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What 548 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 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 (548)Crash / fire / injury (53)Engine (134)Electrical system (115)Brakes (102)Seats (89)Transmission & drivetrain (77)Airbags (68)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (51)Steering (39)Speed control (32)Fuel system (19)

9 of 548 complaints match · Electrical system · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Feb 25, 2026Electrical systemFire

The contact owned a 2015 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the interior of the vehicle was filled with smoke. No warning lights were illuminated before the failure. The vehicle was driven to the rear of a local gas station. The contact noticed the fire coming from the rear passenger side area of the vehicle. The contact and staff at the station began to extinguish the fire with fire extinguishers. The fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. A Fire report was filed. In addition, the fire inspector informed the contact that the fire was an electrical fire. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The vehicle was condemned as a total loss by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

NHTSA ODI 11720452

Oct 24, 2023Electrical systemFire

I was sitting in the house and heard a loud boom, looked outside and my dodge journey was on fire. I called 911 to get to the fire department, and went outside with the fire ext. and the fire was on the left rear of the truck. I put the fire out on the outside but it was burning on the in side and could not get the doors open. The Bardstown KY fire department arrived and put the fire out. The fire department took pictures and are making a report. There is no reason this truck caught on fire. The wires were burnt on the tail light on the left rear and the inside of the truck. My insurance has pictures also Bardstown ky fire department

NHTSA ODI 11551518

Sep 11, 2020Electrical systemBody & structureEngineCrash

WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESS WAY I CHANGED LANES AND SUDDENLY THE CAR JERKED AND STARTED GOING FASTER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED BEEPING , I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE BUT THE CAR DID'NT SLOW DOWN FAST ENOUGH, SOON AS I LOOKED UP I CRASHED ON MY DRIVER SIDE, NO AIR BAGS CAME OUT...I DROVE THE CAR HM, THE SENSOR STARTED BEEPING LOW KEY BATTERY..I CHANGED OUT THE KEY BATTERY AND TWO DAYS LATER THE CAR START SAYING NO KEY DETECTED, I THEN CALLED A LOCKSMITH, THEY HAD ME BUY A NEW KEY FOB TO REPROGRAM..IT DIDN'T WORK, THERE IS SOMETHING VERY MUCH ELECTRICAL GOING ON WITH THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11354455

Nov 4, 2018Electrical systemWheelsFire

TAKATA RECALL . I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND I NOTICED IT SMOKING I LOOK AND THE BACK WINDOW WAS ON FIRE SMOKING AND MY WIRING TO DOOR IS FRIED AND WINDOW SWITCH IS FRIED. *DT UPDATED 12/06/18*JB

NHTSA ODI 11145178

Jul 18, 2018Electrical systemSpeed controlCrash

CAR SUDDENLY TURNED OFF WHILE IN MOTION CAUSING WHEEL AND RIM DAMAGE AS WELL AS BACK NUMBER DAMAGE. REPLACED BATTERY AFTER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT WHICH TIME THE VEHICLE OPERATED FINE THE PREVIOUS DAY AND HAD BEEN SITTING OVERNIGHT(DIAGNOSED BY AUTO ZONE), REPLACED ON 6-JUL-18. TODAY 18-JUL-18 ABSOLUTELY NO LIGHTS OR POWER TO THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TRIED JUMPS AND CAR IS STILL INOPERABLE. IT GETS SO HOT IN HERE THAT THE INTERIOR SURFACES ARE MELTING AND CHIPPING OFF.

NHTSA ODI 11112089

Jan 3, 2018Electrical systemAirbagsBrakesEngineCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 DODGE JOURNEY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE AIR BAG, THROTTLE CONTROL, AND TIRE PRESSURE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY, ALONG WITH THE KEY FOB LIGHT. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO OPERATE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE WOODS. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A SPRAINED RIGHT ARM THAT NEEDED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE DIAGNOSIS WAS UNDETERMINED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000. *TT

NHTSA ODI 11058277

Apr 10, 2017Electrical systemSeatsFire

WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON 3/14/17, HE STOPPED TO HELP A FELLOW OFFICER THAT WAS STRANDED, HE GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS HELPING THE OTHER OFFICER HE SMELLED SMOKE AND LOOKED BACK AND SAW THAT IT WAS OUR CAR ON FIRE. THE FIRE OCCURRED IN THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE DOOR PANEL, HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME,AFTER HE THOUGHT THE FIRE WAS OUT. THE NEXT DAY HE DROVE THE CAR TO THE AUTO SHOP,WHILE ON THE WAY THERE THE FIRE RESTARTED,HE WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE BODY SHOP. THE VEHICLE SAT AT THE DEALER SHIP FOR 13 OR 14 DAYS BEFORE WE FINALLY GOT THE OKAY FROM CHRYSLER TO FIX IT. THE MECAHANICAL PART WAS FIXED, HOWEVER THE SEVER SMELL FROM THE SMOKE,BURNT RUBBER,AND PLASTIC WAS NOT. WE DID TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK,AND THE DEALERSHIP DID DO EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO GET THE SMELL OUT, THE SMELL IS STILL THERE. THIS IS THE ONLY VEHICLE WE HAVE.SO WE HAVE HAD NO CHOICE, BUT TO DRIVE IT. MY BOYS BOTH HAVE SEVERE ASTHMA AND ALLERGIES, SO RIDING IN A CAR WITH A CONSTANT ODOR OF SMOKE AND BURNT STUFF IS EXTREMELY UNHEALTHY. MY HUSBAND HAS ALSO HAD A COUGH FROM THE SMOKE INHAILATION THAT OCCURRED, HE IS CURRENTLY COUGHING STUFF UP OUTTA HIS LUNGS. I HAVE MADE AT LEAST 20-25 PHONE CALLS TO CHRYSLER, AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED ONE BACK, WE HAVE NOT EVEN RECEIVED THE REPORT FROM THE FIRE INSPECTOR THAT THEY SENT. I WOULD REALLY JUST LIKE TO GET SOME ANSWERS AND KNOW MY RIGHTS. ANY AND ALL HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

NHTSA ODI 10971556

Mar 20, 2017Electrical system1 injury

DRIVERS HEAD REST DEPLOYMENT . SITTING IN VEHICLE AT A STANDSTILL IN PARKING LOT. STEPPED ON BRAKE TO START ENGINE AND DRIVERS HEAD REST DEPLOYED, HITTING DRIVER IN BACK OF HEAD AND FORCING HEAD INTO STEERING WHEEL. NO MAJOR INJURY, OTHER THAN HEADACHE AND BRUISE ON FOREHEAD. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN REAR ACCIDENT. GATHERED CAR FAX INFORMATION TO PROVE NO DAMAGE. MILEAGE APPROX 39,000. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM REPUTABLE DEALER (ENTERPRISE CAR SALES - SAN ANTONIO) ON DECEMBER 28, 2016. CURRENT DRIVER HAS NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN REAR-END COLLISIONS, BUMPS OR DAMAGE TO REAR OF VEHICLE. DEALER CLAIMS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR VEHICLE. ORIGINAL FACTORY WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 36,000 MILES. LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED NOT COVERED AND NOT A FACTORY DEFECT. INSURANCE COMPANY CLAIMS NOT A COVERED DAMAGE, SO NOT RESPONSIBLE. THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY HAZARD. TRIED TO RESET HEADREST, BUT WILL NOT GO BACK INTO PLACE. CURRENTLY HAVE IT HELD TOGETHER WITH A LEATHER BELT. CONCERNS WHETHER THE PASSENGER HEADREST WILL DEPLOY WITHOUT WARNING. I FEEL THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD REPLACE THE HEADREST AT NO CHARGE TO THE VEHICLE OWNER.

NHTSA ODI 10967268

Oct 7, 2015Electrical systemFire

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE LEFT SIDE WINDOW SWITCH STARTED TO SMOKE. HE PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND THE SMOKE STOPPED. HE THEN STARTED THE VEHICLE BACK UP AND FIRE CAME OUT OF THE WINDOW SWITCH.

NHTSA ODI 10780449

Working with the data? Download all 548 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 2015 Dodge Journey verdict →