Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2018 Dodge Durango owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2018 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that after having the car washed, the racetrack lights and license plate lights became inoperable. There was an abnormal burning odor detected while driving at unknown speeds. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact called the local dealer and was provided an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 62,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that a section of the rear light was inoperable. The passenger's side light was inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the tail light needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there was no recall or warranty coverage on the vehicle. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that the taillights were not functioning properly. The contact stated that the taillights failed to illuminate as needed. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the taillight assembly seal was not functioning correctly and was allowing water to enter the taillight assembly. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and stated that there was no recall for the failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 30,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that the driver's side tailgate LED light had become inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was confirmed that water had gotten inside the lighting enclosure. The dealer stated that the area where the tailgate racetrack light was located needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 83,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that the taillights failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with needing the taillights to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and was awaiting a response. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
I noticed an air bubble looking thing on my radio screen. You can see it in the attached video which is just one example from recent. Then my screen starting doing things on it's own. Changing from on thing to the next on it's own. I spoke with my mechanic who was having similar issues and told me about a group he is part of because there are so many people with this same issue. The screen is delaminating and causing what people are referring to as ghost touches. I think this is a safety hazard because it is distracting to have your screen changing constantly. It will make phone calls on it's own, change from heat to AC and turn the fan from high to low. Having your AC blasting in the middle of winter is no treat. Having your heat blasting summer won't be great either. This is a safety issue as well. This is all controlled by the screen. …
The racetrack light strip on the trunk isn't water tight. Rain water, melting snow, car washes, etc, cause water and condensation to build up inside the light. This builds up and fries the LEDs in the rear taillights. This then caused an electrical problem that caused a headlight to malfunction. Dodge/Chrysler refused to help me with this. I had to replace it out of pocket and 2 months later my new one had the same problem. I see tons of Durango's on the road with burnt out taillights due to this issue. The part is over $1,000 and is always on back order because of how often it fails. My car has less than 30k miles and has never been in an accident. This is a safety issues as my taillights are less visible and it causes other lights, such as my headlight to fail as well. They will not issue a recall, this is ridiculous. …
Water Intrusion caused rear lift gate "racetrack light" tail lights including license plate lights to become inoperable. This poses an obvious risk to safety as the lighting is relied upon by drivers, in dark conditions, to detect the rear of my vehicle. If a driver behind me were to fail to detect the rear of my vehicle, in dark conditions, they could easily collide with the rear of my vehicle. If this were to happen, there is a great possibility that persons in either vehicle could be seriously injured or killed. A simple Google search of this issue would reveal that there are hundreds if not thousands of complaints on the same issue. So far dodge has refused to acknowledge this manufacturer's defect or the possible safety implications it can cause.
The tailgate light has gone out on my 2018 Dodge Durango R/T. Researching online has lead me to discover that this is a known issue that is costing customers thousands of dollars due to a known design flaw. The tailgate light goes out and usually leads to the brake lights and backup camera going out. I do not know when the brakes lights may glitch or go out which can cause an accident. I asked the service person at the dealership about the tailgate issue in May of 2025 when the tailgate light was intermittently going in and out. I was told to call the 800 customer service number. There's no warning for the tailgate light failing and leading to the failure of the brake lights and backup camera.
Purchased this vehicle used from a dealership and a few months later the racetrack light malfunctioned and stopped working which is also connected to my license plate light. The dealership refused to cover the expense of the light which to my surprise was over two thousand dollars, an expense I was not prepared for and now I am at a loss. They tried to negotiate that I should pay for half the cost when the car was purchased of their lot less than a few months with a major malfunction like this. Upon further research I find out there is a class action lawsuit against FCA about this issue. I do not have the money for this repair unless I borrow the money, if so can I get reimbursed though FCA?
Headlight complaints in other Durango years
Frequently asked questions
How common are headlight problems on the 2018 Dodge Durango?
NHTSA has 56 complaints about the lights of the 2018 Dodge Durango, 24% of the model year's 233 complaints. The component named most often is tail lights (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2018 Dodge Durango headlight problems?
No. NHTSA lists no lights recall for the 2018 Dodge Durango, though it has 5 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 2018 Dodge Durango headlight problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 41,000 miles, and 31% before 25,000 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.