2013 Dodge Durango: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
640 NHTSA owner complaints · 11 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
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. 2013 specifically: this is one of the years the note above says to approach with care — 640 complaints on record, verdict AVOID.
Read the guide
Dodge Durango, Charger and the Chrysler minivans: the TIPM years and the nine-speed years, including 2013 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 640 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 49.23
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The front passenger seat active head rest deployed while the vehicle was stopped and my wife was getting into the vehicle.
The passenger headrest airbag deployed by itself without reason. No rear end collision. The headrest deployed and hit my 16 yr old daughter in the back of the head. Giving her a headache. No the vehicle has not been looked at yet, it is going to go to the dealer tomorrow. No messages prior to the failure. Now there is a red airbag malfunction icon. A person in a seat with a red dot (airbag) in front of the seat.
The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the instrument panel and the engine unexpectedly shut off. Occasionally, the vehicle immediately restarted upon wiggling the ignition key; however, the vehicle needed to be manually started by turning the ignition key on other occasions. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the…
Recalls: 11 campaigns (10 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 14V154000 | Service Brakes | Chrysler 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. |
| 14V391000 | Electrical System:Wiring | Chrysler 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. |
| 14V104000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured October 11, 2011, through October 1, 2012. Under certain braking events, the Ready Alert Braking System (RAB) may result in the driver experiencing a hard brake pedal feel. |
| 12V560000 | Seats | Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2013 Durango vehicles manufactured April 27, 2012, through September 14, 2012. The vehicles may have been built with incorrect seating capacity information labels. |
| 12V391000 | Air Bags | Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2013 Dodge Durango vehicles manufactured from April 11, 2012, through July 20, 2012. Some vehicles may have been built with the incorrect airbag occupant restraint control (ORC) module. |
| 14V634000 | Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator | Chrysler 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. |
| 17V435000 | Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator | Chrysler (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. |
| 19V813000 | Electrical System | Chrysler (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. |
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.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 19 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,250 · EPA range 346 mi
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
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 System290 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Engine116 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Fuel/Propulsion System84 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Service Brakes81 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Seats76 complaints · typical job: Seat frame, track or occupancy-sensor repair (2.5 h labour + parts)$500–$1,200
- Unknown Or Other54 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
Other Dodge Durango years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Dodge Durango?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (290 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2013 Dodge Durango a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 31/100, computed from 640 NHTSA complaints and 11 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2013 Dodge Durango's most common problem?
290 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2013 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 2013 Dodge Durango cost to run per year?
About $6,535 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $32,675 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 2013 Dodge Durango have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 11 recall campaign(s) for the 2013 Dodge Durango, 10 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.
Compare with
Other fullsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2013 Dodge Durango really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData 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.
Strong evidence — 640 complaints, 11 recalls on record
- 640 NHTSA complaints on record (49.2/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (21.6/yr)
- 11 recall campaigns, 10 touching safety-critical systems