What 351 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Dodge Journey

MY HEAD REST DEPLOYED WHILE I WAS STATIONARY IN THE DRIVE THROUGH LINE AT A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT (LUCKILY, IT DID NOT HIT ME IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD, BECAUSE I HAD LEANED FORWARD TO TALK TO THE RESTAURANT WORKER). AFTER RESEARCHING HOW TO FIX THIS/THE COST OF FIXING THIS, I SEE THAT THIS HAPPENS TO NEARLY EVERY DODGE JOURNEY. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL.

NHTSA ODI 11194993

AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN MY STREET AT ABOUT 40 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADREST SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED, HITTING ME HARD IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD. I WAS ON A CITY STREET GOING STRAIGHT, AND HAD HIT NO BUMPS.

NHTSA ODI 11186368

THE HEADRESTS ON BOTH FRONT SEATS POPPED OPEN. THE PASSENGER SEAT OPENED WHEN THE PASSENGER STRETCHED AND TOUCHED THE BACK OF THE HEADREST. THIS WAS DURING A TRIP, MAYBE IN 2015. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY. WE TOOK IT TO A DEALER TO RESET THE HEADREST AND WERE TOLD IT COULD NOT BE RESET AND WOULD COST IVER $600 TO FIX IT. IT IS UNKNOWN HOW THE DRIVER HEADREST OPENED. WE ATTEMPTED TO RESET IT, BUT IT WILL NOT STAT IN THE LPCKED POSITION. NEITHER INSTANCE WAS CAUSED BY AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI 11138760

I WAS SITTING WITH MY CAR ON, IN PARK IN THE PARKING LOT WHEN MY DRIVER SIDE HEADREST DEPLOYED. I DIDN'T GET IN AN ACCIDENT, THE HEADREST WASN'T EVEN BEING TOUCHED. IT SUDDENLY DEPLOYED AND LUCKILY I WAS LEANING FORWARD SO IT DIDN'T HIT ME. IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING INSIDE OF IT BROKE.

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PASSENGER HEADREST AIRBAG SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED INJURING PASSENGER. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND STATIONARY AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.

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THE ACTIVE HEADREST HAS FAILED. I INITIALLY THOUGHT IT WAS DEPLOYED, BUT AFTER ATTEMPTING TO RESET THE UNIT, I NOTICED THE SILVER PIN THAT WAS DESIGNED TO HOLD THE HEADREST IN POSITION WAS LOOSE. THE SMALL PIECES OF PLASTIC THAT HELD THIS IN PLACE HAVE COMPLETELY BROKEN LOOSE, THUS DEPLOYING THE HEADREST. CLOSING THIS BACK INTO POSITION IS NOW IMPOSSIBLE. I CONSIDERED ORDERING A REPLACEMENT PART, BUT WHY SHOULD I BUY SOMETHING THAT IS LIKELY TO FAIL? I CALLED THE DEALER TO SEE WHAT THEY WOULD CHARGE TO FIX THIS FOR ME, AFTER BEING QUOTED $192 IN LABOR, I DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE HELPING ME WITH THIS. I'M GLAD THIS DID NOT SLAP ME IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THIS COULD VERY WELL KNOCK A DRIVER UNCONSCIOUS, OR CAUSE HIM OR HER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IT IS MY OPINION THIS NEEDS TO BE EXAMINED BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED, OR DO WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THAT TO HAPPEN BEFORE A RECALL IS ISSUED? MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. I FOUND THE HEADREST OPEN WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR TO GO TO WORK. I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DISCUSS THIS FURTHER. I CAN GET PHOTOS OF THE BROKEN HEADREST, I'M AT WORK AT THE MOMENT, BUT I CAN TAKE PICTURES TONIGHT AND UPLOAD TOMORROW IF NEED BE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM

NHTSA ODI 11101699

ON SEPTEMBER 28 2016 2:30 PM RIDING NORTH ON HWY 59 FROM KINGWOOD WE HAD JUST PASSED THRU SHEPPARD TX. WE HAD BEEN ON CRUISE AT 70 MPH SINCE CLEVELAND TX WHEN WE HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION MY HEAD REST HAD EXPLODED AND PUSHED MY HEAD FORWARD FAST. MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AND HE THOUGHT I HAD BEEN SHOT BY A STRAY BULLET THE WAY MY HEAD BOLTED FORWARD.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE JOURNEY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT HEAD REST DEPLOYED INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON ONE OCCASION. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED WHIPLASH AND NECK SPASMS FROM THE HEAD REST THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

NHTSA ODI 10761678