2021 Dodge Durango electrical problems

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

There is a daytime running light (DRL) malfunction with both headlights, it started with the drivers side slowly going out and now the passenger side is slowly going out. This is happening to several Dodge Durango owners of the 2021 model and can be found in the Dodge Durango forum online. The dealer stated it’s an out of pocket expense because the DRL is out and the entire component needs replaced. This is inaccurate because when I turn off the DRL settings the turning signal flashes orange fast so this tells me it’s not completely out and the headlights themselves work. My car has been this way for over a year because I can’t afford to spend $1500+ per light replacement and for the dealer to claim it has to be an out of pocket expense is not okay because the point of LED lights are because they use less energy while lasting 25x as much so it doesn’t make sense that they stopped turning on versus the non LED. While driving around I’ve seen SEVERAL Dodge Durango with a DRL out or both or one out and the other half way out so this confirms it’s a manufacture issue. I came across forums of people with this issue and full extended warranty coverages where they’re being told it’s not covered. Dodge(Mopar) needs to address this for the consumer as it causes a safety issue when the left/right turning signals are not properly displayed. The car wouldn’t pass a safety test. Myself and several Dodge Durango owners are currently at risk of being in a car accident due to this malfunction. The full assembly does not need replaced. Please look this over and issue a safety recall as my family and I are at risk because I can’t afford a $3000 headlight replacement that isn’t even needed. That’s just the dealer and Mopar trying to make more $$$ while not worried about the safety of their customers.

NHTSA complaint #11758224 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Rear racetrack style taillight assembly had faulty gaskets when purchased, allowing for water intrusion of the taillight assembly, causing water damage to the electrical components in the light assembly and shorting the LED Lights.

NHTSA complaint #11746753 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Left headlight assembly running lights failed. The light fixture. is one unit.so the whole light being replaced instead of one lightbulb.

NHTSA complaint #11736548 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My life turn signal and parking light stopped working, my problem is the whole headlight assembly needs to be replaced just because these two items don’t work. The dealer wants over $800 for the part. Why don’t they issue a warranty or a recall on this item? It’s too much to pay just because turn signal and parking light doesn’t work.

NHTSA complaint #11736018 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The SUV has been experiencing electrical issues that started first one of the headlights stopped working, the white light around it, then it was the tailgate got a liftgate open error on the display even when the liftgate was closed, then we started to notice other electrical issues with the vehicle but the major problem that happened now is that while we were driving, all of the lights of the dashboard started to light up and the car was not responding to the accelerator pedal was not responding at all and we stalled in the middle of the street, we were lucky this didn't happen while we were on the freeway, we are afraid to use the car anymore because of this, the dealer refuses to take care of this issue because the warranty has passed but this is a major safety issue that can cause injury or death

NHTSA complaint #11732184 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My rear racetrack light on my 2021 Durango rt tow n go has water in it from not being sealed and it’s burnt out was quoted astronomical amounts of money to fix along with getting pulled over and was told it’s a safety issue by police and said it can cause a electrical fire and it’s a hazard

NHTSA complaint #11713183 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This specific year and all models in 2021 Durango’s including SRT, GT, GT Plus , TnG , vehicle has a known issue with the driver side DRL ( Daytime Running Lights) completely going out and not working very early into its life . I believe this is a safety issue that the manufacturer should fix themselves as it’s a defect wiring / headlight issue that is affecting thousands of customers. SECONDLY, this car comes with an issue in the taillight not being properly sealed and allowing water into the LEDS , burning them out and being needed replaced . Both of these issues comes from the manufacturer/ factory and are safety issues/risk known in thousands of Durangos which should definitely be recalled .

NHTSA complaint #11704629 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Radio works for years it gets a update, it stops working, months of back and forth with software people say I’ll need to pay for a diagnostic to have them replace it, I paid got it on paper that a software update killed radio and software team told me to kick rocks. Pay out of pocket for an update I didn’t want killing my radio. Feels beyond illegal and I see others on forms with same exact problem and situation

NHTSA complaint #11702211 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My vehicle experienced failure of both the driver-side DRL (Daytime Running Light) and the passenger-side front turn signal within a short period of time. On this model year, both components are part of a sealed LED headlight assembly with no replaceable bulbs. The only repair option is full headlight assembly replacement, quoted at $800–$1,200 per side plus labor. This is a safety issue because front DRL and turn signal failure reduces vehicle visibility to oncoming traffic. Online reports show numerous other 2021–2023 Durango owners experiencing the same problem with the LED DRL/turn-signal assemblies, suggesting a pattern of premature failure. Stellantis has also faced known issues with sealed LED lighting on the Durango’s ‘racetrack’ taillight assemblies, indicating a broader LED reliability issue on these vehicles. I am requesting NHTSA review this as a potential safety-related defect, as owners are forced into high-cost headlight replacements due to non-serviceable LED modules failing early.

NHTSA complaint #11702364 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My vehicle experienced failure of both the driver-side DRL (Daytime Running Light) and the passenger-side front turn signal within a short period of time. On this model year, both components are part of a sealed LED headlight assembly with no replaceable bulbs. The only repair option is full headlight assembly replacement, quoted at $800–$1,200 per side plus labor. This is a safety issue because front DRL and turn signal failure reduces vehicle visibility to oncoming traffic. Online reports show numerous other 2021–2023 Durango owners experiencing the same problem with the LED DRL/turn-signal assemblies, suggesting a pattern of premature failure. Stellantis has also faced known issues with sealed LED lighting on the Durango’s ‘racetrack’ taillight assemblies, indicating a broader LED reliability issue on these vehicles. I am requesting NHTSA review this as a potential safety-related defect, as owners are forced into high-cost headlight replacements due to non-serviceable LED modules failing early.

NHTSA complaint #11702367 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My 2021 Dodge Durango drivers side daytime running light went out around 55000 miles. I do have an extended warranty through the manufacturer, but was informed that this is not a covered part despite it being a known issue and a “max care warranty”. The reason being that it is considered a “bulb” however to replace it requires the entire new left headlamp assembly to be replaced, per the dealership. This is a high cost of around $1650. Regardless of the cost, This is a safety issue and a concern for myself as well as others on the road. A quick search shows this is a known and ongoing problem with the 2021 dodge durangos in particular the drivers side daytime running light which does not have a safe, cost effective fix. I ask for you to take a look at the many people who have been impacted and the safety concern associated with this.

NHTSA complaint #11689522 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

PLEASE READ LETTER IN THE UPLOADED DOCUMENTS

NHTSA complaint #11683902 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Vehicle has less than 50k miles on it, DRL-driver went out and the entire head unit needs to be replaced which costs over 1k. Common problem with this vehicle. Poses a safety risk while driving with the lighting failure

NHTSA complaint #11683549 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Rear tail light has water intrusion which causes malfunction. Driving at night, can be extremely dangerous as the rear lights are damaged and do not light up, making the vehicle more difficult to see

NHTSA complaint #11683550 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The daytime running light on the drivers side stopped working. Appears to be a very common problem on 2021 durangos. After inspection of the headlight assembly, it appears the DRL are 2 separate strips which makes it highly unlikely that both LED strips failed at the exact same time. This leads me to believe the issue is electrical. I dont want to replace the headlight assembly with an underlying electrical issue and dodge does not want to take responsibilty and investigate further. They want to replace the headlight assembly. This is an ongoing issue with many durangos and it needs to be properly addressed

NHTSA complaint #11657611 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Rear brake light got water in it and now the brake light is partially out.

NHTSA complaint #11656657 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I have been having issues with the start button, the engine cranking but not turning over. It will crank for 30 seconds, not start, all the lights come on and usually on the second attempt the car will start. Also I have powered off the radio while driving for a second, then the screen will not turn back on.

NHTSA complaint #11650387 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Racetrack taillight got water inside of it. Full Rear taillight is now not functioning and I have no brake lights.

NHTSA complaint #11647458 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I attempted to pull off from sitting @ a red light & the System Electronic Stability Control along with shift selector illuminated. At that time it causes this vehicle to not move. Transmission light came on as well & everything is blinking

NHTSA complaint #11640143 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2021 Dodge Durango. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the infotainment system was independently switching devices on and off. The contact stated that he had observed that the message "Box Error Disconnecting - Take Vehicle to an Authorized Dealer" was displayed intermittently. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that system software needed to be updated. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the vehicle had been taken back to the same dealer several times for the failure where the vehicle system was switching on and off or shutting down other systems. The contact was advised that if he was using the navigation system during his trip the system was shutting down. The same failure occurred when the heat was engaged and was switched to AC. The contact stated that the same failure was occurring while using the defrost system and was switching to AC. The contact stated that after each appointment with the dealer ,he was advised that the vehicle was repaired; however, the failures reoccurred. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.

NHTSA complaint #11634385 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I've read a bunch of complaints about the drivers side daytime running lights having an electrical issue and the lights stop working. It's a common theme that it's only the drivers side which indicates faulty wiring which could possibly lead to a fire sometime. Ours is now not functioning. It just stopped working yesterday and I started to investigate it on my own.

NHTSA complaint #11634464 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Drive lights on driver side always stop working or work improperly, after looking into it I see its such a common complaint and always on drivers side, dodge refuses to look into it although it cant be a coincidence that its always on Durangos and always on the driver side exact same light. Theres was no warning lights on dash and fuses are good.

NHTSA complaint #11627774 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

All electrical systems are periodically malfunctioning. This includes power windows, door locks, lane assist, heating and cooling/climate controls, heated steering wheel, screen displays, radio controls, steering wheel controls, shifter, etc. all of these things will turn on and off by themselves while driving. Lane assist has frequently turned on and off while driving and jerks the steering wheel. Park assist turns on and off while driving. The vehicle does not always turn off with the push button stop and has to be attempted several times. I have been locked inside my vehicle because the electric locks will not release without several attempts. Power windows frequently do not work. Back hatch frequently will not release, leaving the back of the vehicle inaccessible. It has shifted into neutral by itself while driving requiring me to pull to the side of the road and physically move the shifter back and forth. It was taken to the dealership where they stated there were so many error codes they could not clear them all. I am currently waiting on an electrical wiring part that they say will fix it because they’ve “seen this before”. It is 1000 miles beyond the basic warrantee and my purchased extended warrantee will not cover the $700 repair because it is considered normal corrosion wear. It is really not safe to drive and it has taken weeks for the dealership to address the issue, waiting on an ordered part that may fix it.

NHTSA complaint #11615332 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Known issue of major electrical problems. Fuse block, alternator, and batteries needed to be replaced after car completely died while driving, leaving us stranded at major intersection. Daytime running light also died.

NHTSA complaint #11611943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Driver side headlight Dlr LED running and turn signal went out.

NHTSA complaint #11607404 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Start/Stop feature says it is unavailable causing vehicle to not shut off when stopped as well as causing vehicle to give message saying Start/Stop feature unavailable due to hood open which then causes vehicle to shut off once stopped and requires vehicle to be shifted into park and restarted for message to come back on. This issue happens when driving and once stopped causes vehicle shut off in traffic causing huge safety concerns and issues.

NHTSA complaint #11594116 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Water accumulates in the rear light bar. This has caused the LEDs to start flickering. This could cause issues in traffic, especially at night if the LEDs are flickering or not working completely. This issue is well known in the Durango community. Mopar is also aware of this. I can always see some water in the light bar after every rain. This vehicle has not been inspected by anyone yet. There are no warning lights associated with this issue. I first noticed the water after owning the vehicle for about 1 year.

NHTSA complaint #11586094 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Forward collision service warning came on me vehicle when there was nothing near my car and the weather was only slight rain. Why hasn’t this issue been a recall when I’ve read dozens of other complaints for this same issue.

NHTSA complaint #11562011 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.