1,038 of the
7,994 complaints filed about the Dodge Journey
are about the engine —
13% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2010.
The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25-30 MPH, the engine made an abnormally loud sound. The check engine and ABS warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had progressively worsened. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the driver's side of the cabin, underneath the steering wheel, was significantly hot while driving. The manufacturer was not contacted or notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.
NHTSA complaint #11748020 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was white smoke coming from the vehicle, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 20 MPH while driving. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and was diagnosed with catalytic converter failure. The contact was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 175,589.
NHTSA complaint #11747621 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Car since bought either won't start or fails to come out of gear then stalls out in reverse or randomly in intersections I have small children and it's dangerous and several mechanic cant figure it out. Replaced batteries starters and issue continues
NHTSA complaint #11744916 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Had over 1300 miles until next oil change. Car has no leaking issues. Car ran out of oil completely and seized engine during camping trip. I use synthetic and both mileage/time were both way under than what was on my next oil change sticker... warranty says they won't cover it. So now I just have a shell of a car I cannot drive nor afford a new engine for. It was not neglect.
NHTSA complaint #11742564 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I replaced the alternator and battery, 3 months later I was told I have an issue with the pcm which was similar with the recall for the same vehicle I drove. My vehicle was not part of the recall. Tbs Recall tv-u87-18
NHTSA complaint #11722733 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owned a 2013 Dodge Journey. The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V432000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that previously, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle would hesitate to accelerate as intended while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The check engine oil pressure warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact managed to pull over at a local gas station and noticed black smoke leaking from under the hood. The contact stated that after she depressed the release hood latch button, the engine fire increased and rose in size. The contact was able to safely exit the vehicle. The contact managed to obtain a nearby fire extinguisher and extinguished the fire with the help of nearby pedestrians. The local fire deparment arrive on scene and filed a report. A police report was not filed. The contact sought medical attention for severe mental distress. The fire department deems the source of the fire was possibly due to engine oil. Upon further investigation, a local independent mechanic diagnosed the source of the fire as an engine main wireharness failure. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard, where it was diagnosed as a total loss by the insurance provider and later transported to the contact's residence. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 267,000.
NHTSA complaint #11721423 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My car is junk. I have actually put tens of thousands of dollars into this car to keep it on the road. I would get rid of it but I owe more than it’s worth. This is insane. I cannot believe that none of the recalls come up on my vin because I’ve had to pay for so many repairs that are on recall lists for this car. Help me
NHTSA complaint #11720303 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
No compression head gasket prob not running hot or water being used but cylinder test shows no compression and combustion leak detector test shows leak
NHTSA complaint #11718001 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owned a 2012 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that upon her daughter starting the vehicle, an abnormal popping noise was emitted from the vehicle without warning. The vehicle caught fire as the contact's daughter exited the vehicle. The fire department was called to the scene of the incident, where they extinguished the fire. No injuries were reported, and a police report was not filed. A corner of the contact's home caught fire, melting the home's siding. Two other vehicles also caught fire, which melted the front ends of those vehicles. The vehicle was towed to an independent tow yard, where the vehicle was destroyed. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had yet been notified of the failure. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that there was a recall on the vehicle for NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V431000(Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11716777 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact's daughter owned a 2014 Dodge Journey. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign: 15V431000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, parts were not available. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, black smoke was seen coming from under the hood, and the engine caught on fire. The driver was able to successfully exit the vehicle. No warning lights illuminated. The local fire department arrived on the scene to extinguish the fire. A police report was not filed. The source of the fire was deemed recall-related. The vehicle was towed to an unknown location and was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. No injuries or medical attention were sought. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000.
NHTSA complaint #11715239 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am filing this complaint to report a repeated safety-related defect involving the engine thermostat in my 2020 Dodge Journey and to formally request an investigation by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). The thermostat in this vehicle has failed twice, despite being replaced after the initial failure. The recurrence of the same failure in a critical engine temperature control component indicates a potential design or manufacturing defect, not normal wear or improper maintenance. Each thermostat failure resulted in abnormal engine temperature behavior and warning indicators. Thermostat failure directly compromises the engine cooling system and creates a risk of overheating, sudden engine shutdown, loss of propulsion, and engine damage. These conditions present a clear safety hazard, particularly if failure occurs at highway speeds, in traffic, or during extreme temperatures. A thermostat is a non-consumable, safety-critical component that should not require multiple replacements in a vehicle of this age and mileage. The fact that the failure occurred again after repair suggests that the defect may be systemic and potentially affects other 2020 Dodge Journey vehicles equipped with the same thermostat design or housing. This issue meets NHTSA’s criteria for investigation due to: Repeat failure of the same safety-critical component Risk of loss of power or vehicle disablement Potential for engine overheating and sudden breakdown Evidence suggesting a broader defect pattern I am requesting that NHTSA: Open a defect investigation into thermostat failures in the 2020 Dodge Journey Require corrective action by the manufacturer if a defect trend is identified, including a recall, safety service campaign, or extended warranty This complaint is submitted in the interest of preventing further incidents and protecting vehicle occupants and other roadway users.
NHTSA complaint #11714270 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving 35-40 MPH, the engine started overheating. The message "Temperature High" was displayed. Additionally, the contact stated that the power windows were intermittently inoperable. While attempting to drive from a complete stop, the transmission failed to shift gears as intended. The contact stated that upon depressing the accelerator pedal while driving, the engine revved, but the vehicle failed to respond as intended. Additionally, there was a discrepancy between the instrument cluster speedometer reading and the digital speedometer reading. The vehicle was taken to Wilcox & Sons Automotive, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the water pump, the radiator, the cooling system, and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 16V461000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 220,000.
NHTSA complaint #11713647 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Well I don't know I bought my car from extreme Auto I don't know if he is paying the police off or what to exchange cars or vin numbers but my vehicle has a few of the recalls that are still rolling on the ABS light is coming on the engine Department a few other things that I could not get fixed and they said that it wasn't part of the recall that airbag shelf which is works with the blinkers also because when I had an inspected they had informed me of that previously and there wanting us to get into accident and say that I was driving crazy and basically get away with it and that's what the police does undercover cops use it vehicle similar to mine and I seen it at Johnson County Police Department and I think they lied I had an inspection done and Merriam Auto and it's on file and I would need to go pick that one up that was the first one that I had got done and it should still be in the system and and they paid her off because she no longer works there anymore they refuse to fix it and I paid extreme money for the prior inspections to this one and I also have a contract that I paid $475 to get an oil panel and engine oil cover gaskets put on it purchase the parts off of Amazon in the oil panel he purchased it I don't know why this b**** you want to f*** with me my kids are gone and that was a second opinion they also pulled my vehicle over and ran my VIN number and that is on my kids and my life and my soul the detective said I don't have alternative email
NHTSA complaint #11712588 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Driving on highway 26 at 70 miles in Newberry, SC, the truck hesitated and cut of stalled, was able to get it of the road before it died, push the button to try to start, Engine light came on and dashboard went out, steam coming from the hood, got the children out of the car, on the side of the road, open the hood, fluid everywhere, with no warning lights, truck ran hot, and messed the engine up in the truck, me and my daughter and grandchildren could have gotten hurt in that truck if another car had hit us in that road, the truck just cut of No warning lights or nothing, this problem needs to be fixed.
NHTSA complaint #11704116 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2020 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated after the vehicle stalled. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, where the contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to restart. The contact raised the hood of the vehicle and observed condensation all over the engine. The vehicle was towed to the contact’s son's residence. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced due to a faulty radiator hose and cap, which caused the engine to seize. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 57,800.
NHTSA complaint #11703771 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2020 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated and then lost motive power, with the check engine warning light illuminated after the loss of power. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was not diagnosed; however, the contact was informed that the engine may have failed due to the vehicle having no antifreeze, which caused the engine to overheat. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 57,800.
NHTSA complaint #11701199 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware of a fluid leak underneath the front end of the vehicle. The “Low Oil” warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken for an oil change, and the contact was informed that the oil level was adequate, and the oil was clean. The contact was informed that the warning light might be faulty. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the dealer found 5 holes in the radiator. The radiator was replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the engine also needed to be replaced. The engine was not replaced. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.
NHTSA complaint #11698080 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CATALYTIC CONVERTERS ON THESE MODELS ARE FAILING TOO. THERE ARE RECALLS ON THE OTHER 2017 DODGE JOURNEYS, PLEASE ADD THIS MODEL TOO THEM ASAP ITS DANGEROUS AND WE USE THIS TO TRANSPORT KIDS. THANK YOU PHOTOS OF FAILING CODES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
NHTSA complaint #11693349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.