Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Dodge Durango owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Bags. A police report was not filed and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed, however the failure was unable to be determined. The vehicle was repaired. On another occasion, while driving at 35 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver as the brakes were depressed and fail to respond without warning. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the wheel bearings and wheel arms needed to be replaced. The wheel bearing was repaired but the wheel arm wasn't. The VIN was not included in the NHTSA campaign number: 08e064000(suspension). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 180,000. Jo
Dodge Durango 2003 brought October 2003. On October 21, 2004 while on my way to work (a local high school), a woman fell asleep and hit the Durango from behind on the passenger side. The vehicle crossed the oncoming lane of a two-lane minor highway (rte 187) and went into the front yard of a home and hit a tree. Speed limit is 35. The front passenger nose of the Durango impacted with the tree. The damage to the vehicle was deemed totaled by the other driver's insurance company (state farm). The item we wish to draw to your attention is that the damage to the car involved the suspension rod, which came off and up through the front passenger seat of the carand through the roof. Had anyone been sitting there they would have most certainly been skewered. Thankfully, I had just dropped my children off . My 16 year old normally sits up front. …
Front end problems with m 2003 Dodge Durango. Have had steering rack replaced, inner & outer ball joints replaced as well as both upper control arms. Steering went out on my wife while making a right hand turn. Both inner tie-rod ends snapped out and car lost complete steering control. Car ran into parked car causing substantial damage to both vehicles. Because of the low speed no injuries occurred, had this happened at highway speed. I could have been killed along with others on the highway. What are you waiting for? For a fatality? Does it take the life of human being to save money to have this problem solved? Please do something, I will never never buy a Dodge automobile again and if I see someone making this mistake or looking at Dodge I will advise them of all the problems that Dodge has and are not willing to back their product. Buy a foreign car!!!!
On January 26, 2004, our 24 year old son, brant, was driving our 2003 Dodge Durango on I-85 near commerce, georgia. Time 2:00 am.. Road conditions cold & rainy. For unknown reasons, the right/front tire and mechanical assembly (ball joints.. Everything) came off the car causing him to skid into right side guard rail. Nationwide insurance estimated damage in excess of $12,000. The Durango is 10 months old with approximately 17,000 miles on the odometer. We contacted Chrysler corporation requesting a buyback.. Or return of our money less reasonable mileage allocations. We feel the product is defective and now seriously damaged beyond reasonable repair. Chrysler denied our claim, refused to issue copies of reports they used for their denial, simply opting for reasons unknown to discuss the issue any further.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for tire replacement and front end alignment. The mechanic stated that the front passengers side hub was loose and needed to be replaced. In addition, the vehicle was unable to be aligned. The mechanic also stated that the ball joint on the front passenger side needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was made aware of NHTSA campaign number: 08e064000 (suspension) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 219,700.
Tl*- the contact owns a 2003 Dodge Durango with an odometer reading of 14600 miles. The contact stated that while driving under dry conditions at 35 MPH the steering locked. The contact's vehicle crashed into another vehicle and contact sustained injuries. The contact called the manufacturer, but they have not responded. The contact had received recall (04V596000 for the upper ball joint, and when he took the vehicle to the dealer for the repair s,they only lubricated the ball joint, but did not replaced it. The contact stated that an upper ball joint failure was the cause for the crash.
My wife was driving on the highway, and noticed that our 2003 Dodge Durango was pulling to the right. 10 minutes later, the lower ball joint completely separated, the upper ball joint snapped off, the axle separated and the wheel fell off while making a low speed right hand turn. The Durango then continued to steer to the right and into a parked car, totaling the parked vehicle. The Durango pushed the parked car into a wall. So far, nothing has been done to fix the failure, and my Dodge dealer is giving me a hard time about warranting the part and subsequent damage.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Dodge Durango. The contact heard a popping sound and felt it through the driveshaft. In addition, the two front tires were worn on the inside tread. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic who stated that both upper ball joints needed to be replaced. The contact took the vehicle to lake city Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram (4325 w us hwy 90, lake city, fl 32055, [phone]) to verify the diagnosis. The manufacturer stated that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The failure mileage was 164,297.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that smoke emitted from under the dashboard. The contact also stated that the heat and air conditioning failed and the front end of the vehicle made a thumping noise and became louder as vehicle speed increased. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was informed that the wiring harness emitted the smoke and it along with the front hub unit, needed to be replaced. The failure and current mileages were 113,000....updated 04/25/13 updated 05/16/2013
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that he heard an abnormal noise coming from the front of the vehicle and the hub was shaking violently. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 08e064000 (suspension). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 104,000.
Related recalls
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Upper ball joint
On certain sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks equipped with four-wheel drive (4x4), if moisture leaks into the front suspension upper ball joint, evacuation of the lubricant and corrosion of the joint May cause the joint to wear over an extended period of time.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front suspension upper ball joints. This safety improvement campaign began on December 21, 2004. Owners can contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA investigations
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.
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.
Suspension complaints in other Durango years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2003 Dodge Durango?
NHTSA has 91 complaints about the suspension of the 2003 Dodge Durango, 27% of the model year's 339 complaints. The component named most often is front › control arm › upper ball joint (47 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Dodge Durango suspension problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 04V-596 (upper ball joint, Dec 21, 2004). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2003 Dodge Durango suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 41,000 miles, and 35% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 8 crashes, 1 fire and 4 injuries to suspension problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.