2012 and 2013 Dodge Durango Drivers Complain of Surging When Accelerating
Is your 2012 or 2013 Dodge Durango surging between 40-70 miles per hour? You are not alone. Some consumers have complained of a surge, tugging or fishtail like condition they are experience while driving on smooth roads. Normally, at the time of the surge, the transmission is in 4th or 5th gear with the throttle position 30% or greater.
Chrysler is currently working on a new PCM software upgrade to address the Durango surging problem, but the software will not be available until at least August according to many dealers. They are telling drivers that the surging problem will be lessened if they use an 89 octane fuel.
We do not feel that a consumer should have to wait months to have a matter addressed. If you are experiencing the Durango surging problem, get to an authorized Dodge dealer and take your service adviser for a test drive so he can diagnose the issue. Hopefully, they may have some immediate solutions for you. If they do not have a solution, you need to continue to bring this to their attention and make sure you retrieve a repair invoice after every visit. Do not settle for “we don’t have a fix yet.” After all, it’s not like you can stop paying your car note until the matter is resolved. To us, it seems like the company is delaying because they don’t really know how to properly fix the issue, and that means it is up to consumer to take action under State Or Federal Law.
If your dealing with a Dodge Durango surging when accelerating, fill out our Get Rid of Your Lemon form to see if /how can help you seek remedy.
November 1st, 2013 at 6:59 pm
My husband and I purchased a 2013 durango citadel model and have had the surging problem, plus problems with the transmission slipping. We have been told this is characteristic of the car, however have had them tell us that yes it is a problem but does not warrant them to replace the car due to it not being a problem to cause an accident.
February 16th, 2014 at 8:18 am
I recently bought a brand new 2013 dodge Durango citadel. I just reached 2000 miles and it is now, once again, at the dealership for the 3rd time because of “slipping”. As I drive down the road it is almost like someone put it in neutral. The engine revs so high and I don’t go anywhere. I have learned to “coast” to the side of the road, turn off the car, wait a few minutes, restart the car and it is like it “resets” itself. We told the dealership we would invoke our rights under the lemon law but Chrysler has asked us for “one more try” to which they said if it isn’t fixed, they will replace the car. Why would the third try of a fix be the one that works? I don’t know but I have to do something. Paying for this car each month while I drive a much lessor loaner car from the dealership does not make me happy.
February 22nd, 2014 at 8:49 am
I am taking my 2013 Durango in because it seemed to jump while we were driving it. The engine light came on and then my husband could not accelerate any more, only use the brakes. It finally allowed us to accelerate after we pulled I to a parking lot. I am so upset that I have had the car less than two months and they are telling me there is a transmission issue.
September 8th, 2014 at 12:28 am
I bought a 2011 Durango crew after my deployment and it had 19,000 miles on it at 40,000 miles it accelerates up to 40 mph by its self it has been in the shop now 7 times and over 64 days for the same problem the most renascent my wife was traveling on the interstate at 70 mph and the car decelerated by its self and she had no throttle response this happened twice and she almost got hit by a semi. I want dodge to replace this car we have replaced everything from the gas pedal position sensor to the engine wiring harness this car is unsafe to my family and other drivers on the road.
September 8th, 2014 at 4:43 pm
We have the Dodge Durango Citadel 2013. Bought it December 2012. We have been having issues with our truck for a wile and have taken it to several dealerships and they all tell us they can’t seem to find any issues. I feel like in in a high gear and no power. The RPMs are high but no movement. Then all of a sudden it jumps and takes off. There are times where it putters like I’m out of gas. Then again it takes off on me. I’ve also experienced the gears jumping. Kind of like when your on a steep hill and put it in drive it makes a pop but I’m usually on a level flat surface leaving my garage when I get that pop and grind. All this stuff is sporadic and has no consistency.
December 26th, 2014 at 2:04 pm
We had our 2013 Dodge Durango Crew since Dec. 2012 and I drive this car daily. I recently brought it in because this car has what I call transmission problems. While driving this car at about 40 miles it fails to maintain the current speed. The car dealer said that it was a software malfunction. Immediately after the dealer “fixing” the problem I was driving and again the car engine was slowing down while I was driving the car. I have to look to move over to the shoulder of the road. A second time within the same month I was merging onto a highway and this problem was happening. I thought I going to get rear-ended. I brought the car back and the dealership said that if I had transmission problems a code would be left behind in the history of my car and its not there. This problem needs to be fixed by Dodge immediately. We are going to pick up our car again without any solution at this time.
April 5th, 2015 at 12:20 pm
We purchased a 2013 Dodge Durango, why a 2013 and not a 2014 was because my wife did not like the rotary shifting, we were told that this car had an excellent pick up, except after we purchased it. We have had this auto in the shop twice for surging and was told that it is normal. After contacting Chrysler I was told that it was designed that way (,case number 12660804). If we had known about this, so called design, we would have walked out an purchased another make. I feel that this problem can and may cause an accident while passing or changing lanes. If it happens to me or my wife further action will be taken.
August 1st, 2015 at 3:35 pm
My 2012 Dodge Durango Crew keeps surging when I accelerate to the point where it cuts off as if it’s in neutral. I have to coast over to the side of the hwy, cut it off, and start it again. Sometimes that works, but it always happens again throughout the duration of where I’m traveling. I already had to replace the faulty TIPM system (I think that’s what it’s calles, so don’t quote me.) and now this.
August 7th, 2015 at 10:18 pm
I bought my 2012 Dodge Durango used in 2012 and in the past year I have noticed that it also surges when I try to push the gas to get on the freeway with the traffic, but can’t really accelerate too much because the transmission sounds like it’s not shifting properly. I am now on my third recall this time the recall is for something with fuel and could stop on me in the middle of traffic and could cause a tragic accident, needless to say after calling my local Crysler, Jeep, Dodge dealer the part is not available yet!!!! Wow!!! Meanwhile, I just drive a car that could potentially kill me and my family. In the past 3 weeks I’ve had air bag light come on and stay to which they had to replace the airbag and the señor because there was a shortage in it and supposedly checked and fixed my check engine light. Well I have to take it back to the dealership now again because the check engine light is back on!!! If it drives like a lemon, acts like a lemon, it’s a lemon!
October 13th, 2015 at 12:08 am
I bought my Dodge Durango 2013 in December, 2012, recently, I noticed that the car engine had high sound and the car was not moving when I press the acceleration. In addition, the car temperature raised up at that condition.
November 27th, 2015 at 6:41 pm
I have a 2013 Durango Crew I purchased over a year ago and am sick and tired of taking it to the dealer for the transmission hesitation, software updates to fix the problem and recalls. I went back to the dealer and had one of the mechanics ride along with me to show him the power lose I was having, he said because it was between gears, that was causing the hesitation, that I just needed to press down on the gas pedal more. Told him when I do that it will surge forward. Stated this is how dodge made the vehicle. I left very unsatisfied and angry. For one, I have had the vehicle in for service on this and got the run around and 2, I almost got ran over by a semi because of the hesitation. I was basically told to live with it. At the end of my rope with the dealership and dodge.
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:07 pm
I currently have a 2012 Durango. And I am having the same issues with the hesitation and the high reving. I am also having a problem getting the car into reverse. The dealer has had it for 3 1/2 weeks and they can’t seem to figure out the problem. My frustration is through the roof and I’m not sure I will ever buy another dodge…
September 5th, 2016 at 6:24 pm
My 2012 Dodge Durango is surging after stopping at a red light or getting ready to pull off, period. It can cause a serious accident because the surging. Please help. Sometimes it will surge on the freeway in the middle of driving.
August 14th, 2017 at 8:40 am
We recently purchased a used 2013 Dodge Citadel, the truck would not take off from a stand still and when it did it bucked,
Odd clicking sound came from transmission, wife turned truck off and on and now truck runs fine.
???!!
We are now going to take truck to dodge.
Hoping for the best.
May 20th, 2018 at 10:49 am
Bought a used 2012 Citadel AWD Hemi with 85,000 miles. Tranny started slipping and that loose feeling like the front differential was moving during deceleration near stopping, and then acceleration from 1st to 2nd gear especially, but even into 3rd before smoothing out. 3.5 weeks at local CDJF dealer and replacement of front driveshaft due to failed propellor, then additionally the entire transfer case due to it separating during acceleration/deceleration as mentioned. Also did recalls and bad front windshield washer nozzle. After 4 days with the vehicle, the transmission has thumped hard twice during deceleration from 2nd to 1st gear as I’m rolling up to a stoplight. The odd flutter is still occurring sometimes during acceleration, but it’s very smooth overall. I’m giving that a month or so to smooth out and see. Bigger issue that’ sprung up is the issue everyone here is having, but mine is the pulling to the right suddenly when accelerating to around 45-50 mph and shifting from 3-4 gear or 4-5. Caught me off guard once and I damn near ran into another lane onto someone. I do admit I need tires; the previous idiot as different tread pattern tires on front versus back, and back rear is wore more than the other 3. Same brand and ZIEX’s, but 05’s on the front and 04’s on the back. So that’ll be corrected soon and I’ll repost my progress in this issue. One note: I LOVE THIS SUV. It’s not a zero-60 racer, so don’t waste the gas messing with drag racing X5’s and Cayenne’s and getting smoked. Get on the highway and she runs like..wow. 80 and under 2000 rpm WITH a tow package and AWD?? Yeah she’s a runner, my 04 Rumble Bee was the same way. Love all the buttons and features, bluetooth and controls all work with our modern Samsung and Apple phones with the latest OS’s. So no worries there, contrary to some reports. All the stuff works, I’ll say that. But the classic Chrysler transmission and differential issues are still here.
May 27th, 2019 at 3:34 pm
@chrisshattuck hey man did you ever get the problem solved ? I currently purchased a 2013 r/t and during acceleration @40mph and 70mph it starts to surg. And deacceleration when coming to a stop . The dummy before does have one different tire in the front . So I seen you mentioned about switching tires .