YearToAvoid

2017 Dodge Durango Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

43/100

#9 most-complained of 15 Durango years

The 2017 Dodge Durango has 211 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 43, ranking 9th worst out of 15 model years, with a "Good" verdict relative to other Durango years. Electrical System issues dominate at 58% of complaints, and the year carries 2 recalls.

Complaints
211
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
9 / 2
Injuries / deaths
10 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
19
16 city / 23.5 hwy

Top 2017 Dodge Durango problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System123 (58%)
  2. Engine36 (17%)
  3. Transmission & Powertrain23 (11%)
  4. Other20 (9%)
  5. Structure & Body20 (9%)
  6. Fuel System16 (8%)
  7. Brakes11 (5%)
  8. Steering11 (5%)
  9. Airbags7 (3%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires6 (3%)

What owners report

  • Electronic gear selector allegedly allowed the vehicle to roll forward unattended and crash through a garage door while parked.
  • Automatic stop/start feature reportedly caused the vehicle to lunge forward at a traffic light when the brake was released, leading to a rear-end crash.
  • Owners describe the transmission unexpectedly shifting into reverse and taking off after being placed in park.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in multiple crashes, including a tree collision and a front-end collision at around 30 mph.
  • Flames were reported coming from the rear passenger quarter panel hours after parking, with the rear windshield shattering and a tire exploding.
  • Owners report the engine emitting smoke from the tailpipe with rising temperature, illuminated stop/start and check engine lights, and coolant loss.
2017 Dodge Durango complaints: complaints filed per quarter152016 Q42018 Q12019 Q22020 Q32021 Q42023 Q12024 Q22025 Q3
283 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2016 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2020 Q1 (15).

2017 Dodge Durango recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 18V332000May 17, 2018Electrical System4,815,661 vehicles

    Electrical system:wiring

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.

    Risk: If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.

  2. NHTSA 17V541000Aug 31, 2017Transmission & Powertrain4 vehicles

    Power train:axle assembly:axle shaft

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017 Dodge Durango vehicles. The vehicles may have been assembled with rear axle halfshafts that are too short.

    Risk: If a halfshaft is too short, it may disengage from the differential causing a loss of drive and increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will replace both halfshafts, free of charge. The recall began on September 18, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T55.

2017 Dodge Durango fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16 MPG
Highway
23.5 MPG
Combined
19 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,725
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Midgrade
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2017 compared with other Durango years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2015Caution71503418
2016Caution50161319
2017Good43211219
2018Caution57232517
2019Good36142417

All Dodge Durango years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 Dodge Durango reliable?
NHTSA data gives the 2017 Durango a complaint index of 43, ranking 9th worst among 15 model years, which earns a "Good" verdict relative to other Durango years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2017 Dodge Durango?
Electrical System complaints make up 58% of all reports (123 complaints), with a median failure mileage of 41,500 miles, making it the top problem area.
Does the 2017 Dodge Durango have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 2 recalls: one for an electrical/powertrain software flash (campaign 18V332000) and one for rear axle halfshafts that were assembled too short (campaign 17V541000).
How does the 2017 Durango compare to other years?
The 2017 model's complaint index of 43 is lower than 2011-2015 years (71-100) but higher than 2019-2025 years (0-36), placing it in the middle of the range with a "Good" verdict.
What is the fuel economy of the 2017 Dodge Durango?
The 2017 Durango is EPA-rated at 19 mpg combined (16 city / 23.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,725.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.