The 2003 Dodge Durango is a SUV that came with a choice of 4.7L 8-cyl and 5.9L 8-cyl engines. At 23 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
|---|---|
| Engines | 4.7L 8-cyl, 5.9L 8-cyl |
| Transmissions | Automatic 5-spd, Automatic 4-spd |
| Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 11–13 city / 16–18 highway / 13–15 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $4,450–$5,150 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 592–684 grams per mile |
| Versions tested by EPA | 4 configurations: Durango 2WD, Durango 4WD |
| Age | 23 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls covering the 2003 Dodge Durango. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with front bench seats only, if fluid is spilled from the floor mounted cup holder, an unused console power outlet connector located under the seat may become contaminated.
Risk: This may allow development of a high resistive short circuit in the connector, which could eventually lead to a fire.
On certain sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks equipped with four-wheel drive (4x4), if moisture leaks into the front suspension upper ball joint, evacuation of the lubricant and corrosion of the joint may cause the joint to wear over an extended period of time. This could cause a clunking noise in the front suspension, which…
Risk: Excessive wear in the upper ball joint may allow it to separate, which could result in loss of control of the vehicle.
On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, the windshield wiper module motor may be susceptible to water intrusion that could cause internal corrosion and result in partial or complete loss of front windshield wiping capability.
Risk: Driver visibility could be reduced, which could result in a crash.
On certain pickup trucks, the central timer module (ctm) has an improperly sized circuit board trace that could potentially cause the right headlamp low beam to become inoperative.
Risk: If the lights fail, a visibility problem could occur, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Owners have filed 339 complaints about the 2003 Dodge Durango with NHTSA. 29 reports involved a crash and 18 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 28 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2003 Dodge Durango.
| Version | Overall | Frontal crash | Side crash | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Dr | Not rated | — | — | ★★★☆☆ | — |
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP). Ratings from different model years or rating systems aren't directly comparable.
Manufacturers have filed 50 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 2003 Dodge Durango. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
Verify Reman part number availability. Order the "R" part number for all orders: Warranty, Mopar, customer pay and service contract. Order "68" part number for New unsold
Plate - Planetary
Mechanical rocker arm, intake, 1.7 ratio.
Mechanical rocker arm, intake, 1.7 ratio.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 5 defect investigations covering the 2003 Dodge Durango.
Vehicle under-seat fire
Daimlerchrylser corporation (dcc) will recall 35,103 my 2001-2003 Dodge Durango vehicles equipped with front bench seats (recall # 06v339, see defect report for details).the subject vehicles are equipped with either front bucket seats or a 40-20-40 split front bench seat.vehicles equipped with front bench seat contain
Fire under the driver's seat
Odi is aware of 10 reports alleging that a fire originates underneath the driver's seat.six of thefires occurred while the vehicle was parked with the ignition switch turned off (key not in the ignition).the subject vehicles are equipped with manual seats. This investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis
Upper ball joint separation
Daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc) is recalling the target population of approximately 600,000 my 2000 through 2003 Durango and dakota vehicles with four-wheel drive to replace the front suspension upper ball joints with redesigned parts that do not have the joint integrity concerns and have substantially improved joint
Front susp. Upper ball joint failure
In july 2003, odi opened pe03-032 based on 4 consumer complaints alleging separation of an upper ball joint.complaints alleged an unexpected collapse in the front end and in some occasions the ball joint separation is alleged to have resulted in the wheel, brake rotor, and steering knuckle separating from the vehicle.s
Safety belt cinching latch plate
There are no injuries or fatalities associated with this alleged defect.while conducting this investigation, odi found that the subject cinches meet the load bearing requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard 208, and that many of the reported failures were due to incorrect child safety seat installations. A
It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. As a heavier vehicle, its scrap weight adds to the offer. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 2003 Durangos that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2003 Dodge Durango; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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