Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Dodge Durango owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
This vehicle was involved in a non injury accident with property damage. The initial cause of the crash was determined to be poor road conditions. The driver was driving on a gravel road after a rain and heavy traffic. Driver entered a soupy spot in the road and the vehicle started to turn sideways. Driver applied the brakes and vehicle would not slow down from the initial vehicle speed of around 25 MPH. Vehicle then left the roadway, down a steep ditch and through a fence causing severe damage to the vehicle and the fence. Driver was able to keep the vehicle upright. When the vehicle was removed from the area, it was still driveable, but there was very little vehicle braking. Upon inspection of the vehicle damage for the accident report, inspector found brake fluid leaking under the vehicle below the master cylinder area of the vehicle. …
I was about to enter a storage facility and was slowly easing my foot off the brake when when the engine revved loudly my SUV lurched forward and accelerated out of my control tore through the storage gate that didn't finish opening totally destroying the facilitiy main gate. The SUV kept accelerating as I was hitting the brake then finally stopped.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Dodge Durango. While driving 25 MPH, the contact depressed the brake pedal and heard a grinding noise. Also, the four wheel drive low indicator illuminated and the vehicle inadvertently shifted into four wheel low drive. The contact slowly drove to a parking lot where the engine was turned off. After a few minutes, the vehicle was restarted and the contact was able to drive home. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed, but not repaired. The diagnostic results were not provided. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 194,000.
Nitto terra grabbler. Purchased 4 tires on 11/12/15. Rear passenger tire failed / completely came apart and into two pieces while I was driving on a two lane road (pch) the safety brake cable was also damaged. I was towed home. The dealer and nitto have refused to replace the tire. Instead of keeping the tire for inspection, the dealer threw the tire away. Tire was gone the following day. I have pictures of the tire. I want all the tires replaced as there is a safety issue here with these tires that could result in great bodily injury or death. Nitto tires have been recalled in the past due to failure.
2005 Dodge Durango. In 2007 tierod end on passenger side broke while going down the road. Luckily there was not an accident and the dealer fixed it for free. In August 2011 we discovered that the brake line was laying on the front axle on the drivers side. This caused the brake line to rub in two and caused brake failure resulting in a crash (which is how the problem was discovered). The tow truck driver also said he picked up a Durango that had the upper and lower ball joint broken causing an accident. The front end of the 2005 Dodge Durango is apprently very poorly designed.
I turned left sharply into a parking spot and the vehicle completely stalled on me upon doing this. I lost all engine power, steering and brake control. I was able to restart the vehicle immediately and park the vehicle. For the previous 3 weeks or so the vehicle has sputtered and been sluggish when turning sharply into parking spots or around sharp corners but has never stalled. 8/19/15 was the first incident of the vehicle completely stalling.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the service brakes and the service engine warning lights illuminated. In addition, there was smoke coming from the engine. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 177,000.
I have owned my 05 Durango since 07. My Durango has stalled now 4 times in 6 months. Once in a hospital parking lot going very slow. Next time while backing out of my driveway. About a month ago I turned into my neighborhood and made a slow left turn onto my street. It lost power halfway into the turn. No RPM's no speedo. No power steering no power brakes. I man handled the turn, flipped it in neutral. Turned the key off then on and I had my speedo back, and I continued to start it back up. I thought OK that was crazy weird. No check engine lights, no codes. I thought it was bad gas or fuel system clogged. I have since cleaned all they up and serviced the fuel system. Then yesterday it happened again in the same exact location doing the same exact low speed maneuver. This time I had my kids in the truck. What if I pulled across traffic to turn with no power and stalls. …
Tl contact owns a 2005 Dodge Durango. When the vehicle reaches 60 MPH, it feels as if it will flip over and the wheels are uncontrollable. The contact stated that the vehicle does not need to be aligned; however, they pull the vehicle in the opposite direction. The vehicle also clunks and clinks during acceleration and the engine light remains illuminated. The sensors were changed and the engine light dimmed; however, it illuminated again the following day and still remains lit. The vehicle has new brakes and when the brake pedal is depressed, the vehicle jumps before it stops. The contact must turn the steering wheel in order to avoid a crash. NHTSA campaign id number's 05V460000 (power train:automatic transmission) and 07V092000 (electrical system: instrument panel) were referenced. The current mileage was 82,000 and failure mileage was 62,000.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving the vehicle at 40 MPH the vehicle lost brake power. No warning lights that illuminated. The vehicle was unable to gain momentum, it was going up a hill and the roads were wet. The brakes did not work for approximately 20 minutes. Turning the vehicle on and off did not affect the brakes. The brakes came back by themselves. The second time this occurred the vehicle was going 20 MPH, and the contact pressed the accelerator pedal multiple times, nothing happened when the pedal was depressed. The tires began to spin suddenly ,and the speedometer read 60 MPH, although the vehicle was not moving. The dealership was unable to duplicate the problem, and the computer did not display any codes.
Brake complaints in other Durango years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2005 Dodge Durango?
NHTSA has 33 complaints about the brakes of the 2005 Dodge Durango, 2% of the model year's 1,567 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › disc › caliper (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Dodge Durango brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2005 Dodge Durango, though it has 8 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2005 Dodge Durango brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 77,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to brakes 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.