Your vehicle report
2013 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
- 353
- Received May 2013 to Aug 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Seat belt fails to latch or retract45 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Airbags fail to deploy in crashes28 complaints · 7.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly15 complaints · 4.3% 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: 19 crashes, 9 fires, 32 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
Brakes
Electrical & lights
- Jeep Cherokee stalls while driving
- Vehicle catches fire from wiring
- Battery drains and dies when parked
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 |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 17 |
| 2015 | 47 |
| 2016 | 44 |
| 2017 | 25 |
| 2018 | 34 |
| 2019 | 57 |
| 2020 | 51 |
| 2021 | 21 |
| 2022 | 14 |
| 2023 | 12 |
| 2024 | 12 |
| 2025 | 9 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 7 |
| Total | 353 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 45 | 13% | 11× | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 28 | 7.9% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 15 | 4.3% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 14 | 4.0% | – | |
| Jeep Cherokee stalls while driving | 11 | 3.1% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 11 | 3.1% | – | NHTSA recall #15V675000 |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 10 | 2.8% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 9 | 2.5% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 9 | 2.5% | – | |
| Ford Focus transmission clutch slips and hesitates | 8 | 2.3% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 8 | 2.3% | – | |
| Battery drains and dies when parked | 8 | 2.3% | – | |
| Engine won't start or cranks intermittently | 8 | 2.3% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 7 | 2.0% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 7 | 2.0% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 5 | 1.4% | – | |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 4 | 1.1% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 4 | 1.1% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 4 | 1.1% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 3 | 0.9% | – |
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 #15V675000October 19, 2015275,187 vehicles affected
electronic stability control (esc); service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured April 21, 2012, to April 14, 2015. In the affected vehicles, water may enter the wiring harness for the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) module and leak into the module, disabling the ABS and/or the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system.
If the ABS or ESC is disabled, a loss of vehicle stability could occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will seal the ABS wiring harness to prevent water from entering and will replace the ABS module and repair the headlamp and dash wiring harness, as necessary. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on December 21, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R61.
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.
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 2013 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