Home · 2011 Dodge Journey · Complaints

What 169 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Dodge Journey

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (169)Crash / fire / injury (14)Brakes (55)Electrical system (43)Engine (29)Steering (23)Transmission & drivetrain (20)Airbags (14)Lights (8)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (7)Speed control (7)Engine & cooling (5)

Newest first · 169 complaints · page 1 of 7

May 22, 2026Steering

Power steering starts leaking in cold climates resulting in tightness and difficulty in steering wheel . recall code s08

NHTSA ODI 11739493

Jan 22, 2026Steering

Stirring wheel fluid hose has burst during cold weather, and will lose control of wheel. My car wasn’t listed in the recall for that said issue for other dodge journey’s. I had it repair ones and now its doing it again.

NHTSA ODI 11712828

Aug 20, 2025Brakes

The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed and traveled to the floorboard with the ABS warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the ABS brake module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the ABS brake module part had been discontinued. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.

NHTSA ODI 11681909

Jun 20, 2024Fuel system

The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was not able to restart after each failure. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The contact stated that his friend replaced the fuel pump an additional four times. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump or TIPM sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

NHTSA ODI 11595467

May 3, 2024Engine & coolingFire

The contact owned a 2011 Dodge Journey. The contact received notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V431000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was repaired, however, the failure recurred while the vehicle was stopped at a stop sign, and the contact saw flames coming from the hood. The contact exited the vehicle. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was filed. A fire report was filed. There were no other occupants in the vehicle. No injuries were sustained. The contact was informed that the fire started in the manifold. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11586886

Apr 29, 2024AirbagsCrash1 injury

The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while his daughter was coming to a complete stop at a stop sign, the vehicle was rear-ended by a distracted driver. The air bags did not deploy, resulting in injury. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. Although examined at the scene by EMS, the contact's daughter later transported herself to an area hospital, where she was treated for a concussion and a nondescript injury to her left knee requiring surgery. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 167,000.

NHTSA ODI 11585825

Dec 20, 2022Visibility & wipers

Defrost doesn’t work due to no heat on passenger side. Heater core replaced and has to be flushed out every year. Research on the internet says this is a common issue but no recall.

NHTSA ODI 11498209

Apr 12, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that the transmission warning light would illuminate while attempted to change gears. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic and was informed that the torque converter failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000.

NHTSA ODI 11460484

Jan 31, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with head gasket failure. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer and diagnosed with powertrain control module (PCM) failure. The dealer updated the PCM software; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.

NHTSA ODI 11449597

Jan 31, 2022

You can read online anywhere that the ECU is a MAJOR problem. My car battery dies everytime i shut it off. Ive replace the battery 8 times, the alternator 4 times. Had countless amout of diagnostic tests done on it. Still nothing. Come to find out its the ECU which i cant afford to replace as its over $800 to repair. Look online and you'll see almost everyone with a journey has this problem. When it causes my car to shut off while driving, it becomes a serious safety issue as i always have 4 small children with me. 3 three year olds and a 6 year old. Nobody wants a dodge because of the problems associated with it. Please fix this. Please.

NHTSA ODI 11449606

Aug 8, 2021Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Pressure sensors saying there's an issue with your tire pressure and you have binding in your drive line

NHTSA ODI 11428236

Apr 5, 2021Electrical systemEngineFuel system

SPEED IS HORRIBLE I DON'T NO WHERE TO START

NHTSA ODI 11406418

Dec 13, 2020Transmission & drivetrainEngine

MY CAR HAS ONLY 91000 MILES AND THERE IS A CLICK FROM THE TRANSMISSION AND A WEIRD SLOWING NOISE HAVE NO CLUE WHY DONE ALL THE MAINTENANCE ONE IT

NHTSA ODI 11383252

Dec 11, 2020Electrical system

THERE ARE MANY MANY AS IN HUGE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS OF THIS JOURNEY VEHICLE NOT STARTING BECAUSE KEEPING A CHARGE. WE HAVE HAD TO BUY AND HAVE DEALER INSTALL THREE BATTERIES IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS. FOUND ONE PROBLEM, LEAVING A CD IN THE PLAYER CAUSES THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. CANNOT FIND ANY OTHER. PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA ODI 11383066

Dec 6, 2020Brakes

BREAK CALIPERS LOCK UP WHEN DRIVING. THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND CONTINUE TO DO THIS

NHTSA ODI 11378088

Dec 1, 2020Electrical systemAirbags

THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUTS OFF AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND HAS SIGNIFICANT TROUBLE RESTARTING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED OVER 10 TIMES BY AN ASC CERTIFIED MECHANIC FOR THIS ISSUE AND THERE HASN'T BEEN A CHECK ENGINE CODE PRESENT THAT WOULD CAUSE THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11377315

Oct 23, 2020SuspensionLightsElectronic Stability Control (esc)

MY SOUND SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING.ONCE THE VEHICLE REACHED 200,848 MILES IT STOPPED WORKING, THEN THE NEXT DAY THE LED HATCH LIGHT SHE'D WORKING?I CAME OUT TO GET IN THE VEHICLE AND TURNED IT ON IT DIDN'T WORK?

NHTSA ODI 11366010

Oct 22, 2020Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE JOURNEY. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE ABS, BRAKE AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO COMMUNITY MOTORS CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (500 WESTIN OAKS DR, HAMMOND, LA 70403, (985) 345-0401) AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WASS NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED HOWEVER, NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.

NHTSA ODI 11365738

Aug 28, 2020Electrical system

BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON MANY TIMES OVER A COUPLE WEEKS. THEN IT WENT INTO BATTERY SAVER MODE. THE RADIO STOPPED WORKING, AIR CONDITIONING, LIGHTS AND THE DASH BOARD HAD EVERY CHECK LIGHT COME ON. IT THEN WOULD NOT SHIFT AND RPMS WENT TO 4 AND 5 BUT ONLY WOULD DO AROUND 20 MPH. BATTERY THRN DIED. AFTER CHARGING BATTERY THEN REPLACING IT WITH A NEW BATTERY AND THE ALTERNATER AND ALL WIRING CHECKED OUT JUST FINE. NO OTHER PROBLEMS COULD BE FOUND BUT STILL THE BATTERY SAVER MODE IS ON AND MY JOURNEY WONT HOLD A CHARGE. THIS ALL HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING WITH MY CHILDERN IN TOWN GOING AT A SPEED OF 20-30 MPH.

NHTSA ODI 11351886

Jul 31, 2020Brakes

THE ABS MODULE WENT BAD AND THE PART IS DISCONTINUED. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY.

NHTSA ODI 11342606

Jul 22, 2020Brakes

I REPLACED MY CALIBER AND BRAKES LESS THEN A YEAR AGO. SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN REPLACING MY BRAKES EVERY 3 MONTHS I HAVE TO REPLACE MY BRAKES AND ROTORS. I KEEP SMELLING METAL BURNING PLUS THE BRAKES LIGHT IS STAYING ON.

NHTSA ODI 11340798

Jul 22, 2020Electrical system

RANDOMLY WONT START VEHICLE GOES INTO SOME TYPE OF ANTI THEFT MODE TOLD BAD TIPM BY 3 DIFFERENT DEALERS. AND TOLD TO REMOVE BATTERY TO RESET THE SYSTEM. THIS IS ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX. THIS HAPPENS AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK

NHTSA ODI 11340827

May 27, 2020Engine & coolingTransmission & drivetrain

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE JOURNEY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE OVERHEATED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY TAKEN TO KELLY JEEP CHRYSLER DODGE RAM 501 STATE AVENUE, EMMAUS, PA 180449, (610)904-8499 WHERE THE TRANSMISSION, THE ENGINE, ENGINE SOLENOIDS AND ENGINE COILS WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. *DT*JB

NHTSA ODI 11326139

Feb 21, 2020Electrical system

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE JOURNEY. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE CONSISTENTLY FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS WAS PERFORMED WITH NO FAILURE DETECTED. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN ONLINE SEARCH RESULT SHOWED A POSSIBLE CAUSE BEING RELATED TO THE VEHICLE SECURITY SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

NHTSA ODI 11310609

Jan 6, 2020Electrical system

THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE WITHIN THE LAST 8 MONTHS AND 2 YEARS PRIOR TO THAT. THE DAY PRIOR TO LATEST EPISODE, THE CAR WAS DRIVEN FOR OVER 200 MILES AND THERE WAS NO NOTATION OF PROBLEMS ON THAT DAY. THE NEXT DAY THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. IT HAD BEEN 18 HOURS SINCE CAR WAS DRIVEN. THE LIGHTS, RADIO, AND POWER WORKED, BUT BRAKE WOULD NOT DEPRESS AND DASH STATED KEY FOB COULD NOT BE DETECTED. WITHIN 5 MINUTES TRYING TO START CAR, ALL POWER AND LIGHTS QUIT WORKING. A NEIGHBOR CAME TO JUMP START THE CAR BUT IT WOULD NOT HOLD.

NHTSA ODI 11297496

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Working with the data? Download all 169 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 20, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 Dodge Journey verdict →