Is the 2016 Dodge Durango a bad year?
161 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Durango years.
Keep it. You picked a good year.
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2016 Dodge Durango are in line with other Durango years. Exterior lighting stands out for this year: see below.
3th quietest of 18 Durango years by owner complaints (years with 7+ years on the road).
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2016 Durango owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 50,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior lightingSTANDS OUT | 53 (33%) | 40k–58k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Electrical system | 40 (25%) | 33k–60k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Engine | 16 (10%) | 30k–90k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Air bags | 6 (4%) | 40k–73k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Body structure | 6 (4%) | 31k–54k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 5 (3%) | 28k–96k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Seats | 5 (3%) | 56k–86k miles · ahead | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 30 (19%) | 15k–41k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Speed control | 9 (6%) | 5k–43k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Stability control | 6 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 5 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 50,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 161 complaints: 23 mention a crash · 1 mentions a fire · 11 report an injury · 16 say the car was towed.
4 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Sep 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Transmission hard downshift from 2nd to 1st gear and vehicle lurches forward when coming to a stop and from 4th to 5th gear at times while up shifts at slow cruising speed it feels like it's bogging before shifting up to 5TH.
On 06/2018 I came home and pulled into our driveway. I put our Dodge durango 2016 with 21110 miles in the park position and I then opened our garage door halfway open.
I have owned the 2016 Dodge durango since august of 2016. In that time, there have been two cases where I stopped the car, thought I put it in park, thought I turned it off, and exited the vehicle.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 50,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2016 Dodge Durango: 3
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… If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
During the assembly of the engine, the fuel rail crossover tube may have been damaged, which, over time, may result in a fuel leak. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source, can increase the risk of a fire.
In the affected vehicles, the left front brake caliper may crack due to being made from an incorrect material. A cracked brake caliper may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increase the risk of a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Dodge: 164
Repair instructions Dodge sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2016 Dodge Durango. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Updates Customers must experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp…
The vehicle will exhibit a service transmission/check engine warning indicator for the following transmission
ADJUSTER Valve Lash Customer's complaint may include a ticking noise coming from the engine
3.6L PSU Long Block Misfire DTC codes and/or rough idle and/or valvetrain noise
NHTSA defect investigations: 2
Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment
Vehicle Rollaway
Neighbouring years
2015 Durango: 505 complaints, keep it · 2017 Durango: 215 complaints, keep it.
Every Dodge Durango year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Durango years side by side
Other Dodge models: Dodge Avenger · Dodge Caliber · Dodge Caravan · Dodge Challenger · Dodge Charger · Dodge Dakota · Dodge Dart · Dodge Grand Caravan · Dodge Intrepid · Dodge Journey · Dodge Magnum · Dodge Neon · Dodge Nitro · Dodge Ram · Dodge Ram Quad Cab · Dodge Sprinter 2500 · Dodge Stratus. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2016 Dodge Durango a bad year?
161 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Durango years. At 50,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Dodge Durango?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: exterior lighting (53), electrical system (40), engine (16), air bags (6), body structure (6).
How many recalls does the 2016 Dodge Durango have?
3 recall campaigns list this model year: Speed control (NHTSA 18V-332), Fuel system (NHTSA 16V-814), Brakes (NHTSA 16V-168). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.