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full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2017 Dodge Durango powertrain problems
moderate Owners of the 2017 Dodge Durango have filed 22 NHTSA complaints about the powertrain, typically surfacing around 17,000 miles at roughly $2,500 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See powertrain across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
22
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
| Model year | powertrain complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 Durango | 33 |
| 2014 Durango | 41 |
| 2015 Durango | 38 |
| 2016 Durango | 30 |
| 2017 Durango (this page) | 22 |
| 2018 Durango | 13 |
| 2019 Durango | 10 |
| 2020 Durango | 3 |
| 2021 Durango | 10 |
1crash
When does it fail?
Of the 22 powertrain complaints filed for the 2017 Dodge Durango, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 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
No new NHTSA powertrain complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering powertrain on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
The vehicle will exhibit a service transmission/check engine warning indicator for the following transmission models: 845RE, 8HP45, 850RE, 8HP50, 8HP70, 8HP75, 8HP75-PHEV, 8HP75-LCV, 8HP90, 8HP95. Transmissions may exhibit the following diagnostic codes: P07E4, P1DB2, P0716, P1B14, P0733, P1D90, P1DB7, P1B13.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Transmission "Transmission For transmission concerns related to DTCs P0733-00, P1DA8-00, and/or P1D92-00, a repair is available, and transmission replacement is NOT required. Please reference TSB 21-009-25 Rev. A, for details on D-clutch replacement. Please also note, visible ""glitter"" or debris in the pan and fluid color/condition/odor is NOT an indicator of transmission health and should not be used as the reason for unit replacement. Complete unit replacements instead of repairs for these DTCs may be subject to chargeback."
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗"Transmission For transmission concerns related to DTCs P0733-00, P1DA8-00, and/or P1D92-00, a repair is available, and transmission replacement is NOT required. Please reference TSB 21-009-25 Rev. A, for details on D-clutch replacement. Please also note, fluid color/condition/odor is NOT an indicator of transmission health and should not be used as the reason for unit replacement. Complete unit replacements instead of repairs for these DTCs may be subject to chargeback."
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Plate - Planetary
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2017 Durango's powertrain combines mechanical and electrical failures that leave drivers stranded or in danger. The rotary drive-by-wire transmission selector frequently fails to engage Reverse when commanded—a hazard when drivers need to escape traffic. The vehicle also shifts out of Park and moves on its own; one owner was thrown back into his seat when parked in a garage. Stalls occur without check engine lights: one driver was left dead in traffic at an intersection after the engine quit with no warning.
Transmission fluid turns black and fails silently at 70,000 miles despite the design preventing owners from checking it—Dodge removed the dipstick and claims no maintenance is needed. Multiple owners report flashing shift indicators and gear lockups requiring vehicle power-cycles to regain function. The auto start/stop feature creates another hazard: drivers expecting the engine to stay off when parked find the car restarting and creeping forward when they open the door, risking collisions with children or obstacles.
Several owners report power loss on the highway—one merged at 60 mph but was limited to 45 mph with the engine revving at 5,000 rpm. Unintended acceleration paired with brakes that don't respond has occurred multiple times on individual vehicles. Dealers consistently fail to duplicate failures and leave vehicles in the shop for weeks unrepaired. Manufacturers have called serious defects "characteristics" and blamed driver technique instead of issuing recalls.
Same Dodge Durango powertrain reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Auto Start/Stop Feature Unintended Movement
The vehicle's engine shuts off at complete stops due to the auto start/stop feature, which drivers cannot set to default-disabled. When drivers open the door or release the brake—believing the engine is off based on decades of driving habit—the vehicle restarts and moves forward unexpectedly, creating collision risk with children, pedestrians, or obstacles.
When: At complete stops in driveways, garages, or parking spaces
Symptoms owners cite: Engine shuts off at complete stop; Vehicle restarts and moves forward when driver releases brake; Driver confusion due to auto-restart behavior; Unintended forward motion when exiting vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: Feature can be disabled after each start, but no default-disable option available
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall or TSB mentioned for this design behavior
Transmission Fluid Leak (Rear Main Seal and Oil Pan)
Oil leaks from the transmission area detected within the first 300 miles of ownership. Initial repair addressed the rear main seal, but leaks persisted. Subsequent diagnosis revealed a defective oil pan. A defective transmission pump was later identified. Multiple repair attempts by the dealership failed to resolve the issue, resulting in an escalated case with manufacturer engineering involvement.
When: Within 300 miles of ownership; multiple occurrences over weeks
Symptoms owners cite: Oil leak from rear transmission area; Persistent leak after rear main seal replacement; Continued leak after oil pan replacement; Defective transmission pump identified
Repairs/costs cited: Rear main seal replaced; oil pan replaced; transmission pump identified as defective and requiring replacement. Vehicle remained in shop with no resolution reported.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: STAR case opened with manufacturer engineering assistance; no final resolution reported by owner
Drive-by-Wire Transmission Selector Malfunction and Loss of Control
The rotary drive-by-wire transmission selector fails to engage the desired gear or allows the vehicle to shift unexpectedly. The vehicle may not shift into Reverse when commanded (especially in safety-critical situations), may shift from Park into Drive on its own, or may not shift out of Park despite multiple attempts. Power steering warnings and inability to manually engage Neutral were also reported. Additionally, the vehicle's 'shift to park' message blinks persistently.
When: At various mileages; one owner reported issue at 32K miles; another at 80 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Inability to shift from Drive to Reverse despite selector rotation; Vehicle shifts from Park to Drive without driver input; Vehicle will not shift out of Park; Shift indicator light flashing on dash; Power steering cut-off warning displayed; Selector stuck in 'RUN' position—cannot turn to 'OFF' or 'ACC'; Manual Neutral engagement required; Dash warnings and abnormal knocking noise from transmission
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers unable to duplicate failures; no repairs completed. Manual neutral override required in some cases.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer stated behavior is 'normal' and blamed driver technique. Later indicated auto park feature may be removed from vehicle. No recall issued.
Vehicle Movement While in Park
After placing the vehicle in Park and exiting, or while parked with the engine running, the vehicle moves forward or backward on its own. In one case, the vehicle took off in Reverse while the owner was exiting with one foot on the ground, throwing him back into the seat and causing door and fender damage. In another, the wife was thrown back when groceries were being removed and the car started forward.
When: While parked or immediately after shifting to Park and exiting
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle moves forward while in Park; Vehicle takes off in Reverse without driver acceleration; Vehicle continues moving despite driver not depressing accelerator; Occurs when door is opened while vehicle is in gear
Repairs/costs cited: No repair notes provided; issue persisted in at least one vehicle after 37+ days in shop
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer refers to the issue as a 'characteristic' rather than a defect; exploring removal of auto park feature
Transmission Fluid Degradation and Silent Failure
Transmission fails without warning—no check engine light, no unusual noise, no prior indication. When the failed transmission is inspected, the fluid is found to be black (degraded). The vehicle has no transmission dipstick; owners cannot check fluid condition for preventive maintenance. Failure occurred at 70,000 miles.
When: At 70,000 miles; sudden failure during normal driving
Symptoms owners cite: Transmission stops changing gears; No warning light before failure; No abnormal noise before failure; Transmission fluid black and degraded upon inspection; Complete gear engagement failure
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission fluid black; transmission failure requiring replacement
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall mentioned. Manufacturer design prevents customer fluid checks (no dipstick).
Transmission Shift Harshness and Jerking During Downshift
Transmission jerks and shifts harshly, especially during deceleration and final gear engagement into idle. The issue occurs across Eco, Sport, and automatic modes, with paddle-shift manual mode showing the least jerking. The problem is attributed to either transmission software or a learning algorithm that adapts to driving habits but fails to smooth gear transitions.
When: During normal driving and deceleration; across multiple model years (2015–2019 and beyond per owner reports)
Symptoms owners cite: Harsh jerking during downshift; Severe jolting when fully stopping and engaging idle; Jerking on initial gear engagement; Issue present in Eco and Sport modes; Reduced severity in manual paddle-shift mode; Problem consistent across multiple owners and model years
Transmission Gear Engagement Failure and Flashing Shift Indicator
When shifting into Drive or Reverse, the shift indicator light flashes on the dashboard, but the vehicle does not move into the selected gear. The driver must shift to Park, turn off the vehicle, restart it, and retry the shift multiple times before the transmission finally engages. This occurs in both Drive and Reverse.
When: Intermittently during normal operation
Symptoms owners cite: Shift indicator light flashing when selecting Drive or Reverse; Vehicle does not move into selected gear; Driver must power-cycle vehicle and retry shift; Problem occurs with both Drive and Reverse; Multiple attempts required before gear engagement succeeds
Transmission Gear Seizure and Delayed Response
Transmission gears seize without warning. When the accelerator is depressed, there is a delay in gear changes and vehicle acceleration, creating a potential crash risk. The vehicle jerks and hesitates to respond, with abnormal revving sounds. One owner reported the issue at 17,000 miles.
When: At 17,000 miles; during acceleration
Symptoms owners cite: Transmission gears seize without warning; Delay between accelerator input and transmission response; Jerking and hesitation on acceleration; Abnormal engine revving sounds; No check engine light illuminated
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer unable to duplicate failure; no diagnosis or repair completed. Manufacturer had not issued a powertrain recall campaign at time of complaint.
Transmission Power Loss and Limp Mode
While driving on the freeway at speed, the vehicle suddenly loses power. The transmission indicator illuminates. In one case, the vehicle was revving at 5,000 RPM but could not exceed 45 MPH. In another, at 55 MPH the vehicle lost power, transmission indicator illuminated, and after a second occurrence the vehicle could not restart.
When: At 2,700 miles and at higher mileage during highway driving
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden loss of power while driving; Transmission indicator light illuminates; High engine RPM with reduced top speed capability; Vehicle unable to maintain highway speed; Engine stall and failure to restart (second failure)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer referred owner to local dealer; no repair completed
Engine Stall with Check Engine Light and Selector Lockout
Vehicle stalls without prior warning while the Auto Stop/Start feature is active or during normal driving. Check engine light illuminates; shift-to-park message blinks. In one case, the vehicle stalled on a busy street at an intersection leading to the highway. The transmission selector becomes unresponsive—the selector cannot move out of 'RUN' position to 'OFF' or 'ACC.' Manual Neutral engagement is required to move the vehicle. Abnormal knocking from the transmission was detected.
When: At 32K and 80 miles (near new)
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stall without prior warning; Check engine light illuminated; Shift-to-park message blinking; Transmission selector unresponsive—stuck in 'RUN'; Manual Neutral engagement required; Abnormal knocking noise from transmission; Headlamp inoperative; Multiple warning lights on dash
Repairs/costs cited: Manual Neutral override procedure found in owner manual and online forums
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers unable to duplicate failure and unable to diagnose. Manufacturer specialist offered but no further assistance provided.
Fuel Gauge Malfunction
Fuel gauge indicates nearly empty when the tank is not full. When owner attempts to refuel, the pump stops after only 7.7 gallons, indicating the tank is full. After stopping, the gauge reads only half a tank but will not allow further refueling. Issue reported in conjunction with the transmission stall failure on the same vehicle.
When: Two days prior to transmission stall event
Symptoms owners cite: Fuel gauge reads almost empty when tank is not; Fuel pump auto-stops after only 7.7 gallons; Gauge reads half tank after refueling stops; Pump prevents further refueling despite low gauge reading
Unwanted Acceleration and Brake Failure to Respond
While merging onto the freeway or during normal driving, the vehicle accelerates on its own. Depressing the brake pedal does not slow the vehicle as expected. In one case, the vehicle was revving at 5,000 RPM and would not allow the driver to exceed 45 MPH. In another, the vehicle accelerated despite the driver hitting the brakes; it took several seconds to slow down. The issue occurred multiple times with the same vehicle.
When: During highway merging and normal driving; occurred approximately 3 times on one vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle accelerates without driver input; Brake pedal depressed but vehicle does not decelerate; Uncontrolled high RPM (5,000 RPM reported); Transmission-related jerking and hesitation; Repeated occurrences
Starter/Starting System Malfunction
Vehicle fails to start after being turned off. The issue is intermittent—the vehicle may work for two weeks, then fail to start five minutes after being turned off. Owner must manipulate wires, attempt jump-starts, and disconnect passenger seat heating and adjusters before the vehicle will start. No warning lights reported.
When: Intermittently after vehicle purchase
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle will not start; Intermittent pattern—works fine for weeks then fails; Occurs shortly after previous shutdown; Requires manual manipulation of wiring; Requires disconnection of electrical components (seat heater/adjuster); Jump-starting does not reliably fix the issue
Repairs/costs cited: Owner performs troubleshooting including wire manipulation and component disconnection
Rear Differential or Halfshaft Vibration/Separation Concern
When accelerating or pressing the gas pedal, the rear end of the vehicle feels like it is trying to jump or separate. Owner suspects halfshaft separation. Issue reported on vehicle only three days after purchase.
When: At very low mileage—three days after purchase
Symptoms owners cite: Severe vibration or jumping sensation in rear of vehicle; Occurs on acceleration and when pressing gas; Feels like component is trying to separate
Engine Stall at Traffic Light with Flashing Shift Indicator
Vehicle shuts off while stopped at a traffic light. The shift indicator blinks on the dashboard even when the selector is moved back to the 'Start' position to restart. The vehicle fails to start on the first two attempts; it finally starts on the third attempt. The situation is described as dangerous.
When: At traffic light during normal operation
Symptoms owners cite: Engine shuts off at traffic light; Shift indicator flashing despite selector movement; Vehicle does not start immediately; Requires multiple restart attempts; Multiple occurrences reported
Synthesized from 22 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
No accident happened yet but I believe one will. This car is equipped with a rotary transmission selector for drive by wire transmission and has an auto engine stop start feature. This start stop feature can be disabled after the vehicle is started, but cannot be set by default to disable this feature. I understand the fuel saving issue, however but many of us have been driving for many years and…
I have reported my car not going in the gear selected and instead going into neutral or park. It has also driven forward when in park. There has also been issues with the auto park not always working if door is opened and the car is in gear. Now I am being told my car even though it came with this safety feature was not supposed to come with it, and Dodge is looking to remove this feature. Dodge…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2017 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 powertrain problem on the 2017 Dodge Durango?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 22 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Across the 12 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most powertrain failures cluster between 10,000 and 38,000 miles, with the median around 17,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 10,000; a quarter make it past 38,000. 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 $2,500 for powertrain 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 powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain 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/2017/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.