Dacia Duster 2009-2018 Reliability & Common Problems

Is the Dacia Duster reliable?

The Duster shouldn't present any major concerns from a reliability standpoint, and is regarded as a robust and dependale SUV that can easily fulfill any workhorse duties.

In the What Car? reliabilty survey, the go-anywhere Duster fininshed in the middle of the pack in the SUV class, with Romanian value brand finishing 13th out of 32 in the manufacturers survey.

Engine: Keep an eye out for the engine overheating in slow traffic: owners claim that a poor-quality cooling fan is to blame and its fuse blows as a result.

A clogged-up diesel particulate filter will send a diesel into limp-home mode. As with any car so equipped, regular use of fast roads is required to keep things flowing freely.

Brakes: Any unusual noises from the front as you go from a forward gear into reverse suggests that the front brake pads might be unseating themselves. Make sure you get the braking system inspected thoroughly if you have any concerns.

Gearbox: A jolt when shifting or a clunking noise could be worrying – or it might just mean the gearbox oil is low, so check before making any decisions.

Body: Indian-built first-year Dusters are quite prone to rust, with the doors, bonnet and boot hinges affected.

Check the footwells and around the windows for water leaks, as this is also a common issue on early cars. A poor bulkhead and leaking door seals are often the culprits.

An ovwner’s view

David Gauld: “I’ve owned five Dacia Dusters, my first being a 2016 Laureate 1.5 dCi 4x4. It was a bit agricultural, with cheap plastics and old-fashioned buttons, but during my three years of ownership it was super-reliable, it would regularly get 50mpg, the 4WD system was excellent and I could easily get adults and luggage in the back.

“It did suffer from a water leak – the back floor used to get wet – and the windscreen wiper motor broke. A bit more ground clearance for off-road driving would have been useful, too. But overall I covered 36,000 miles in the car, and while it was basic, I loved it.”

Also worth knowing

It may be a compact SUV, but the Duster is nevertheless a truly practical option for families, with a spacious rear seating area and a 475-litre boot, which is just shy of 60 litres more than you get in the Yeti.

The standard roof rails allow for the addition of a roof box, and some owners have even turned their Dusters into micro camper vans.

If you want to tow a caravan or trailer, the Duster has a braked capacity of up to 1500kg.

Sam Phillips

Title: Staff Writer

Sam joined the Autocar team in summer 2024 and has been a contributor since 2021. He is tasked with writing used reviews and first drives as well as updating top 10s and evergreen content on the Autocar website.

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Sam graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2021 with a BA in Journalism. In his final year he produced an in-depth feature on the automotive industry’s transition to electric cars and interviewed a number of leading experts to assess our readiness for the impending ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars.

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