Your vehicle report
2011 Dodge Journey
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 169
- Received Mar 2011 to May 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Front brake rotors warp and wear early18 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly9 complaints · 5.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Unintended acceleration despite braking8 complaints · 4.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #17V432000Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Dodge Journey vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the driver's frontal air bag may unexpectedly deploy if the air bag wiring harness gets chafed within the steering wheel and short circuits.
- Recall #16V273000Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2009-2016 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured July 31, 2007, to November 12, 2016. After exposure to cold temperatures, the power steering return hose may rupture at engine start-up causing a loss of power steering assist.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 7 crashes, 4 fires, 10 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Unintended acceleration despite braking
- Engine suddenly shuts off while driving
- Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips
1 more problem
Brakes
Electrical & lights
- Battery drains and dies when parked
- Vehicle catches fire from wiring
- Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own
1 more problem
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 9 |
| 2012 | 21 |
| 2013 | 12 |
| 2014 | 17 |
| 2015 | 22 |
| 2016 | 12 |
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 20 |
| 2019 | 18 |
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 2 |
| Total | 169 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 18 | 11% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 9 | 5.3% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 8 | 4.7% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 7 | 4.1% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 7 | 4.1% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 6 | 3.5% | – | |
| Battery drains and dies when parked | 6 | 3.5% | – | |
| Heater blows cold air, defroster fails | 5 | 3.0% | – | |
| Power steering rack leaks fluid | 5 | 3.0% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 5 | 3.0% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 4 | 2.4% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 4 | 2.4% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 4 | 2.4% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 3 | 1.8% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 3 | 1.8% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 3 | 1.8% | – | |
| Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own | 3 | 1.8% | – | |
| Alloy wheel rims crack and lose air | 3 | 1.8% | – | |
| Jeep Cherokee stalls while driving | 3 | 1.8% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 3 | 1.8% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #17V432000July 7, 2017363,480 vehicles affected
air bags: frontal
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Dodge Journey vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the driver's frontal air bag may unexpectedly deploy if the air bag wiring harness gets chafed within the steering wheel and short circuits.
Unexpected deployment of the driver's frontal air bag increases the risk of a crash or driver injury.
Remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bag wiring within the steering wheel, replacing it if necessary. A protective cover will also be installed. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began August 28, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T47.
NHTSA recall #16V273000May 6, 20168,569 vehicles affected
steering: hydraulic power assist: hose, piping, and connections
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2009-2016 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured July 31, 2007, to November 12, 2016. After exposure to cold temperatures, the power steering return hose may rupture at engine start-up causing a loss of power steering assist.
A loss of power steering assist may require extra steering effort, especially at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering return hoses, steel tubes, and power steering oil cooler, free of charge. The recall began on May 24, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S08.
NHTSA recall #15V431000July 7, 2015145,379 vehicles affected
engine and engine cooling: engine
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2015 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured July 19, 2010, to May 26, 2015 and equipped with 2.4L engines. In the affected vehicles, the engine cover may detach from the engine and contact the exhaust manifold.
If the displaced engine cover contacts the exhaust manifold, there would be an increased risk of a vehicle fire.
Remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install an improved mounting system for the engine cover, free of charge. The recall began on October 15, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R32.
NHTSA recall #11V315000June 8, 201111,096 vehicles affected
steering: column
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2011DODGE Journey, Jeep wrangler, Chrysler 200, Chrysler 200 convertible, Dodge avenger, Dodge nitro, Jeep liberty, Dodge caliber, Jeep compass, Jeep patriot, Dodge grand caravan and Chrysler town & country vehicles. Some of these vehicles may have been built with a missing or incorrectly installed steering column pivot rivet.
A missing or incorrectly installed rivet could compromise the ability of the steering column to support the occupant loads in the event of a frontal crash, decreasing the effectiveness of the frontal impact safety system. As a result, the condition may increase the potential for injury in a frontal crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect for rivet presence and alignment and repair the steering column pivot as required, free of charge. The safety recall began on july 4, 2011. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2011 Dodge Journey.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN