2011-2020 Dodge Durango Brake Job Guide: Symptoms, Costs and the Right Parts

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

A brake job on a 2011-2020 Dodge Durango means pads and usually rotors on one or both axles, and the single most important step is identifying which of the two brake packages your Durango has before you order anything. Most Durangos from this generation came with either 330mm front rotors and solid rear rotors, or 350mm front rotors and vented rear rotors, and the pads and rotors for the two are not interchangeable. Get that right, check the brake-related recalls below, and this is a very manageable job for a careful home mechanic.

How the Durango Brake System Is Built

The 2011-2020 Durango shares its platform with the 2011-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and that shows in the brakes: many pad and rotor kits list both vehicles. Every corner uses a disc brake. There are no rear drums on this generation. The rear rotor hat also carries a small internal drum surface for the parking brake shoes, which is worth knowing when a rear brake job turns into a parking brake adjustment.

Brake manufacturers split this generation into two main configurations:

On the 350mm system, 2012 and later Durangos are also identified by a front caliper bracket casting number, 0317, which parts makers use as a fitment check. The quickest home test is simply looking at the rear rotor through the wheel spokes: vented rear rotors mean the larger 350mm front system. If in doubt, measure the front rotor diameter. SRT models use their own performance brake hardware, so SRT owners should match parts to the exact trim and VIN rather than to the two packages above.

Brake fluid is DOT 3. The factory service procedures call for Mopar brake fluid or an equivalent fluid meeting SAE J1703-F and DOT 3, from a clean, sealed container.

Symptoms That Your Durango Is Due for Brakes

• High-pitched squeal while driving that goes away when you brake. That is usually the pad wear indicator touching the rotor, telling you the pads are near the end.
• Grinding. Metal-on-metal contact means the friction material is gone and the backing plate is cutting the rotor. At that point rotors are almost always part of the job.
• Steering wheel shake or pulsing pedal when stopping from highway speed. This points to uneven rotor thickness or pad deposits on the front rotors. The Durango is a heavy three-row SUV, and the front rotors do most of the work.
• Pull to one side. Often a sticking caliper slide pin or a seized piston on one corner, which also causes one pad to wear much faster than the other.
• Soft or low pedal. Check the fluid level and look for leaks at hoses, lines and calipers. A dropping fluid level can also simply reflect worn pads, since the caliper pistons extend as pads wear.
• Brake lights staying on after the vehicle is parked and off (2018-2019). This can be tied to the ABS module recall covered below, not to worn pads.

Recalls to Check Before You Start

Two brake-related recalls affect this generation. Run your VIN through the NHTSA recall lookup or a Dodge dealer before any brake work, because recall repairs are free.

• 2011-2014 Durango brake booster shield (FCA recall T59). An earlier campaign installed a shield to keep water out of the brake booster. This follow-up recall, covering 646,394 Durango and Grand Cherokee SUVs, had dealers verify the shield was installed correctly, because an improperly installed shield could reduce braking ability.
• 2018-2019 Durango ABS/HCU module (NHTSA 22V-426, FCA recall Z48). Some 48,448 Durangos built between June 12, 2018 and July 12, 2019 may have a hydraulic control unit / ABS module that falsely reads pressure in the primary brake circuit. The result can be brake lights that stay on and a vehicle that starts and shifts out of Park without the brake pedal pressed. The remedy is a dealer update to the module.

Neither recall is fixed with pads or rotors, but both matter: a brake light that never turns off or a vehicle that shifts without the pedal is a dealer visit, not a parts order.

Front vs Rear: What Wears and What to Replace Together

Like most SUVs, the Durango wears front pads faster than rears, because weight shifts forward during a stop. On a vehicle that tows or carries a full load of passengers, the front brakes are the frequent job. Go by pad and rotor measurement, not a fixed schedule.

• Always replace pads in axle sets. Both front wheels or both rear wheels together, never one side.
• Rotors with pads is usually the right call on this vehicle. Resurfacing is allowed only if the rotor stays above its minimum thickness; the factory procedure says rotors below minimum thickness before or after machining must be replaced. On a heavy SUV that has already had one set of pads, the rotors are often too thin to cut.
• Hardware. New abutment clips and slide pin boots cost little and prevent the most common cause of noise and uneven wear. See our brake hardware kits.
• Calipers. Replace a caliper that has a torn boot, a leaking piston seal, or a piston that will not retract. Remanufactured units are in our brake calipers collection.
• Fluid. Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time. A flush with fresh DOT 3 is a sensible add-on when calipers are replaced or the fluid looks dark.

The easiest route is a matched kit. Our Power Stop brake kits are sold by package: some list the 330mm front / solid rear system and others the 350mm front / vented rear system, so check the qualifier in the listing against your rear rotor. For pads only, start with ceramic brake pads, the common choice for daily-driven SUVs because of low dust and quiet operation, or browse all brake rotors.

How Hard Is the Job?

For someone who has done a brake job before, the Durango is straightforward. Front and rear both use a caliper that unbolts from a bracket, with the bracket then unbolting to release the rotor. Plan on a floor jack, jack stands rated for a full-size SUV, a breaker bar for bracket bolts, a C-clamp or piston tool, a torque wrench, and brake cleaner.

1. Loosen the lug nuts, lift the vehicle and support it on stands. Never work under a vehicle held only by a jack.
2. Remove the caliper and hang it with wire; do not let it hang by the brake hose.
3. Remove the caliper bracket and rotor. Rusted rotors may need penetrating oil and a few firm hits on the hat area.
4. Clean the hub face so the new rotor sits flat. Rust left on the hub is a common cause of shake after a brake job.
5. Install the new rotor, bracket, fresh clips and lubricated slide pins, then the pads and caliper.
6. Torque the bracket bolts, caliper bolts and lug nuts to the values in the factory service manual.
7. Pump the pedal before moving the vehicle, then bed in the new pads following the pad maker's procedure.

On the rear, remember the parking brake shoes inside the rotor hat. If the new rotor will not slide on, the shoes may need to be backed off, and after installation they should be adjusted per the service manual so the parking brake holds.

What Drives the Cost

The price of a Durango brake job comes down to a few choices. Pads only on one axle is the least expensive job. Pads and rotors costs more because rotors for a heavy SUV are large, and doing both axles roughly doubles the parts. The 350mm system uses larger rotors than the 330mm system. Shop labor adds to all of it, and it rises quickly if a caliper is seized or the rear parking brake shoes need attention. Doing it yourself with a matched pad and rotor kit removes the labor and the risk of ordering the wrong package.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my Durango has 330mm or 350mm front rotors?

Look at the rear rotors. Vented rear rotors (two plates with vanes between them) go with the 350mm front system; solid rear rotors go with the 330mm front system. You can also measure the front rotor diameter directly.

Does the 2011-2020 Durango have rear drum brakes?

No. It uses disc brakes at all four wheels. The small drum surface inside the rear rotor hat is only for the parking brake shoes.

What brake fluid does the Durango use?

DOT 3. The factory service procedures call for Mopar brake fluid or an equivalent meeting SAE J1703-F and DOT 3.

Will Grand Cherokee brake parts fit my Durango?

Many pad and rotor kits list both the Durango and the 2011-2016 Grand Cherokee, but only when the brake package matches. Always confirm the rotor size qualifier for your exact year, and match SRT models separately.

My brake lights stay on after I park. Is that a brake job?

On a 2018-2019 Durango, check recall 22V-426 first. A faulty ABS/HCU module can keep the brake lights on and allow shifting out of Park without the pedal, and the dealer remedy is free.

Sources

1. NHTSA Part 573 Safety Recall Report 22V-426 - 2018-2019 Durango ABS/HCU module recall, 48,448 vehicles, production dates, symptoms and risk
2. Automotive Fleet: Durango, Grand Cherokee SUVs Recalled for Brakes - 2011-2014 brake booster shield recall T59, 646,394 vehicles
3. Power Stop K5955 fitment - 350mm front rotors with vented rear rotors, front caliper bracket casting 0317 on 2012-2020
4. Power Stop CRK5952 fitment - 330mm front rotors with solid rear rotors, 2011-2020 Durango
5. Dodge Durango service procedures: base brake system - DOT 3 / SAE J1703-F fluid spec, rotor minimum thickness rule