2021 DODGE DURANGO Exterior Lighting Problems

61 complaints about Exterior Lighting

61
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Deaths

High Severity Issue

This component has been associated with crashes, fires, or deaths.

This Problem Across All Years

All Exterior Lighting Complaints (61)

Jan 7, 2026

Rear tail light not working filled with water and burned out led

Jan 6, 2026

known issue with Driver side DRL going out and whole headlight unit has to be replaced according to dealer.

Jan 5, 2026

Driver side daytime running light failure. The entire headlight assembly must be replaced. There is reduced visibility, which is a safety concern. The cost to repair is $1,800, which is outrageous for a single headlight assembly. LEDs should not fail at 80K mileage on a car that is less than six years old. This appears to be a known defect on Dodge Durangos.

Dec 14, 2025

Driver side DRL (daytime running light) quit functioning. This a known issue with the LED lamps. The attached photos are: 1. Rockauto description 2. Email showing order # and total for both Headlamp assemblies. 3. The removed, old OEM Headlamp assemblies. 4. Rockauto shipping bill.

Dec 11, 2025

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 .

Dec 1, 2025

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.

Dec 1, 2025

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.

Dec 1, 2025

My 2021 Dodge Durango drivers side daytime running light went out around 55,000 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. I understand that 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.

Nov 12, 2025

2021 Dodge Durango failing headlight assembly, specifically the driver side turn signal. Numerous Durango owners are experiencing the same issue with the Dodge Durango headlight malfunction, I've have more than one close accident incident due to the failed turn signal. It's like Dodge don't want to stand behind their product and address the concern of millions of Dodge Durango owners who are having these issues. Not even a simple acknowledgement of the issue and any potential effort to help fix the problems for the owners. I must say Dodge has lost a future buyer due to their lack of support on their own product.

Nov 4, 2025

My driver's side Daytime Running Light quit working a few weeks ago, however last week when I used remote start the DRL came on, but sadly it is out again. I have 80,000. miles on the vehicle. DRL's should last for life of car but blogs on the 21-24 models indicate many owners having the same issue with driver's side DRL's. I went to Dodge dealer and was quoted $1,953.00 to repair! Manufacturers should not be permitted to engineer this kind of equipment for a vehicle that makes repairs prohibitive economically. NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED BUT SHOULD BE. BTW, the repair includes removing the front bumper with grille just to get to the headlight for repair.

Oct 14, 2025

Daytime Running Lights- the drivers side daytime running light has stopped working-like many other people have reported repair under warranty is being denied by Dodge FCA as a wear item, it is an integrated system and not a bulb as they are saying. It creates a safely issue that they refuse to repair under warranty.

Oct 13, 2025

2021 Dodge Durango with 40K miles on it. Like many other drivers of this specific SUV and year the front driver side LED Daylight Running Lights have suddenly stopped working. The same applies to the rear 3rd brake light. Based on discussion boards this seems to be a common issue.

Sep 25, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side front LED headlight was flickering. The driver was unable to drive at night. The Police had made the contact aware of the situation. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was determined that the lamp housing assembly needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that there was no warranty coverage for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 58,359.

Mileage: 58,359

Sep 25, 2025

The Driver's Side headlight Daytime Driving Light and Blinker stopped working at around 40k miles. We currently have have about 85k miles on it. The dealership stated is till cost over $1,000 to replace the headlight as the LED DRL and Blinker is not replaceable and the entire unit must be replaced.

Sep 24, 2025

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.

Sep 21, 2025

Drivers side daytime/nighttime running lights failed after 35789 miles.

Sep 11, 2025

Left turn signal stopped working. I learned to find out that it’s not replaceable. The whole headlight assembly needs to be replaced the cost of it over $1000. My vehicle is only four years old. Why isn’t it on a recall or replaceable by the manufacturer on the warranty?

Aug 27, 2025

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

Aug 27, 2025

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

Aug 15, 2025

The daytime running lights are out only on the drivers side of my vehicle. There are multiple other 2021 Durango's in my town that have the exact same issue.

Jul 25, 2025

2021 Dodg Durango Daytime Running Light (DRL-driver side) failure. Daytime safety lighting affected. Thousands of reported issues (forums, etc.). Happening within only a couple years of purchase/low miles. Light (bulb or LED) cannot be replaced, only $1300 entire headlight assembly.

May 23, 2025

Daytime running lights stopped working at 40,000 miles. Only fix would be to get an entirely new headlight.

Apr 29, 2025

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

Apr 24, 2025

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

Apr 15, 2025

The driver's side, daytime running light LED suddenly went off and stopped working

Mar 27, 2025

DRL’s stopped working

Mar 21, 2025

DRL on left side does not work. After looking online it looks as if this is a common issue and most likely 2021 models are no longer working. It is safety hazard due to it being a light.

Mar 13, 2025

The driver side headlight fixture has gotten moisture into it. This has caused the "racetrack" LED daylight running light around the headlight to fail. After doing research, this is a common issue amount 2021 and up Dodge Durangos. At this time, there is also a class action lawsuit for the rear LED lighting using probably the same design that is also failing. The fix is replacing the headlight housing which is approximately $1,500+ for part and repair. Yes, this can be inspected upon request. The safety risk is that only one of the daylight running lights works so visibility will be poor for other drivers. My inspection mechanic noticed this issue and described it being the moisture in the headlight to be the most direct cause of the malfunction. There were no warnings that the equipment was failing. It would be on one day then off the next and then it stopped working completely.

Mar 10, 2025

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

Mar 4, 2025

The racetrack tail LED lights burn out and fail. It is a safety concern because of visibility and since they are vulnerable to water damage from rain or car washes, the light assembly can get corroded and burn out other electrical components. This leads to failure of backup lights, license plate lights, and rearview backup camera. The problem has been reproduced thousands of times as is evident by all the Durango's on the road exhibiting the same burned out tail lights. There is no warning or message, etc. prior to failure. The cost to repair is an outrageous $2000 (parts & labor) at minimum.

Jan 16, 2025

The day time running light on the driver's side has gone out. Being a lighting issue, this affects visibility of the vehicle and therefore is a safety issue.

Jan 6, 2025

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.

Dec 19, 2024

The drivers side daytime running light led failed at approximately 56,000 miles and less than 4 years. The dealer (Dover Dodge) has informed me that the LED can’t simply be replaced , but the entire headlight has to be replaced for $1,400 dollars including labor. This component is not supposed to fail so early. It is unreasonable and premature for a component like this to fail and the only recourse is to replace the entire headlight assembly. I believe this is a design flaw that Dodge should recall or at the minimum extend the warranty on. It is not safe that my daytime running light will remain off on the drivers side. This condition will certainly lower my visible presence on the road.

Dec 13, 2024

Driver's side daytime running light (part of the headlight) stopped working. Internet search indicates this is a common problem. Vehicle & part are available for inspection upon request. I have not brought this issue to the dealer yet. I only noticed it when someone else was driving it.

Nov 27, 2024

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.

Nov 19, 2024 Crash

Daytime running LED does not work and headlight is not properly lit in the dark. Headlight assembly is not covered by extended warranty.

Nov 17, 2024

The drivers side daytime running lamps no longer work. This feature is supposed to allow other drivers to see me during the day when headlights are not needed to see. I have checked the fuse and it is good. I also toggled the option off and back on in settings. Passenger side works but not the drivers. This part has to be faulty since everyone on the dodge forums state that only the drivers side on their vehicle quit working.

Oct 21, 2024

LF DRL not working only on this side. Vehicle was taken to dealership, I have an extended warranty but was told this was not covered. There are 4 other Durangos in my town with the same problem. I have also been online and found numerous forums with other people having the same issue. I would like have this noted so that Dodge can acknowledge this issue and fix it.

Oct 15, 2024

Drivers side LED running light died - this issue has been all over the internet on 2021 Durango SXT Plus, and other Durango vehicles with LED bulbs. Bulbs themselves cannot be replaced - the entire housing must be, and the price is extreme for the product. This is a Dodge safety issue, not a personal one!

Sep 15, 2024

The daytime running light on the drivers side went out mind you the car only has 65000 miles on it and appears to be an ongoing issue with this vehicle upon research.

Sep 9, 2024

Drivers side DRL goes out very quickly. This is a VERY common issue on 21 Dodge vehicles.

Aug 31, 2024

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.

Aug 31, 2024

My drivers side headlamp that is sealed the running light is out and apparently several other Dodge Durango owners have the same issue like it’s a defect when they were being made and it seems to be the one on the drivers side every time when you look up all the complaints about it! I am very unhappy about this situation and that a recall already hasn’t been made with all the vehicles that have this same exact problem instead because it’s sealed the dealerships want us to pay $1800 to get it replaced! If several other Dodge Durangos are having the same problem they should fix this issue moving forward! Our vehicle is only 3 years old! This could definitely cause an issue when it’s foggy outside and make it a very dangerous situation since we cannot change it ourselves! So this needs to be fixed!

Aug 21, 2024

I own a 2020 Dodge Durango. The daytime running lights malfunctioned after one year of use. The vehicle warranty does not cover this issue, and all dealers and insurance companies will charge over $1200 to repair the lights. This issue has been known to affect the 2020 Durango model since its release. The lights cannot be repaired by replacing a bulb; instead, the entire headlight module must be replaced. Dodge has stated that this issue is considered normal wear and tear on the vehicle, even though they acknowledge that it is a known issue. Dodge does not know why the lights malfunction after just one year, but their resolution is to charge the consumer to replace the module and also advises that the issue may recur after the repair.

Aug 8, 2024

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

Aug 7, 2024

The DRL on these models seem to stop working within 3-4 years. I have only one working on the vehicle currently. Dealer is stating the light cost is $1000 plus install to fix. Apparently it’s a “known” issue by FCA. The safety concern is that when people first see it they have told me they thought I was a motorcycle. As only one DRL is working. The whole headlight should not have to be replaced in these as it is only the DRL that is bad. How do they expect people to pay for this.

May 30, 2024

My 2021 Durango is suffering from the a burnt out racetrack light. This is an manufacturer issue and is common across all Durango's with the racetrack tail light, I hope that Dodge issue a recall to fix this problem since it's this common, my vehicle is only 3 years old.

May 21, 2024

In my 2021 Dodge Durango, I noticed my daytime running light on the drivers side was out. I thought that’s weird because I have had the car for less than 3 years. When I googled the problem to find the part to replace, I quickly learned there were thousands of complaints about the same problem. This part costs $1,400 for one single headlight replacement because it’s not possible to just replace a bulb. I called the dealership and they let me know that I can bring it in with a $250 fee for checking the problem. I will be required to pay the fee if it is not covered under warranty. In their words, if a fuse is loose or malfunctioning then I have to pay $250 plus however much it costs to fix the problem. If the headlight needs to be replaced then I do not have to pay the $250 fee because it’s apart of my 3 year/36,000 mile warranty. I cannot afford to pay $3,000 every two years for a set of new headlights when this seems like a major flaw in design along with thousands of customers reporting this is happening to them as well. I live in Washington state where it is dark, gloomy, and rainy throughout the entire year. I would consider daytime running lights a safety concern if not functioning properly on a daily basis and constantly needs to be repaired. My car never warned me or sent me a message that there was a problem. I had someone tell me who physically saw the issue. I attached screenshots of just one website with thousands of comments reporting the same issue.

May 17, 2024

Driver side day headlight stopped working. Some in the warranty period and some out. A quick search online shows a lot of Durango owners having the same exact issue.

May 16, 2024

Drivers side daytime running light is out. Manufacturer defect plenty of dodge Durango vehicles are having the same common issue From 2021-2023 Durangos

May 14, 2024

Driver's side daytime running light burned out after 3 years.

Apr 30, 2024

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.

Apr 28, 2024

The driver's side Daytime Running Lights (DRL) no longer operate. It is available for inspection. DRL have become a regular safety feature to improve visibility in daylight hours. I have not taken it to a dealer, as I do not want to be charged hundreds of dollars in "labor" for them to tell me it doesn't work. I have done research online in Forums and on YouTube, and have confirmed that there are numerous people with the same year, make and model who's driver's side DRL have stopped working just before or just after the 36,000/3 years. For example, my car has 46,000 miles on it when the DRL stopped working. Other's on the Forums who have had their vehicle inspected by the dealerships have confirmed that the entire light assembly needs to be replaced, at a cost of $1300, not including labor. There were no warning lamps or indications that the light went out, I saw my reflection in another car that was in front of me. There is no reason for an LED DRL to go bad after less than years and/or 46,000 miles and the owner then expected to buy a replacement part that costs $1300.

Feb 9, 2024

The liftgate light assembly (racetrack light) has defective gaskets which have allowed water to enter the assembly. The light now has a short resulting from the water and randomly flashes or goes out. This is troubling when following the vehicle as you cannot tell if it is a brake light coming on, hazards, or what the purpose of the random flashing light is.

Jan 31, 2024

Water intrusion into the rear taillights causing LED assembly to burn out. This potentially renders the vehicle not visible to other drivers at night time without running lights.

Nov 27, 2023

Headlight Assembly DLR failures

Oct 26, 2023

The driver side DRL has gone out. Passenger DRL is working perfect. Looked at dodge forums to see if others are having the same problem and there is MANY of the same complaints!

Feb 22, 2023

The contact owns a 2021 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that he noticed that water was leaking into the taillights on inclement weather days. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. Additionally, the contact sent photos of the failure to the dealer; however, the dealer informed the contact that they could not replace the taillights under warranty because no failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000.

Mileage: 34,000

Dec 29, 2021

Auto leveling headlights are pointed too low, not providing enough lit view of the road at night. This is a constant issue and not intermittent. Not being able to see far enough ahead of a vehicle travelling at the speed limit, could cause harm or even death to the operator, passengers or objects in the road. Dealer confirmed lights are pointed too low. Vehicle has not been inspected by the Manufacturer, Police, Insurance Representative. It has only been inspected by the dealership. No warning lamps, messages or other symptoms. I just purchased this vehicle and it was like this when I purchased it.

Oct 29, 2021

On my '21 Durango, the backup camera has been so horribly bright at night that I have come to putting my hand or a towel over the screen so that I can look at my side mirrors when backing up. I have visited the dealer and their resolution was to lower the brightness setting which had no effect on the backup camera. This is a huge safety issue backing up at night whether it's in a parking lot or driveway.

Jul 4, 2021

My rear tail lights are filling with water due to the fact the Dodge Durango tail lights are not fully sealed. Inevitably there will be a short and the lights will no longer work. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS COMMON PROBLEM thanks