Why is it that Dodge Journey owners have to do so much to simply drive their cars? Here is a list of what I have dealt with under 90K miles on mine and some added from reading posts on here:
- replace cylinder heads (TWICE!)
- replace oil filter housing assembly because it is made of plastic and cracks easily
- pull fuse on horn so it doesn't beep constantly
- swap batteries due to unknown draining
- turn off radio and the climate control so it doesn't run while parked overnight
- rear wiper only works (partially) when the transmission is in reverse
- the emergency brake indicator comes on while going down the highway
- the airbag indicator comes on intermittantly
- you can't get out of the car with the fob in your pocket with people in the car because the door chime will never stop.

I own a 2015 and I will say it. These cars are jokes! And what is worse is the dealerships don't have a clue out to fix them. HOW IS THAT WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A DECADE?? Just taking the vehicle in to figure out why it is doing stupid things the dealership charges an arm and a leg to diagnose it.

Dodge, this is why I will never buy another Dodge/Chrysler product.

 

Hi Mudshack, We sincerely regret to hear of all the trouble that has been associated with your ownership experience. Please know that our team would be more than happy to provide an additional layer of assistance if you do end up connecting with your dealer. What we can do is escalate a case on your behalf so that one of our Case Specialists could work alongside your dealer to find a potential solution to the concerns you’re currently experiencing. Feel free to follow up with us via private message if this would be of interest.
Rob
DodgeCares

 

These aren't all his problems, he seems to be compiling a list from the different threads
"Here is a list of what I have dealt with under 90K miles on mine and some added from reading posts on here:"

 

I've owned two. An 09 4 cylinder and a 2013 with the 3.6. Aside from premature brake wear on the 09 (common) which I remedied by replacing pads and rotors with quality aftermarket parts, and the struts "thumping" on the 2013, which was remedied by replacing the struts and strut mounts with quality aftermarket parts, that's it. Besides gas, oil and tires. Hell the 2013 still had the original brake pads on it when we traded it in with almost 90k. Very dependable and trouble free vehicles. I realize everyone's experiences may not be the same, or that some are totally dependent on less than stellar dealerships to diagnose/fix issues that come up. I've owned some lemons before. It's not confined to Chrysler/Dodge and if I pitched a hissy fit every time something happened and swore up and down I'll never buy from "XYZ" again, I'd be walking by now. It helped we have an excellent Chrysler Dodge dealership. Guess Chrysler Fiat lost another customer with him. Will he sell his Ram too?

- replace cylinder heads (TWICE!)

Sounds like bad luck. There was a gasket recall on early Pentastar engines, which FCA extending a special warranty to fix just the Left-hand gasket (15yr/150k miles?) Hopefully the powertrain has been taking care you you both times anyway? At what mileage did these occur?

- replace oil filter housing assembly because it is made of plastic and cracks easily
I've never had an issue with my OEM oil filter plastic-bit. comes off easy, goes on easy. I've never had an easier car to change the oil on. Are you lubing-up the thread when you put it on? someone else mentioned the wrong filter ... Maybe this is causing it to get stuck? are you reefing down on the cap? from my experience, it really doesn't take much to tighten.



- pull fuse on horn so it doesn't beep constantly
- swap batteries due to unknown draining
- turn off radio and the climate control so it doesn't run while parked overnight
- rear wiper only works (partially) when the transmission is in reverse
- the emergency brake indicator comes on while going down the highway
- the airbag indicator comes on intermittantly

is the BCM failing/filled with water? If all these symptoms are grouped together, it seems like a BCM issue.


- you can't get out of the car with the fob in your pocket with people in the car because the door chime will never stop.

This is by design. To let you know you've left the key outside the car. Frustrating for anyone who is forced to sit inside the car and listen to it (say, when you're gassing up in the winter an want to keep the occupants warm). There is no way around this other than leaving the key in the car (which is what I do when I leave my wife in the car and I get sometime from inside the store).

 

Ok.....So I did pull some of the issues from other posts.....but they were all on the first page of this forum. Here are all of my issues and my DK just turned over 90k on Sunday. And my powertrain warranty did save me but that expired back in October and I am not trusting the DJ.

- replace cylinder heads (TWICE!)
- replace oil filter housing assembly because it is made of plastic and cracks easily (apparently even when snugged up by hand)
- water getting into fuse box from the bottom corroding fuses (not covered under warranty even if obviously a design flaw)
- radio turns on by itself when diagnostic computer connected
- windshield wipers turn themselves on when diagnostic computer connected
- rear wiper only works (partially) when the transmission is in reverse
- the emergency brake indicator comes on while going down the highway
- the airbag indicator comes on intermittently
- front spring/struts creak and thump when entering exiting driveways
- rear facing lights don't last (passenger LED brake lights - none get bright with brakes but work in dim normal mode. Some times the brake light works but rarely), (reverse light went out), LED tail lights located on the hatch stopped working)
- Tire pressure system constantly says it needs to be serviced. It reads all tire pressures in real time and dealership said that some main sensor needs to be replace...$$$, So I just let it flash at me every time I start the car, ding, and then stay lit.

There were a few other odd things but I don't remember right now. I bought this 2015 in October of 2015 with $36k and I just turned over 90k.

BTW - I sold the 97 Dodge Ram back in 2012. Just forgot to remove it from my profile.

 

Time to sell and cut your losses....

 

Sorry if I offended anyone. I thought a lot of people were feeling the same way I do about the DJ. But apparently most of you are happy DJ owners. I did not mean to offend any of you. And I guess I really do have a lemon if the rest of you are not having these issues. My dad has had a few of these issues with his DJ and Jeep Grand Cherokee so I assumed a lot of people were dealing with them.

I apologize for making such a sweeping general model bashing statement. I will stay in my lane and deal with my DJ issues from here on out.

 

Yeh...Unfortunately still too upside down for that. Maybe in another year.

 

I hate it you have these issues but you are not the first. I swear the it depends on which day of the week it’s built on.