What 351 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Dodge Journey

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 ODI 11721423

Cusumer choice automotive 1706 lower Roswell rd. Sold me a vehicle with a branded title with /knowledge it was a total loss vehicle now the ABS and traction lights or on the seatbelt deployed light is on air sensor light on and brakes or grinding I purchased on 10-4- 2025 this is November-20-2025 I asked for refund and to cancel they say as is not sure this is a wreck or flooded vehicle

NHTSA ODI 11700612

There was no damage to my headrest when I parked my car on the evening of: June 29, 2024. On Sunday morning; June 30, 2024. When I entered my vehicle. I learned that the driver seat headrest; airbag deployed/busted open for no apparent reason. My children travel with me in this vehicle. This is very, very dangerous!

NHTSA ODI 11597845

The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the front passenger’s side headrest air bag independently deployed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 132,300.

NHTSA ODI 11587296

I got in my car to go to work and noticed that the front headrests were busted open. I didn't not know that there were airbags in them, but apparently there are? The car has not been in an accident and was just sitting in my driveway. I have read up on this a little and it has happened to many other people as well. There is no reason for the cause, just a defect.

NHTSA ODI 11564840

I was just pulling out of my driveway and it broke open air bag hasn't deployed but driver side head rest air bag compartment sounded like a small explosion but it broke open. There was no accident, I didn't hit anything just did it on it's own.

NHTSA ODI 11533807

The front passenger head rest deployed while parked due to the plastic piece inside the head rest broke that holds the pin that locks the head rest in place.

NHTSA ODI 11485147

Driver headrest deployed while driving.

NHTSA ODI 11444534

On November 26th as I was driving the headrest just popped and hit the back of my head, after doing a little bit of research I found out it's actually an airbag, nothing hit the back of the seat since I was the only one in the car, I'm concern as to how this had happened and if the other headrest will go off as well.

NHTSA ODI 11441765

The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speed, the air bag warning light illuminated continuously. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where a diagnostic test was not yet performed. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 108,800. The VIN was not provided.

NHTSA ODI 11437751

Dodge Journey 2013 Headrest deployment while driving down the road for no reason.

NHTSA ODI 11427131

DRIVERS HEADREST BLEW, WHILE BACKING UP

NHTSA ODI 11386585

MY WHOLE STEERING COLUMN IS CAUSING PROBLEMS FROM AIRBAGS, MY WIPERS NOT WORKING NOW, SPEED-CONTROL WONT WORK., TRACTION CONTROL . CAUSING MY CAR TO SWERVE OUT OF CONTROL AND CAUSING MY CAR TO ALMOST ROLLOVER AS IT WENT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, I KEEP HAVING TO CHANGE MY TIRES INCLUDING THE BACK TIRES THE MOST.THE CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN THIS HAPPENED.THE LIGHT IS ON THE DASH, BUT NO ONE WILL FIX IT, I HAVE A SON WHO IS 14 YEARS OLD I BOUGHT THE CAR BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE DEPENDABLE. MY SON HAS TO HAVE A LIVE AND KIDNEY TRANSPLANT. THE CAR IS STILL UNDER 100,000 ,MILES. SO YOU CAN IMAGINE WHEN I FOUND ALL THIS OUT. THEY SAID OR THE DEALER SAID THAT THE CAR DOES HAVE RECALLS BUT WONT FIX THEM, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A WIRING HARNESS PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP, THANK YOU ,[XXX] PS: THERE ARE STILL OTHER ISSUES NOT LISTED ABOVE. THE CAR IS LEAKING OIL AROUND THE OIL PAN. I AM SHOCKED AS I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A DODGE LOVER INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 11349045

MY CAR WAS PARKED AND I WAS SITTING INSIDE WHEN THE PASSENGER HEADREST AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THANKFULLY MY PASSENGER WASN'T SITTING THERE AT THE TIME.

NHTSA ODI 11342889

I WAS WAITING FOR MY SON TO GET OUT OF PRACTICE. THE CAR WAS OFF AND I WAS SMACKED VERY HARD IN THE HEAD FROM BEHIND. I LOOKED BACK TO SEE THE THE HEADREST HAD POPPED OUT. AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE, I THOUGHT IT NEEDED RESET. BIT AFTER LOOKING AT IT, THE PLASTIC CONNECTION POINTS OF THE PIN HAD ACTUALLY BROKE AND THE HEADREST CANNOT BE RESET BUT NOW NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A CRAZY PRICE.

NHTSA ODI 11342723

MY DRIVER SIDE HEADREST DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING. I WAS DRIVING AND HEARD A NOISE AND WHEN I GOT TO THE STOP LIGHT I NOTICED IT HAD DEPLOYED AS WAS FULLY OPEN. CLEARLY THIS IS A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING. LOOK AT THE DODGE JOURNEY FORUMS AND YOU'LL SEE MANY OTHERS HAVE THIS ISSUE. THAT IS WHY I DID A SEARCH ON RECALLS AND CAME ACROSS THIS SITE AND SO MANY OTHERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE, SO DODGE WE ARE WAITING ON YOU. PS THAT IS PROPERLY WHY MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON.. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11327768

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE JOURNEY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE ACTIVE HEADREST DEPLOYED, HITTING THE CONTACT IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD. THE CONTACT STATED THEY WERE UNABLE TO REATTACH THE HEADREST. THE CONTACT CONTACTED GARY MATTHEWS MOTORS (1100 ASHLAND CITY RD, CLARKSVILLE, TN 37040, (931) 552-7100) AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WHICH WAS STILL PENDING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,455.

NHTSA ODI 11326449

DRIVER SIDE HEAD REST VIOLENTLY BURST APART DURING NORMAL OPERATION GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. NO IMPACT TO CAR ONE WAY OR THE OTHER TO CAUSE DAMAGE. THE IMPACT HIT THE BACK OF MY WIFE'S HEAD CAUSING DISORIENTATION AND THE FRIGHTEN AWARENESS SHE HAD BEEN STRUCK. AT THE TIME, SHE WAS NOT AWARE OF WHAT HIT HER UNTIL SHE NOTICED THE HEAD REST HAD COME APART. THE HEAD REST IS NOW SHOWING THE COMPONENTS OF THE MECHANISM AND DRIVING IS NOW DIFFICULT. THERE IS NOTICEABLE PLASTIC COMPONENTS THAT APPEAR TO BE SHATTERED OR DAMAGED INSIDE THE HEADREST. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11325504

WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. WENT OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THOUGH A YARD AND OVER AN EMBANKMENT RESTING AGAINST A TREE. FRONT END DAMAGE, AND DAMAGE TO BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 58-60 MPH AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THIS WAS ON A STATE RURAL ROUTE.

NHTSA ODI 11289046

THIS VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A ONE VEHICLE CRASH. THE VEHICLE STRUCK A UTILITY POLE AT 28MPH. THE IMPACT WAS IN THE CENTER FRONT. THE CAR HAS BEEN DOWNLOADED USING BOSCH DATA RETRIEVAL SOFTWARE. I AM A CRASH RECONSTRUCTION TROOPER WITH THE OHIO STATE HIGHWAY PATROL. ALL DATA IN THE DOWNLOAD WOULD NORMALLY INDICATE THAT THE AIRBAGS AND SEAT BELTS WOULD HAVE ACTIVATED. THE CONCERN IS AS TO WHY NONE OF THE SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM SEEMS TO HAVE WORKED. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*DT *TR *DT*JB

NHTSA ODI 11279837

I'VE HAD BOTH DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS ACTIVE HEADREST BRAKE WITH OUT WARNING. THE PASSENGER SIDE ONE BROKE WITH THE CAR RUNNING PARKED IN A DRIVEWAY AT 75K, PASSENGER WAS STRUCK. THE DRIVERS SIDE ONE BROKE OVERNIGHT WHEN NO ONE WAS AROUND AT 85K, IN A DRIVEWAY. BOTH WERE BROKE AND NEED REPLACING, THE ACTUATOR WAS STILL IN THE LOCKED POSITION (NOT DEPLOYED).

NHTSA ODI 11241290

THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CAME ON AND STAYS ON - THIS APPARENTLY DISABLES AIRBAGS SO THEY WILL NOT GO OFF IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

NHTSA ODI 11228736

1. DRIVER SIDE HEADREST POPPED (AIRBAG) WHILE PARKED. THE BRAKE LIGHT IN THE DASH WAS ILLUMINATED 2. ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL THE "BRAKE" LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENLY

NHTSA ODI 11208563

AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS TURNING ON WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.

NHTSA ODI 11207252

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 DODGE JOURNEY. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH AT NIGHT, THE CONTACT DROVE OVER A LARGE TREE BRANCH THAT WAS NOT VISIBLE AT THE TIME. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A TREE THAT WAS LYING IN THE ROAD AND THEN CRASHED INTO A BRICK MAIL BOX. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED, BUT SHE VISITED THE CHIROPRACTOR FOR SORENESS. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND TOWED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V432000 (AIR BAGS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA ODI 11163486