Home · 2016 Dodge Journey · Complaints

What 383 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 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 (383)Crash / fire / injury (27)Engine (113)Transmission & drivetrain (86)Electrical system (84)Brakes (52)Seats (35)Steering (34)Speed control (32)Airbags (26)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (18)Fuel system (13)

26 of 383 complaints match · Airbags · clear filters · page 1 of 2

Feb 10, 2026AirbagsCrash

Air bags did not deploy during an mvc

NHTSA ODI 11717106

Sep 10, 2025AirbagsSeats

While returning from a shopping trip with my mom the passenger headrest broke/exploded? It caused several small plastic fragments to fly from I guess inside and the headrest hit my mom in the back of the head. There were no lights to indicate a problem, no other vehicles around and we were only traveling 25 mph. No police or anyone else involved Ed. Wasn't sure what to do. I saw a recall for this on similar vehicles but mine is not included.

NHTSA ODI 11686440

Aug 26, 2024AirbagsCrash4 injuries

was involved in a major accident and the air bags did not deploy. Was hit on head on and right side.

NHTSA ODI 11611037

Apr 3, 2024Airbags

The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that at start-up and and while driving at various speeds, the air bag warning light illuminated followed by a warning chime. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for assistance, but the contact was referred to the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 122,128.

NHTSA ODI 11580870

Jan 8, 2024Airbags

Ignition coil and spark plug

NHTSA ODI 11564270

Oct 21, 2023Airbags

Headrest saftey mechanism deployed due to the tension pin breaking internally while sitting in a driveway. Nothing caused deployment other than random device faliure

NHTSA ODI 11551134

Sep 28, 2023AirbagsSeats

The driver's headrest in my 2016 Dodge Journey has deployed and will not reset. The plastic pieces that hold the metal bar have broken. I have read about many other owners of Journeys, that are experiencing the same issue, yet there is no official recall. I have not taken it to be inspected.

NHTSA ODI 11547047

Aug 15, 2023AirbagsSeats

The other day I noticed my air bag warning light was on on my dashboard. I had my car hooked up to run the codes for the dash lights. It came back as the airbags in the drivers and passenger headrests had popped or started to pop. I had the headrests looked at and the black plastic cover on the back of it is partially coming off. There is a gap between the front of the headrest and the back of the headrest, big enough my finger can fit through. I was not in a car accident or anything like that, my car was parked for a few days and when I went to drive it, this is how I found it.

NHTSA ODI 11538552

Jul 11, 2023AirbagsSeats

While driving, the front passenger headrest just deployed and sprung forward, hitting my son in the back of the head

NHTSA ODI 11531505

May 1, 2023Airbags1 injury

I was driving and while slowing down to park the drivers seat head rest deploy and I became dizzy and body aches instantly.

NHTSA ODI 11519816

Jan 25, 2023AirbagsBrakesCrash

Airbags didn't deploy in head on collision and break system has a defect in the abs module

NHTSA ODI 11503536

Nov 29, 2022AirbagsSeats

Headrest (seat driver side) deployed for no reason while car was parked in garage and turned off.

NHTSA ODI 11495409

Dec 15, 2021AirbagsCrash2 injuries

Head on Collison with light pole high speed the no airbags deployed. Vehicle was towed to tow yard is awaiting insurance to estimate damages.

NHTSA ODI 11443891

Mar 10, 2021AirbagsSeats

FOR NO REASON WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE DRIVER SIDE HEADREST POPPED OUT AND NOW THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT IS ON.

NHTSA ODI 11400269

Mar 8, 2021AirbagsSeats

PASSENGER SEAT HEAD RESTRAINT POPPED OPEN JUST SITTING IN MY GARAGE PROMPTING AIRBAG LIGHT.

NHTSA ODI 11399840

Nov 29, 2020AirbagsSeats

PASSENGER SIDE HEAD RESTRAIN IS DEPLOYED/BROKEN. CAME OUT TO CAR IN MORNING AND HEAD RESTRAIN WAS SPLIT OPEN. APPEARS TO BE BROKEN TABS AND CANNOT BE REASSEMBLED. NOW HAVE A BROKEN HEAD RESTRAIN ON PASSENGER SEAT. SEEMS UNSAFE. NOT MOVING, NOT NOT OCCUPIED.

NHTSA ODI 11376982

Nov 1, 2020Airbags

RECALL ON AIRBAG WIRE CHAFFING IN STEERING COLUMN, ENDS UP TO 2015, MY VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED SAYS THE DEALER, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATE OF MANUFACTURE IT WAS MADE 10/15 , BUT MY TITTLE SAYS ITS A 2016, NOW I DRIVE AROUND WITH AIRBAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ON AND OFF. READING FURTHER ON RECALL SAYING DRIVERS AIRBAG MAY DEPLOY ANY TIME

NHTSA ODI 11372534

Jul 9, 2020AirbagsElectronic Stability Control (esc)

MY AIRBAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND GOING OFF. MY ABS LIGHT STAYS OFF AFTER STARTING AND WHILE DRIVING. NOW MY BRAKE LIGHT IS ON. THE BRAKE POPS ON AFTER I BEGAN TO DRIVE AND STAYS ON.

NHTSA ODI 11338328

May 24, 2020Airbags

I WAS DRIVING DOWN I5 (HIGHWAY) GOING 70 MILES PER HOUR AND MY HEADREST AIR BAG WENT OFF WITH NO WARNING. CAUSING ME TO ALMOST LOSE CONTROL OF MY CAR. LUCKILY I DID NOT HIT ANYONE, OR WRECK MY CAR. THERE WAS NO REASON FOR MY HEADREST AIR BAG TO GO OFF. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11325754

Aug 16, 2019Airbags

AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF.

NHTSA ODI 11244506

Mar 20, 2019Airbags

THE AIRBAG SIGN SHOW UP

NHTSA ODI 11190348

Feb 22, 2019Airbags

JUST DRIVING NORMAL DOWN THE ROAD ON A CITY STREETAND THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND NOW STAYS ON. CAR WAS MFG 09/2015 AND HAS 44K ON IT. CANNOT FIND ANY RECALLS BUT ONE ITEM FROM MOTOR 1 DATED 07/14/2017 THAT SAID FAULTY WIRING ON JOURNEY CROSSOVER COULD CAUSE THE THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG TO UNEXPECTEDLY DEPLOY. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALER THEY SAID NOT TRUE AND IT'S NOT COVERED.HOW CAN THIS BE? PLEAS HELP

NHTSA ODI 11181791

Sep 17, 2018Airbags

AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON DUE TO CLOCK SPRING NOT WORKING. TURNS ON AN OFF RANDOMLY AND BEEPS

NHTSA ODI 11129894

Jun 19, 2018AirbagsCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 DODGE JOURNEY. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH A TRUCK. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE TURNED TO THE LEFT AND COLLIDED WITH AN EMBANKMENT. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED LEFT ARM SORENESS, BUT NO MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,632.

NHTSA ODI 11102672

Aug 15, 2017AirbagsSpeed controlCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 DODGE JOURNEY. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, IT ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER A CONCRETE BUMPER AND STRUCK A BUILDING. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A BODY SHOP (ALL MAGIC PAINT AND BODY) AND THE BODY DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10,545. UPDATED 09/27/17*LJ *TR

NHTSA ODI 11015379

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Working with the data? Download all 383 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 2016 Dodge Journey verdict →