NHTSA owner complaints

Model record

Dodge Journey Years to Avoid: Reliability and Recalls

Every Dodge Journey model year in NHTSA's owner complaint file, 2010 to 2020: how many complaints each year drew, the problem owners named most, and the recalls to check before you buy.

NHTSA owner complaintsChecked Oct 3, 20263,822 complaints11 model years

A gray 2018 Dodge Journey seen from the front — 2018 Dodge Journey Crossroad, from the 2011 to 2020 model yearsElise240SXCC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons

Short answer

The Dodge Journey years with the most owner complaints are 2010, 2015 and 2014. Owners named the electrical system most for 2010 and 2014, and the engine for 2015.

It's a count of reports, not a failure rate, and the newest years have had less time on the road to collect them.

What we know beyond the file

The 2010 Journey drew the most complaints of any year in the file, 988, though most complaints overall fall on the 2011 to 2020 crossovers.

Dodge Journey complaints by model year

Every Dodge Journey model year in NHTSA's owner complaint file, 2010 to 2020. Years with 2,000 or more complaints are dark; beside each bar is the system owners named most that year.

2010
Electrical system58%
988
2011
Braking system28%
169
2012
Electrical system30%
376
2013
Engine20%
352
2014
Electrical system25%
410
2015
Engine24%
552
2016
Engine29%
385
2017
Electrical system30%
196
2018
Electrical system31%
230
2019
Electrical system23%
100
2020
Electrical system30%
64

Best Dodge Journey years by complaint count

Of the years with at least five years on the road, these drew the fewest owner complaints. Fewer reports is not a clean bill of health: check the recalls for the exact car.

2020
Electrical system · 1 recall
64
2019
Electrical system · 1 recall
100
2011
Braking system · 4 recalls
169

Most common Dodge Journey problems

The systems owners named most across all 11 model years, counted from each year's six most-named systems.

Electrical system
Named most in 7 of 11 years
1,276
Engine
Named most in 3 of 11 years
795
Braking system
Named most in 1 of 11 years
546
Powertrain
Never the top system in a year
242
Airbag system
Never the top system in a year
228

Our guides for these problems

Electrical system

Electrical systemAlternator or battery?Electrical systemDashboard warning lights

Engine

EngineBlown head gasket signs EngineCar shuts off while driving EngineEngine power reduced

Braking system

Braking systemBrake warning light Braking systemABS light on Braking systemWarped brake rotors

Powertrain

PowertrainBad transmission symptoms PowertrainTransmission slipping PowertrainJerks when accelerating

Dodge Journey years to avoid by generation

Dodge gave the 2011 Journey a major overhaul, with a redesigned suspension, a new V6 and a new interior, so the years in the file fall into two groups. NHTSA's file has the Journey from 2010 to 2020.

2010

Before the 2011 overhaul

2010 most complaints · electrical system

2010988

988 complaints · 1 model year

2011–2020

Major overhaul for 2011

2015 most complaints · engine

2011169
2012376
2013352
2014410
2015552
2016385
2017196
2018230
2019100
202064

2,834 complaints · 10 model years

Dodge Journey recalls by year

Recall campaigns NHTSA lists for each model year, read Oct 3, 2026. A campaign that covers several years counts in each of them. Recall repairs are free at the dealer; check one car with its VIN.

2010
Most often: steering
3
2011
Most often: steering
4
2012
Most often: engine and cooling
6
2013
Most often: airbag system
4
2014
Most often: equipment
7
2015
Most often: electrical system
6
2016
Most often: electrical system
4
2017
Most often: electrical system
2
2018
Most often: electrical system
6
2019
Most often: backup camera
1
2020
Most often: backup camera
1

Dodge Journey crash test ratings by year

NHTSA's overall star rating for each model year, with the frontal, side and rollover stars beside it.

2010
No overall rating
—
2011
No overall rating
—
2012
Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 4
4/5
2013
Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 4
4/5
2014
Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 4
4/5
2015
No overall rating
—
2016
Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 4
4/5
2017
Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 4
4/5
2018
Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 4
4/5
2019
Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 4
4/5
2020
Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 4
4/5

Federal investigations

NHTSA's defect office has opened 6 investigations into 6 problems that cover Dodge Journey model years from 2010 to 2020. An investigation looks into a possible defect; it is not a finding.

Air bag non-deployment/engine stallModel years 2008–2010, Opened Jun 16, 2014 (RQ14002), closed Mar 2, 2015Closed

Totally integrated power module failureModel years 2009–2010, Opened Sep 25, 2014 (DP14004), closed Jul 24, 2015Closed

Active head rest inadvertent deploymentModel years 2010–2019, Opened Sep 9, 2019 (PE19014), closed Feb 25, 2026Closed

Stall from crankshaft\camshaft failureModel years 2015–2016, Opened Jul 22, 2022 (RQ22002), closed Jun 16, 2025Closed

Back up camera failureModel years 2017–2020, Opened Feb 27, 2024 (PE24006), closed Sep 26, 2025Closed

Vehicle entrapmentModel years 2009–2020, Opened Aug 1, 2024 (EA24003)Open

Common questions

What are the Dodge Journey years to avoid?

The years with the most owner complaints are 2010, 2015 and 2014. Treat them as the years to inspect hardest, not as a verdict on every car: run the VIN for open recalls and have the systems owners named checked before you buy.

What year is the most reliable Dodge Journey?

Complaints can't name a most reliable year, because the file counts reports, not failures per car sold. Of the years with at least five years on the road, 2020 drew the fewest complaints: 64. Newer years have fewer still, but they have had less time to collect them.

What is the most common problem with the Dodge Journey?

Across every year in the file, owners named the electrical system most, in 1,276 complaints, then the engine, in 795.

Which Dodge Journey years have the most recalls?

2014, 2012 and 2015, with 7, 6 and 6 recall campaigns.

Journey year pages

2010988

What the complaint record can't tell you

How many were soldA popular year looks worse than a rare one.

Whether your car has itA count isn't a probability for one car.

Who filedRecalls and news send owners to the form.

What it costsNo repair prices on this page.

Sources

Show all 3 sources

NHTSA owner complaints fileFederal file of Aug 25, 2026

Complaints by model year and system

NHTSA recallsRead Oct 3, 2026

Recall campaigns by model year

Dodge media, Jun 22, 2011 (Wayback copy)2011 Dodge Journey overhaul

Generation boundary 2011

Counts by system and year cover vehicles with at least 10 complaints.