2012 Dodge JOURNEY

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Dodge JOURNEY has 621 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 7.8x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (19% of all complaints), specifically: tl* the contact owns a 2012 dodge journey sxt, equipped with a park sense mopar backing system (part number 82212465). the contact was in reverse when the backing system alerted that there was another vehicle approaching. the contact heard the alert chime but stated that the alarm needed to be ampli. ⚠️ 16 fire reports filed.

16 fire reports 30 crash reports 33 injuries

621

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

7.8x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

115 complaints

19%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE JOURNEY SXT, EQUIPPED WITH A PARK SENSE MOPAR BACKING SYSTEM (PART NUMBER 82212465). THE CONTACT WAS IN REVERSE WHEN THE BACKING SYSTEM ALERTED THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER VEHICLE APPROACHING. THE CONTACT HEARD THE ALERT CHIME BUT STATED THAT THE ALARM NEEDED TO BE AMPLI
• WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ON A BUSY ROAD IT SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND DIED WHILE DRIVING IT, HAD IT TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FUSE HAD BLOWN, THE CAR IS ONLY 1YR OLD. THE SECOND TIME WE WERE DRIVING DOWN A BUSY HIGH WAY AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED THIS TIME IT WAS DET
• THE CAR DISABLES WHILE DRIVING AND DOES NOT START PROPERLY. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED IT AND EACH TIME THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIX THE CAR. I BELIEVE THE CAR IS A LEMON AND WANT TO SPARE SOMEONE THE NIGHTMARE THAT I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE JOURNEY SXT, EQUIPPED WITH A PARK SENSE MOPAR BACKING SYSTEM (PART NUMBER 82212465). THE CONTACT WAS IN REVERSE WHEN THE BACKING SYSTEM ALERTED THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER VEHICLE APPROACHING. THE CONTACT HEARD THE ALERT CHIME BUT STATED THAT THE ALARM NEEDED TO BE AMPLI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

108 complaints

17%

• BRAKES ON THE 2012 DODGE JOURNEY SQUEAKED AND APPEARED TO NOT WANT TO STOP PROPERLY. I TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS BREAK DUST THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. AFTER THE SQUEAKING GOT WORST, I TOOK IT BACK IN WAS TOLD THAT THEY REPLACED MY BRAKE PADS. HERE I AM 2 MONTHS LATER WITH TH
• I BOUGHT MY NEW DODGE JOURNEY ON THE 16TH OF JULY 2012. I LIVE APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP WERE I BOUGHT MY JOURNEY. MOST OF MY DRIVING IS HIGHWAY SO I DIDN'T NOTICE THE ISSUE RIGHT AWAY. THE FIRST TIME I CAME TO A STOP WITH MY NEW VEHICLE THE BRAKES SHUDDERED LIKE THEY WERE GRABBING
• WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES AND COMING TO A STOP THERE WAS AN AWFUL GRINDING NOISE AND IT FELT AS IF THE VEHICLE MIGHT BE JERKING OR NOT STOPPING CORRECTLY. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FIRST THING ON MONDAY AND AFTER THEIR INSPECTION WAS TOLD THAT THE REAR BRAKE PADS ARE DEFECTIVE. THERE WAS SOME SU

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 6 crashes

“BRAKES ON THE 2012 DODGE JOURNEY SQUEAKED AND APPEARED TO NOT WANT TO STOP PROPERLY. I TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS BREAK DUST THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. AFTER THE SQUEAKING GOT WORST, I TOOK IT BACK IN WAS TOLD THAT THEY REPLACED MY BRAKE PADS. HERE I AM 2 MONTHS LATER WITH TH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

105 complaints

17%

• CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. AFTER TWO TIME TO THE SAME DEALER, SAME PROBLEM. TOOK CAR TO ANOTHER DEALER, FINALLY THE CORRECT REPAIR. DEFECTIVE CYLINDER HEAD. *TR
• MY FAMILY WAS IN THE VEHICLE (MY SON WAS 4 WEEKS OLD AT THE TIME, MY DAUGHTER 2) ON THE NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY AND THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT AT 65 MPH. MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTART THE VEHICLE. ABOUT 15 MILES LATER, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. WE EXITED THE HIGHWAY AND TH
• WHILE APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT VEHICLE STUTTERS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. WHILE WAITING AT LIGHT THE VEHICLE ENGINE DIED. THIS CONTINUED FOR SEVERAL TIMES INTERMITTENTLY. NO WARNING LIGHTS NO WARNING. EXCEPT TRANSMISSION STUTTER. CALLED DEALER ABOUT ISSUE, THEY TOLD US IF THEY CAN'T REPROD

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 8 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. AFTER TWO TIME TO THE SAME DEALER, SAME PROBLEM. TOOK CAR TO ANOTHER DEALER, FINALLY THE CORRECT REPAIR. DEFECTIVE CYLINDER HEAD. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

53 complaints

• MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THE ABS LIGHT LIT UP AND NEVER TURNED OFF. THEN THE ADD SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR BARELY STOPS LIKE THE BRAKES ARE JUST GIVEN OUT. MIND YOU THERE IS LESS THAN 30K MILES ON IT.
• I DROVE MY VEHICLE FOR ABOUT 30 MILES, UPON ARRIVING HOME AND REMOVING MY CHILDREN FROM THE CAR I SMELT SOMETHING BURNING. I COULDN'T LOCATE WHERE THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM AND JUST DECIDED TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT. ON THE 21ST OF JULY AGAIN AFTER DRIVING A DECENT AMOUNT, MAYBE 25 MILES, AND REMOVING MY
• BLUETOOTH / UCONNECT / VOICE RECOGNITION STOPPED WORKING

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports

“MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THE ABS LIGHT LIT UP AND NEVER TURNED OFF. THEN THE ADD SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR BARELY STOPS LIKE THE BRAKES ARE JUST GIVEN OUT. MIND YOU THERE IS LESS THAN 30K MILES ON IT.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

44 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE JOURNEY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V675000 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIM
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE JOURNEY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V675000 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND 15V431000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO SUPPLY THE PARTS TO RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIRS FOR MONTHS.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE JOURNEY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V675000 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIM

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE JOURNEY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V675000 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIM”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 621 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE JOURNEY SXT, EQUIPPED WITH A PARK SENSE MOPAR BACKING SYSTEM (PART NUMBER 82212465). THE CONTACT WAS IN REVERSE WHEN THE BACKING SYSTEM ALERTED THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER VEHICLE APPROACHING. THE CONTACT HEARD THE ALERT CHIME BUT STATED THAT THE ALARM NEEDED TO BE AMPLI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: BRAKES ON THE 2012 DODGE JOURNEY SQUEAKED AND APPEARED TO NOT WANT TO STOP PROPERLY. I TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS BREAK DUST THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. AFTER THE SQUEAKING GOT WORST, I TOOK IT BACK IN WAS TOLD THAT THEY REPLACED MY BRAKE PADS. HERE I AM 2 MONTHS LATER WITH TH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. AFTER TWO TIME TO THE SAME DEALER, SAME PROBLEM. TOOK CAR TO ANOTHER DEALER, FINALLY THE CORRECT REPAIR. DEFECTIVE CYLINDER HEAD. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THE ABS LIGHT LIT UP AND NEVER TURNED OFF. THEN THE ADD SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR BARELY STOPS LIKE THE BRAKES ARE JUST GIVEN OUT. MIND YOU THERE IS LESS THAN 30K MILES ON IT.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)