Passenger side headrest exploded while driving. Luckily no one was in the passenger seat
2014 Dodge Durango seats problems
165 complaints (21% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 70,000.
- owner complaints
- 165
- of this car's complaints
- 21%
- typical mileage
- 70,000
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
- Front assembly: head restraint13
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Dodge Durango seats problems in other years
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Related investigations
Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19014 on September 9, 2019, to investigate 128 consumer complaints alleging that the Active Head Rest (AHR) inadvertently deployed without the occurrence of a crash or other rear impact event in model year (MY) 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles.When ODI opened the investigation, ODI was aware of thirteen alleged injuries.A small number of Early Warning Reports identified driver and/or passenger front seat AHR inadvertent deployments without a rear impact event.Reported safety consequences resulting from the AHR deployments include concussions, headaches, soft tissue injuries, disorientation, nausea, vomiting and/or loss of vehicle control as a result of being surprised and distracted by being struck in the head by the inadvertent AHR deployment. On September 24, 2019, ODI sent an Information Request (IR) letter to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).ODI requested certain detailed information from FCA related to the following subject vehicles: MY 2010-2014 Dodge Avenger 200, MY 2010-2014 Dodge Calber, MY 2010-2014 Chrysler Sebring, MY 2013-2015 Ram Tradesman, MY 2012 Ram Van, MY 2010-2019 Dodge Grand Caravan, MY 2010-2016 Chrysler Town and Country, MY 2010-2017 Jeep Compass, MY 2011-2020 Dodge Durango, MY 2011-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, MY 2010-2019 Dodge Journey, MY 2010-2012 Jeep Liberty, MY 2010-2011 Jeep Nitro, and MY 2010-2011 Jeep Patriot vehicles.On December 2, 2019, ODI received a response from FCA that included vehicle production data, consumer complaints, field reports, warranty claims, manufacturer actions, production changes, and other data related to the alleged defect from the start of production (2010) through September 24, 2019.On January 27, 2020, ODI received an update to the December 2, 2019, IR response from FCA.On September 22, 2020, ODI requested additional subject vehicle AHR information from FCA.ODI received FCA's response on October 21, 2020.ODI subsequently received an update to FCA's October 21, 2020, response on February 16, 2021.During the investigation, ODI requested updates to certain IR questions on two occasions.FCA provided updates to question #2 on March 5, 2021, and questions #2 and #5 on May 26, 2023. FCA’s IR response data identified approximately 7.5 million subject vehicles (with approximately 15 million AHR assemblies).Due to the large number of vehicles and failure reports, ODI focused its analysis on the FCA vehicle model with the highest failure rate to represent the worst-case scenario.For this purpose, ODI focused on MY 2012-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles for its analysis.This population includes 710,890 vehicles that FCA manufactured between August 19, 2011, and August 8, 2015.ODI identified 2,839 alleged AHR failures within this limited population.ODI identified 263 alleged injuries that were caused by AHR failures in MY 2012-2015 Grand Cherokees vehicles.Of these alleged injuries, ODI categorized them as eighty-two (82) soft tissue (neck/whiplash, bruise) injuries, four (4) concussions, fifty-nine (59) headaches, and one hundred eighteen (118) without a specific injury description.Although complainants have alleged injuries, ODI has been unable to obtain evidence to substantiate or validate any injuries where medical treatment was required.Consumer outreach was conducted by ODI, where sixty-three (63) FCA complainants with alleged injuries were contacted.Twelve of the sixty-three FCA consumers responded and were interviewed by ODI.ODI requested medical records, however, only one response was provided. Attorneys representing the responding complainant provided a synopsis that indicated they had experienced prior neck-related injuries dating to the mid-1990s.ODI also contacted one hundred (100) consumers who submitted Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ) in an attempt to validate alleged injuries. Despite the efforts of ODI, the office has been unsuccessful at obtaining substantive documentation/evidence supporting complaints that allege serious injuries (where pre-existing medical conditions did not already exist). In addition to the low severity of alleged injuries caused by AHR deployments, there have been eleven alleged crashes and two alleged lane departures within the entire subject vehicle population that has been in the field up to sixteen years (with over 8,500 AHR inadvertent deployments).ODI was not able to validate that the alleged crashes were the result of inadvertent head rest deployments, and the crashes were minor in nature. ODI has conducted a thorough investigation of the alleged safety defect and with up to sixteen years of exposure for some vehicles and over 8,500 inadvertent AHR deployments, no serious crashes or injuries could be validated in the sub-population of focus.The lack of serious injuries validated by ODI with such large period of field exposure is consistent with thework done by the federal safety agency’s Human Injury Research Division and the Biodynamic Research Corporation, which support that an inadvertent AHR deployment is not likely to cause serious injury.In addition to the low risk of injury, FCA released an extended warranty program that covers inadvertent AHR deployment for ten years / unlimited mileage from the vehicle's in-service date. PE19014 is closed with the FCA extended warranty program.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist, and the Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances. To review a complete closing summary, please the attached closing report. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to
PE19014
What 2014 Dodge Durango owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
I own a 2014 Dodge Durango. The front passenger-side Active Head Restraint (AHR) deployed unexpectedly while the vehicle was parked in front of my garage with the engine completely turned off. I was sitting in the front passenger seat when I suddenly heard a loud bang. The active head restraint deployed without warning, struck the back of my head, and pushed my head forward. I was startled but did not sustain any injuries. There was no accident, collision, rear impact, or other external force that could have triggered the system. The passenger-side head restraint remained deployed and visibly opened after the incident. This unexpected activation of a safety restraint system while the vehicle was stationary raises serious concerns about occupant safety. Had the same failure occurred while driving, it could have startled or injured an occupant. I contacted an authorized Dodge dealership regarding replacement. The dealership quoted $1,545 for the replacement part and an additional $324.96 for three hours of labor, totaling $1,869.96 before taxes. I also contacted Dodge Customer Care. I was informed that the X88 extended warranty coverage expired on November 12, 2024, and that the repair would likely be at my expense. I am requesting that the federal safety agency investigate this potential safety defect involving the spontaneous deployment of the Active Head Restraint system.
The contact owns a 2014 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the front passenger’s side head restraint unexpectedly deployed and struck the front seat passenger in the back of the head. There was no crash or impact at the time of the failure. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the passenger had a prior surgery involving the neck and back of the head and believed that the impact might have aggravated that issue. No medical assistance was sought. The front seat passenger had pain and discomfort and had been resting since the issue. The vehicle was drivable and was not towed. The dealer was notified of the failure and was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but declined to offer assistance for the repair. The vehicle was no longer under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 99,300.
On February 6, 2026, while driving my 2014 Dodge Durango at normal speed, the driver’s seat headrest suddenly and unexpectedly deployed/exploded, striking the back of my head. The force of the impact caused my head to snap forward, resulting in soft-tissue and muscle injuries to my neck and upper back. I sought medical evaluation following the incident and was diagnosed with soft-tissue injury/whiplash. Treatment has included diagnostic imaging, prescription medication, and follow-up care for ongoing symptoms. I was able to continue driving the vehicle directly to a Dodge dealership, where staff confirmed that the headrest had exploded. This is the second headrest failure on this vehicle caused by a defective plastic component; the passenger-side headrest failed previously in August 2023. The vehicle is unsafe to operate until the headrest is replaced. Due to the part being out of stock, the repair is expected to take more than two months. Prior to this incident, the only indication of a problem was a letter sent by Dodge in August 2020 stating that the warranty on this part was extended from 3 years to 10 years due to a known defect. Given the repeated failures and risk of injury, this condition represents a safety defect that should have been addressed through a recall.
1. Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment Driver's side 2. seat warmers and steering wheel warmer won't turn off unless vehicle is turned off and on again.
Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment
While stopped at a stop sign, the passenger headrest airbag deployed.
Driver side front headrest exploded/deployed while the car was parked. The plastic latch inside the headrest is broken so resetting it is impossible. This is concerning and highly dangerous! Upon researching this, it’s a known issue for Dodge models and yet isn’t a recall? My car was parked when this happened.
The contact owns a 2014 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that while making a turn at a slow speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the front driver’s side headrest, and the headrest deployed unintendedly. The contact had her two children inside the vehicle during the failure. The children had not sustained any injuries. The contact was unable to push the headrest back into the housing. No warning light was illuminated. The headrest struck the back of the contact's head, and the right ear was ringing. The contact drove the vehicle to the residence. The contact had not sought medical attention. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 168,122.
The contact owns a 2014 Dodge Durango. The contact stated while driving approximately 75 MPH, the front passenger’s side headrest erroneously deployed. During the failure, there was a loud explosion distracting the contact and the headrest unit struck the rear of the passenger’s head, causing a headache. No medical treatment was required. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and it was determined that the headrest unit needed to be replaced. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under an extend warranty coverage related to the failure. The failure mileage was 169,000.
Questions about the 2014 Dodge Durango seats
Does the 2014 Dodge Durango have seats problems?
Owners have filed 165 complaints about the seats of the 2014 Dodge Durango, 21% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2014 Dodge Durango seats problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 70,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2014 Dodge Durango seats?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
What year does the Dodge Durango have bad seats?
The Dodge Durango model years with the most seats complaints are 2014 (165 complaints), 2015 (91 complaints) and 2013 (76 complaints).
Other 2014 Dodge Durango problems
Lights 260Electrical 150Engine 76Airbags 72Seat belts 56Transmission 42Fuel system 33Body 26Brakes 25Driver assistance 14Steering 12Visibility 10Acceleration 9Suspension 7Wheels 4Locks 1Tires 1
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