 complaints on record, verdict AVOID.

Read the guide

Dodge Durango, Charger and the Chrysler minivans: the TIPM years and the nine-speed years, including 2011 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.

Owner complaints: 798 filed with NHTSA

Complaints per year on the road: 53.2

Electrical System514Engine179Fuel/Propulsion System119Service Brakes85Power Train51Unknown Or Other50

What owners say

Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.

The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while starting the vehicle. The contact stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V813000 (Electrical System). The contact stated that the failure was like the failure listed in the recall notification. The contact stated the local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The …
Had an oil check in which they checked the breaks. Reported breaks as a 3. They recommended new brake pads. I only put 6000 miles on the car since I purchased it. It has 24747 miles and needs new rear brakes. I spoke to the service rep Jake and he could not do anything to help with repair. Feel like there is a problem with rear brakes going bad
The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the engine overheated after idling for 10 minutes. A mobile mechanic arrived at the residence and replaced the upper and lower coolant hoses and the thermostat; however, the failure persisted, and the coolant reservoir was significantly hot. A second mechanic diagnosed that the head gasket had failed. The vehicle was not repaire…

Recalls: 8 campaigns (8 severe)

2014201520172019
CampaignComponentSummary
14V154000Service BrakesChrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles manufactured from January 5, 2010, through September 8, 2013. The subject vehicles have a brake booster with a center shell that may corrode and allow water to get inside.
14V391000Electrical System:WiringChrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured January 5, 2010, through December 11, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the wiring for the vanity lamp in the sun visor may short circuit, after a service repair is performed.
14V530000Electrical SystemChrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured January 5, 2010, to July 20, 2011, and equipped with either a 3.6L or 5.7L engine. In the affected vehicles, the fuel pump relay inside the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM-7) may fail, causing the vehicle to stall without…
14V634000Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/RegulatorChrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Challenger, and Durango; and 2012-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured April 22, 2010, to January 2, 2014, and equipped with a 3.6L engine and a 160 amp alternator. In the affected vehicles, the alternator may suddenly fail.
17V435000Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/RegulatorChrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300, Dodge Durango, and 2012-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles. The affected vehicles have electro-hydraulic power steering (EHPS) and are equipped with a 5.7L or a 3.6L engine and a 160, 180 or 220 amp alternator.
19V813000Electrical SystemChrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with a 3.6, 5.7, or 6.4 liter engine and previously recalled under NHTSA Recall 14V530 or 15V115. The fuel pump relay inside the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM-7) may fail, causing the vehicle to stall without warning.
17V572000Service BrakesChrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles. The affected vehicles had brake booster shields installed under a previous campaign to prevent water from entering the brake booster and limiting braking ability.
15V879000Electrical System:WiringChrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured December 3, 2009, to September 1, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the wiring for the vanity lamp in the sun visor may short circuit, after having been remedied for a prior recall for the vanity lamp wiring.

What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes

Class-level estimates, priced as a full-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.

Typical price today $15,200–$21,900 used market, 2026
You lose to depreciation $1,040/year $5,200 over five years
Price when new (2011)$37,300
Worth in five years$13,400
Depreciation, five years$5,200
Insurance, five years$6,200–$8,850
Fuel and maintenance, five years$33,752
Five-year cost of owning it$46,477
Per mile driven, at 12,000 miles a year$0.77

What it costs to run

EPA combined 19 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,250 · EPA range 354 mi

Fuel (your region)$3,250
Maintenance band (your region) $2,323–$4,678
Estimated running cost this year (age 15) $6,750
Range across the maintenance band $5,573–$7,928
Next five years, running cost $33,752

Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.

02468101214$7,928vehicle age (years)
fuel/energy + maintenance band, annual — US dollars, estimate

Run your own numbers in the true-cost calculator →

What this car's problems cost to fix

Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.

  • Electrical System514 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
  • Engine179 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
  • Fuel/Propulsion System119 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
  • Service Brakes85 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
  • Power Train51 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
  • Unknown Or Other50 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940

FAQ

What is the most common problem with the 2011 Dodge Durango?

The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (514 complaints in our indexed sample).

Is the 2011 Dodge Durango a good used car to buy?

Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 29/100, computed from 798 NHTSA complaints and 8 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.

How much does it cost to fix the 2011 Dodge Durango's most common problem?

514 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2011 Dodge Durango sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.

What does a 2011 Dodge Durango cost to run per year?

About $6,750 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $33,752 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.

Does the 2011 Dodge Durango have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 8 recall campaign(s) for the 2011 Dodge Durango, 8 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/04/2014. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.

What will a 2011 Dodge Durango really cost YOU per year?

Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.

Open the true-cost calculator

Data sources

Complaints & recalls: NHTSA · Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov · Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements. Last updated: 2026-10-04.

29RELIABILITY / 100
AVOID

Strong evidence — 798 complaints, 8 recalls on record

Typical price today$15,200–$21,900used market estimate · the full money picture
Running cost, next 5 years$33,752fuel/energy + maintenance band midpoint · estimate
  • 798 NHTSA complaints on record (53.2/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (21.6/yr)
  • 8 recall campaigns, 8 touching safety-critical systems

How this score is computed →