Most common 1998 Dodge Durango problems
Share of the 965 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Dodge Durango complaints by model year
Best Durango years: 2020, 2024, 2022. Years to avoid: 1999, 2005, 2000, 1998. Compare all years →
1998 Dodge Durango recalls (4)
Air bags
Vehicle description: pickup trucks. Sound deadener material inside the steering wheel could become detached from the cover and housing. Note: the Ram pickup trucks were built at the warren assembly plant ("s" in the 11th VIN position) from May 16, 2000 through October 23, 2000; st.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the clockspring assembly. Owner notification began June 18, 2001. Also some 1997-200 model year vehicles that, according to warranty records, have had a suspect replacement clockspring installed,…
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly › Mounting
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The fuel tank strap can separate due to fatigue during operation. If this occurs, the tank will be unsupported, increasing the risk of a fuel leak.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the double toggle lock fuel tank straps with single toggle lock design. Note: affected vehicles built through May 21, 1998, also require the rear brake tube inspection/repair.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The rear brake tube can contact an underbody crossmember eventually wearing a hole in the tube.
Remedy: Dealers will install a rubber isolator on all vehicles that do not indicate tube contact. Vehicles that show contact and have less than 45,000 miles and no signs of red rust will have the rubber isolator installed with…
Electrical system › Alternator/generator/regulator
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks. The fastener which secures the generator cable to the power distribution center (pdc) has an insufficient clamp load, resulting in a loose connection and electrical arcing at the connection.
Remedy: Dealers will retighten the generator cable and battery cable fasteners to the proper torque specifications.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 1998 Dodge Durango:
Front susp. Upper ball joint failure
In July 2003, odi opened pe03-032 based on 4 consumer complaints alleging separation of an upper ball joint.complaints alleged an unexpected collapse in the front end and in some occasions the ball joint separation is alleged to have resulted in the wheel, brake rotor, and steering knuckle separating from the vehicle.since opening the pe, odi has received 23 additional complaints related to ball joint separation.
Safety belt cinching latch plate
There are no injuries or fatalities associated with this alleged defect.while conducting this investigation, odi found that the subject cinches meet the load bearing requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard 208, and that many of the reported failures were due to incorrect child safety seat installations.
Upper ball joint separation
Daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc) is recalling the target population of approximately 600,000 my 2000 through 2003 durango and dakota vehicles with four-wheel drive to replace the front suspension upper ball joints with redesigned parts that do not have the joint integrity concerns and have substantially improved joint retention capacity (NHTSA recall no.
What 1998 Dodge Durango owners say
Suspension all 540 →
Dodge Durango 1998 ball joint failure and full separation with no warning, which caused extensive damage in an on-road accident to several vehicles. Dodge corporation will not acknowledge the hundreds of ball joint failures and lost lives due to this poor design and defective ball joints. My vehicle has 84,000 miles on it and ball joints have been replaced 3 times! Ball joints, according to top mechanics are supposed to last about 100,000 miles before replacement and rarely separate. These components used by Dodge are deadly, deficient, and ought to have been recalled years ago. How many more lives have to be lost before the issue is properly dealt with??
Owner 1998 Dodge Durango, have had to replace ball joints twice 1st at 50,000 miles and again at 90,000 miles, this last time had fire on r side of vehicle under car. I have a 1,600.00 bill at dealed for repairs most of it for ball joints. I notified daimlerchysler after the 1st time it happened. This time I would like to file complaint with your agency.
Transmission & drivetrain all 103 →
Due to to uneven driveway the vehicle stalled, or transmission began to spin and not move, at which the vehicle ignition was shut-off. It was attempted to push the vehicle about 50 feet to a parking place. Another person offers to help, then pushes vehicle 25/50 feet...advises to turn the wheel. The wheel does not want to turn. The vehicle has used a lot of power steering fluid almost daily(has a history of squealing and hard turning at start unless lubricated). So advice to place vehicle in reverse caused the steering wheel to be even harder to turn, if at all. I requested help from the bystander, who at which point comes to the driver side where I was standing outside of the vehicle also. It's unknown if the bystander help turned the ignition on, or if the ignition somehow turned on by itself. The vehicle was occupied by one addition passenger at the time of the crash. …
Accident, airbags did not deploy, seat belts didn't work proper. Loss of of control from steering problems. Steering problems on wet roads. Transmission problems, doesn't shift proper, no air condition, can not drive with windows down in back, very hard to control. Car is parked because I am afraid to drive it. Been back to dealer with problem after problem.
Brakes all 94 →
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Dodge Durango. While the vehicle was idling, the engine suddenly shut off. The vehicle was examined by an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel injection lines were faulty. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure continued to occur. While depressing the accelerator pedal, the ceiling light inside the vehicle would erroneously turn on. In addition, when depressing the brake pedal, a banging noise was present coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was examined by an independent mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 156,000.
Brakes failed at 50mph. Slammed into the back of semi truck at 40mph and totaled vechile. The seatbelt restrant and airbag system failed to engage. I slammed into the steering wheel to break 2 ribs and crack my sternum. If the airbags would have went off I wouldnt be having back and neck problems either. I wish Dodge would help us instead of hurting us.
1998 Dodge Durango engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.2L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 16 / 13 |
| 5.9L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 11 / 16 / 13 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Dodge Durango a good car?
Based on 965 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Durango rates use caution: 1.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the Durango at the same age. It is one of the Durango years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Dodge Durango?
The suspension — 540 complaints, 56% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front › control arm › upper ball joint. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (103) and brakes (94).
How many recalls does the 1998 Dodge Durango have?
There are 4 recalls for the 1998 Dodge Durango, the most recent from May 8, 2001 (air bags). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Dodge Durango?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2024 and 2022. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1999, 2005, 2000 and 1998. See the full Dodge Durango years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Dodge Durango problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 22% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.