548 of the
19,338 complaints filed about the Dodge Durango
are about the seats —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2014.
On August 6, 2026, at approximately 6:00 a.m., I was driving my 2016 Dodge Durango northbound to work at approximately 60 mph. It was dark and the roadway was slightly wet from overnight rain. While traveling in the left lane under normal driving conditions, I suddenly heard a loud pop and the driver’s Active Head Restraint/headrest sprung forward, striking me hard in the back of the head. The impact caused my head to be thrown forward and caused me to swerve. I immediately pulled over to determine what had happened. After exiting the vehicle, I discovered that the driver’s headrest had sprung open and forward. There had been no collision or other impact immediately before the headrest deployed. I continued to work after the incident and developed a mild headache. Later that day, I began experiencing soreness in my neck. The unexpected deployment occurred without warning while I was traveling approximately 60 mph and created a serious safety concern because the impact caused me to swerve while driving. I have photographs documenting the condition of the headrest immediately following the incident.
NHTSA complaint #11755339 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Driver headrest deployed without any accident. I was sitting in my car and the headrest made a loud bang and hit the back of my head causing me whiplash
NHTSA complaint #11747251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2014 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the front passenger’s side head restraint unexpectedly deployed and struck the front seat passenger in the back of the head. There was no crash or impact at the time of the failure. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the passenger had a prior surgery involving the neck and back of the head and believed that the impact might have aggravated that issue. No medical assistance was sought. The front seat passenger had pain and discomfort and had been resting since the issue. The vehicle was drivable and was not towed. The dealer was notified of the failure and was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but declined to offer assistance for the repair. The vehicle was no longer under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 99,300.
NHTSA complaint #11745566 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The passenger side active headrest restraint deployed at 3mph in a parking lot. There had been a safety recall for apparently my vin is not covered per dodge. [XXX] If this would have happened on the drivers side at highway speeds, it could have been deadly. The vehicle is at nyle Maxwell in Killeen and the passengers side is being replaced via extended warranty but my issue is getting the divers side replaced BEFORE it hits me in the back of the head. I spoke with dodge customer service and I was advised to submit a complaint. I think the model year range and trims should be expanded as this is still clearly an issue INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11745257 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
June 11, 2026 Re: Unexpected Passenger-Side Active Head Restraint Deployment – 2018 Dodge Durango R/T To Whom It May Concern: I am reporting an incident involving my 2018 Dodge Durango R/T equipped with leather seats. Vehicle Information: Year/Make/Model: 2018 Dodge Durango R/T Seating: Leather Interior Affected Component: Passenger-Side Active Head Restraint (AHR) Mileage at Time of Incident: 126,207 miles Date of Incident: [XXX] Description of Incident: While traveling on the roadway on [XXX], the passenger-side Active Head Restraint (AHR) suddenly deployed without warning. There was no accident, collision, sudden stop, or any other event that would reasonably trigger the system. The vehicle was being operated normally at the time of the incident. My [XXX] son was seated in the front passenger seat when the headrest unexpectedly deployed and forcefully struck him in the back of the head. The deployment occurred without any impact to the vehicle and caused immediate concern for his safety and well-being. Following the deployment, the headrest remained in the deployed position and appears to require repair or replacement. Given that the system activated without a collision and made forceful contact with an occupant, I believe this represents a significant safety concern. I am aware that similar incidents have been reported by owners of Dodge Durangos and other Stellantis vehicles equipped with Active Head Restraint systems. NHTSA has previously investigated complaints involving headrests deploying without a crash and causing injuries to vehicle occupants. My incident appears consistent with those reported failures. I respectfully request that this incident be documented and investigated as a potential safety-related defect. Please advise whether there are any recalls, technical service bulletins, customer satisfaction programs, warranty extensions INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11743620 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving, the passenger front headrest suddenly popped forward hitting the passenger in the back of the head aggressively and unexpectedly. No accident involved or any aggressive braking. The vehicle/headrest is available for inspection upon request. The safety of my passenger was put at risk as it punched them in the back of the head. It gave her an instant headache and mildly upset stomach. I have not taken the vehicle to the dealership yet, planning to try and go this week. The headrest has not been inspected by anyone besides me yet. No error messages or lights before or since the event.
NHTSA complaint #11735703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving, the passenger front headrest suddenly popped forward hitting the passenger in the back of the head aggressively and unexpectedly. No accident involved or any aggressive braking. The vehicle/headrest is available for inspection upon request. The safety of my passenger was put at risk as it punched them in the back of the head. It gave her an instant headache and mildly upset stomach. I have not taken the vehicle to the dealership yet, planning to try and go this week. The headrest has not been inspected by anyone besides me yet. No error messages or lights before or since the event.
NHTSA complaint #11735703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving normally, not in an accident, the active head restraint system failed and slammed into my head. If there was traffic this would have likely caused an accident because it was unexpected, severe, and abrupt while leaving me disoriented and with a persistent headache. This is absolutely ridiculous and unsafe.
NHTSA complaint #11734978 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
03/27/2026 Driver headrest popped open while I was sitting in the driver's seat in my driveway for no reason. Other than a very load bang and a headache from being struck in the head, nothing else was damaged.
NHTSA complaint #11732800 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Passenger and driver seat caught on fire spontaneously, engine or battery has also been dying/ malfunctioning, touch screen also has issues. Yes available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Almost burned by seat of if I didn’t smell a burning smell. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Not yet. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Not yet. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No.
NHTSA complaint #11729015 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On Saturday, March 7, 2026 my husband was driving our 2015 Dodge Durango when the driver seat head rest popped out unexpectedly. There was no accident, no sudden breaking, no impact of any kind, no hitting bump in the road, etc. There was no serious injury or accident caused by this happening, however the sudden and unexpected occurrence caught my husband by surprise as he was driving and startled him. There were no warning lights or sounds. This was completely unexpected. The disengaged head rest is still in on the driver seat. This makes for a very uncomfortable position for the driver and should there be an accident, it could cause injury to the driver.
NHTSA complaint #11723877 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On February 6, 2026, while driving my 2014 Dodge Durango at normal speed, the driver’s seat headrest suddenly and unexpectedly deployed/exploded, striking the back of my head. The force of the impact caused my head to snap forward, resulting in soft-tissue and muscle injuries to my neck and upper back. I sought medical evaluation following the incident and was diagnosed with soft-tissue injury/whiplash. Treatment has included diagnostic imaging, prescription medication, and follow-up care for ongoing symptoms. I was able to continue driving the vehicle directly to a Dodge dealership, where staff confirmed that the headrest had exploded. This is the second headrest failure on this vehicle caused by a defective plastic component; the passenger-side headrest failed previously in August 2023. The vehicle is unsafe to operate until the headrest is replaced. Due to the part being out of stock, the repair is expected to take more than two months. Prior to this incident, the only indication of a problem was a letter sent by Dodge in August 2020 stating that the warranty on this part was extended from 3 years to 10 years due to a known defect. Given the repeated failures and risk of injury, this condition represents a safety defect that should have been addressed through a recall.
NHTSA complaint #11721043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1. Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment Driver's side 2. seat warmers and steering wheel warmer won't turn off unless vehicle is turned off and on again.
NHTSA complaint #11717614 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While the vehicle was parked and not in operation, the passenger-side active head restraint suddenly deployed forward on its own. There was no collision, no braking event, no external force, and no warning lamps, messages or other systems of the problem or that it was going to occur. The deployment was unexpected and presents a risk of head or neck injury, as the active head restraint is designed to move only during a rear-impact event. This appears to be a known defect, as the manufacturer previously issued Warranty Extension X88 related to unintended Active Head Restraint deployment on certain 2014–2015 Dodge Durango vehicles. A Dodge dealership refused to repair the defect, stating the warranty extension expired, and quoted over $800 for repair. The dealership did not provide a written denial or repair order. This condition involves a federally required safety system and constitutes a safety defect.
NHTSA complaint #11707352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The driver's side head rest deployed while I was driving on the highway without any collision and struck me in the back of the head hard. I did experience some whiplash symptoms for a few days as was confirmed by my chiropractor doctor. Post inspection revealed the plastic retaining brackets failed and the spring force released and deployed the headrest. I contacted Chrysler customer care (reference case #94643848) and was told my vehicle was just past the 10 year warranty period by 3 months and they would not cover the replacement cost. The replacement would be nice but what about the safety aspect? Why wasn't this a mandatory recall? Like the air bags issue years ago.
NHTSA complaint #11701573 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2020 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that moments after starting the vehicle and while driving approximately 55 MPH, the contact suddenly felt a sharp burning pain in the buttocks area. The contact immediately stopped the vehicle and discovered a burn hole in the clothing and a skin burn to the buttocks. While inspecting the vehicle, a burn hole was discovered in the front driver's seat cushion. During the incident, the contact indicated that the seat heat was in the on position and no flames or burning odor were present inside the vehicle. The vehicle was later driven to the local dealer, who indicated an electrical fire had occurred inside the front driver's seat and the entire seat needed to be replaced. The cause of the electrical fire was not determined, and the vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed that an engineer would inspect the vehicle, but no inspection occurred, and no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 130,000.
NHTSA complaint #11700016 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I had just parked my vehicle in my drive and turned it off. I opened my door then sat back in my seat to stretch my back, sitting straight up with my head against the headrest, before getting out. As soon as I leaned my head against the headrest it, for lack of better terms, exploded into the back of my head. It hit me with such force I was not sure what had happened as there was nobody around me that could’ve cause it. Sure enough there was no accident to cause it. I have had a headache and back pain for a week due to it.
NHTSA complaint #11699572 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.