2011 Dodge JOURNEY problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
169 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
65,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: . 137 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 47 of 169 complaints (27.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 61 | 36.1% |
| Steering behavior | 38 | 22.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 30 | 17.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 13 | 7.7% |
| Engine operation | 10 | 5.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 1.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 47 |
| Electrical System | 41 |
| Engine | 29 |
| Steering | 23 |
| Power Train | 16 |
| Air Bags | 14 |
| Unknown Or Other | 14 |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 |
Service Brakes: 47; Electrical System: 41; Engine: 29; Steering: 23; Power Train: 16; Air Bags: 14; Unknown Or Other: 14; Exterior Lighting: 8
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 43 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 11 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 26 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 24 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 26 |
| 150,000 and above | 7 |
Under 25,000: 43; 25,000 to 49,999: 11; 50,000 to 74,999: 26; 75,000 to 99,999: 24; 100,000 to 149,999: 26; 150,000 and above: 7
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (43). 32 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 9 |
| 2012 | 21 |
| 2013 | 12 |
| 2014 | 17 |
| 2015 | 22 |
| 2016 | 12 |
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 20 |
| 2019 | 18 |
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2011: 9; 2012: 21; 2013: 12; 2014: 17; 2015: 22; 2016: 12; 2017: 13; 2018: 20; 2019: 18; 2020: 13; 2021: 2; 2022: 4; 2024: 3; 2025: 1; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 61 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 38 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 30 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10429643 · 2011-10-12 (October 12, 2011)
AT APPROXIMATELY 5000 MILES, AND LESS THAN 5 MONTHS OLD, MY 2011 DODGE JOURNEY, BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY (STEERING WHEEL) WHEN I SLOWED DOWN. AT FIRST, IT BEGAN AT APPROX 52 MILES AN HOUR, AND WAS NOTICEABLE GOING DOWN SMALL HILLS. IT HAS PROGRESSIVELY BECOME WORSE; VIOLENTLY SHAKING ANYWHERE FROM 30-60 MILES, WITH THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKING SO HARD IT BECOMES DIFFICULT TO MANAGE. I FIRST NOTICED IT EARLY IN SEPTEMBER. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER ON 9/15, WHO CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS DEFECTIVE ROTORS. WAS TOLD THE ROTORS WOULD BE ORDERED AND I WOULD B…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10429643 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10437589 · 2011-11-28 (November 28, 2011)
THIS IS THE FIRST INCIDENT 2 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED THIS BRAND NEW TRUCK. THE CAR HAD NO POWER AT ALL. IT WOULD NOT START. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED FROM MY DRIVEWAY. ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR THE HEAD OR BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT FOR THE FOURTH TIME AND IT IS HAS BEEN IN THE SERVICE CENTER ABOUT A MONTH AND THEY HAVE NO ANSWERS. I HAVE HAVE CALLED DODGE NUMEROUS TIMES AND CAN'T GET ANY HELP FROM ANYONE. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE I HAVE BEEN PULLED OVER BY POLICE N…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10437589 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10440124 · 2011-12-16 (December 16, 2011)
THE CAR HAS BEEN SHAKING FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW, WORSE WHEN BRAKING. TWICE NOW, WE HAVE HAD TO STOP ABRUPTLY AND THE FRONT BRAKES DID NOT WORK CORRECTLY. ONCE IT DID CAUSE A MINOR ACCIDENT. THERE IS A LOUD GRINDING SOUND FROM THE FRONT WHEEL AREA AND POOR STOPPING AND THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES NOW FOR THE SAME COMPLAINTS. THEY REPLACED THE REAR ROTORS FOR SOME REASON. NOW THEY ARE REPLACING THE FRONT ROTORS. THE DEALER CLAIMED THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTS OF BRAKING/STEERING PROBLEMS FOR THIS YEAR/MODEL SO THEY…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10440124 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10447734 · 2012-02-13 (February 13, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE JOURNEY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE ALSO HESITATED TO ACCELERATE FROM STOPS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT A WIRING HARNESS SHAFT NEAR THE HEAD CYLINDER WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17,383.
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10447734 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10454070 · 2012-04-04 (April 4, 2012)
FOR THE SIXTH TIME THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOWED IN FOR REPAIR TO NO AVAIL ...THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE EVERYTHING WILL GO OFF [LIGHTS HORN, RADIO. AND THERE IS NO WAY TO SHUT IT DOWN. I'M SO SCARED TO PUT MY GRAND DAUGHTERS IN IT BECAUSE IT MIGHT SHUT DOWN WHILE WERE DRIVING AND I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET THEM OUT OF IT .I DON'T FIND THIS DODGE RELIABLE OR DEPENDABLE ...IT SCARES THE [XXX] OUT OF US.THE DEALERS WILL ONLY CHARGE THE BATTERY AND SEND IT BACK TO ME AND THERE HAS BEEN A FEW WHE…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,774 miles reported. Look up ODI 10454070 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10435037 · 2011-11-09 (November 9, 2011)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE JOURNEY AWD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHIFTING IN DIFFERENT GEARS, SHE NOTICED A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD JOLT IN ANY DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE NEW MODEL DODGE JOURNEYS ALL DROVE THE SAME WAY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE M…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10435037 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10622459 · 2014-08-15 (August 15, 2014)
I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH MY JOURNEY. BEFORE 2500 ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED AROUND 30K MILES TRANSMISSION REBUILT NOW AT 53K MILES THE TRANSMISSION IS BEING REBUILT AGAIN! THIS LAST TIME IT OCCURRED WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR ON THE WAY TO DAYCARE. MY CAR WOULD NOT GET INTO GEAR AS I WAS DRIVING IT FEEL OUT OF GEAR AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WITH MY FOOT ON THE GAS. NOT TO MENTION MY CAR WOULD NOT EVEN GO INTO PARK! WHEN MY CAR WAS IN PARK THE CAR WOULD DRIFT BACKWARDS. KEEP IN MIND THIS WAS HAPPENING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY WITH 2 YOUNG CH…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10622459 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10465603 · 2012-07-13 (July 13, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE JOURNEY. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 55 TO 60 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17,500.
Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10465603 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10604442 · 2014-06-19 (June 19, 2014)
WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION, BEING DRIVEN, IT STALLS AT LEAST ONCE PER WEEK FOR NO APPARENT REASON! *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10604442 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10492300 · 2013-01-11 (January 11, 2013)
SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2011 I'VE HAD PROBLEMS FROM THE RADIO NOT WORKING, POWER OUTLETS NOT WORKING, BAD CYLINDER HEADS, HAVE RANDOM LOSS OF ACCELERATION, BAD GAS TANK AND FUEL PUMP. ACCORDING TO THE TECHNICIAN AT THE DEALER THE JOURNEY HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CYLINDER GOING BED WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR. THE FUEL PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE. THE FIRST TIME THEY REPLACED IT I BROKE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY 3 DAYS LATER WITH MY FAMILY IN THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND THE VEHICLE SHUTOFF.…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,667 miles reported. Look up ODI 10492300 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11595467 · 2024-06-20 (June 20, 2024)
The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was not able to restart after each failure. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The contact stated that his friend replaced the fuel pump an additional four times. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was…
Owner-reported narrative. 145,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11595467 at NHTSA ↗