2006 Dodge Durango — 5.7L V8

The 2006 Durango sits in the early second generation (2004–2009), a period that saw a sharp spike in complaints after the first generation’s decline. Complaints rose from 1,114 in 2004 to a generation peak of 1,567 in 2005, then dropped to 851 in 2006—still elevated but trending downward. However, 2006 recorded the highest recall count of any year in the entire dataset (10 recalls), tied only with 2012 and 2013, and its 7 investigations are also high. The top complaint area is the fuel system (387 complaints), with 16 crash and 9 fire complaints reported. While 2006 is an improvement over the worst years of the generation, its recall and investigation numbers are notably worse than the subsequent 2007–2009 models, which show far fewer complaints and recalls. **This is not a recommended buy year; the 2007–2009 models offer a much cleaner federal record with lower risk.**