I was on the interstate and I had the cruise control on. I hit the brakes to slow down and cruise control deactivated. I stopped at the stop sign. I proceeded through the stop sign and was making a left hand turn on to the overpass over the interstate. I was doing about 25 MPH when I felt the throttle come out from under my foot. I hit the button on the steering wheel but it keep accelerating. I…
2005 Dodge Durango cruise control problems
severe 20 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
20
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
3crashes
2injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 20 cruise control complaints filed for the 2005 Dodge Durango, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Of the 11 model years of Dodge Durango we track for cruise control problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 20.
No new NHTSA cruise control complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 18 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners describe a cascade of throttle and engine-control failures on the 2005 Durango that create life-threatening loss of vehicle control. The most alarming pattern is unintended acceleration: vehicles surge from 25 to 60 mph without driver input, and brakes alone cannot stop them—owners had to shift to neutral or park. Several collisions are documented, including one into a school parking lot and another through a residential wall.
Stalling is equally severe and recurs despite repeated repairs. The vehicle stalls without warning at idle, during turns, parking maneuvers, and decelerations—disabling power steering and brakes. Owners report taking vehicles to dealers four to five times for the same stalling; repairs include throttle body cleaning, throttle position sensor replacement, and idle motor work, but the problem returns within weeks or months.
One owner traced engine misfire during acceleration to a design defect in the rain cowl that allows water to pool in spark plug holes. Chrysler redesigned the cowl but did not recall vehicles or notify owners. Cruise control also fails—some units won't maintain set speed, especially downhill; Dodge told one dealer this behavior was intentional and owners should apply brakes.
Accelerator pedal hardware failure is documented. Speedometer malfunctions coupled with stalling suggest sensor or PCM issues. Dealers frequently cannot duplicate failures during test drives, yet owners experience them repeatedly and document collisions and near-misses.
Failure modes owners describe
Unintended Acceleration / Throttle Surge
Vehicle accelerates without driver input or continues accelerating after cruise control is deactivated. Owners report sudden surges to 15–60 mph, inability to decelerate with brakes alone, and need to shift to neutral or park to regain control. Multiple incidents resulted in collisions.
When: Various speeds (25–60 mph); some during parking maneuvers; one at ~12,970 miles, others at higher mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Uncontrolled acceleration; Throttle does not respond to brake pedal; Vehicle continues accelerating after cruise control deactivation; Surging while stopped; Acceleration lasts 30 seconds or longer
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers unable to replicate failure in most cases; one reference to ignition switch replacement without resolution. No effective repair documented in narratives.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer told dealer cruise control behavior on downhill was 'designed that way'; advised applying brakes when necessary. NHTSA Campaign 02V020000 (2004 Durango) referenced for identical failure.
Engine Stalling at Idle and Low Speeds
Vehicle stalls without warning during idle, low-speed maneuvers (parking lots, driveways), deceleration, and turns. Stalling disables power steering and brakes, creating hazardous loss of control. Recurs after multiple dealer repairs.
When: At idle, 25–50 mph, during turns and parking maneuvers; ranges from ~19,700 to 180,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Stalling without warning; Loss of power steering and brakes; Stalling during turns; Stalling during deceleration and braking; Stalling at low speeds (parking lot and driveway operations)
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle body carbon cleaning, PCM reset, AIS (Automatic Idle Speed) motor replacement, idle arm motor replacement, throttle adjustment. Repairs are temporary; stalling recurs within weeks.
Engine Misfire and Surge During Acceleration
Engine misfires during acceleration; owner reports design defect in rain cowl allowing water ingress through windshield wiper opening, causing water pooling in spark plug holes and shorting the ignition. Chrysler redesigned the cowl but did not recall vehicles.
When: During acceleration
Symptoms owners cite: Engine misfire during acceleration; Potential for rear-end collision during traffic entry
Repairs/costs cited: Defect traced to rain cowl design; Chrysler issued redesigned cowl but no recall issued.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Chrysler redesigned the rain cowl to correct the problem but did not notify owners or recall vehicles.
Throttle Body and Throttle Position Sensor Failure
Throttle body accumulates excessive carbon reducing airflow at idle; throttle position sensor fails causing uncontrolled acceleration and stalling. Replacements occur but failures recur.
When: Various speeds; reported at ~168,000 miles for TPS failure
Symptoms owners cite: Stalling at low speeds; Throttle unresponsiveness; Uncontrolled acceleration after cruise deactivation
Codes mentioned: TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) fault codes (implied)
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle body cleaning, TPS sensor replacement, throttle body replacement. Failures recur; one owner personally repaired TPS at ~130,000 miles.
Cruise Control Failure / Loss of Speed Maintenance
Cruise control does not maintain set speed, particularly on downhills where vehicle gains 15+ mph. Switch failure after routine maintenance also reported.
When: During downhill grades; one failure at ~74,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle gains 15+ mph while on cruise control downhill; Cruise control switch failure; Cruise control does not hold set speed
Repairs/costs cited: Switch failure unable to be duplicated by dealer; no repair documented.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer told dealer downhill behavior was 'designed that way' and advised applying brakes when necessary.
Accelerator Pedal Mechanical Failure
Accelerator pedal becomes loose; pin popped out of gas pedal assembly causing loss of control.
When: At ~55,500 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Accelerator pedal comes apart; Accelerator pedal very loose; Pin pops out of gas pedal
Repairs/costs cited: Pin popped out; cause not determined in narrative.
Speedometer Malfunction with Stall
Speedometer reading spikes (0–80 mph) while actual vehicle speed remains constant; vehicle jerks and stalls completely. Ignition switch replacement unsuccessful.
When: At 50 mph
Symptoms owners cite: Speedometer reading spikes to 80 mph while speed is constant; Vehicle jerks; Vehicle stalls
Repairs/costs cited: Ignition switch replaced; problem persisted.
Synthesized from 20 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had cruise control trouble with your 2005 Dodge Durango?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2005 Dodge Durango?
It's a meaningful issue. 20 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 18 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 55,500 and 130,000 miles, with the median around 90,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 55,500; a quarter make it past 130,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2005/Dodge/Durango.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.