10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 7
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
63,644 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Dodge Journey engine problems

engine problem

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2012 Dodge Journey Owner Comments (Page 2 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #65

Jun 132019

Journey

  • 113,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Yesterday, while waiting at a stop sign my 2012 Journey shut off. I had no idea it had even shut off! I pressed the gas to go and the car wouldn't move. I was a little baffled because the radio was still playing. I put the car in park and pressed the ignition and the car started again. This is latest and most unsafe issue that I have experienced with this car. The radio randomly changes stations and it doesn't shut off when the car is shut off. I have to turn the radio off before I turn the car off because it will continue to play. This started about 8 months ago. The car was turned off and the drivers door was opened, but the radio kept playing. If I forget to turn it off before the ignition, I have to restart the car and let the radio play for a min or so before I can turn it off. Also, the rear air suddenly comes on. When I turn it off it comes back on. If it's synced with the front air, it will randomly go to the high setting. The Journey also does a jerking motion while driving. This happens on the highway or neighborhood roads too. We thought that maybe it was the transmission, but we had it checked and it's fine! after yesterday's sudden shutoff, I'm wondering if all that jerking was a sign of what was to come. The brake light has been coming on for a few weeks as well. I could be driving on a city street or highway and the break light comes on. It usually happens while driving straight, acceleration or driving at a constant speed. It happens so frequently that my kids are like, here we go again because we, our bodies, start jerking with the car. We bought this car brand new at the end of 2011. I loved it at first, but now I'm afraid to put my kids in it something needs to be done. There are issues with diff. Model years, so if the problems are being fixed on some, it should be fixed on all. After all, the company made $ on all of them & our lives are valuable

- St Petersburg, FL, USA

problem #64

Mar 192019

Journey

  • 86,269 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while driving. The accelerator pedal traveled to the floorboard and the vehicle decelerated. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to antwerpen Dodge Ram (5717 baltimore national pike, catonsville, md 21228, (410) 744-7400) where it was diagnosed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was currently making a loud abnormal humming sound. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 86,269. The VIN was invalid.

- Baltimore, MD, USA

problem #63

Mar 162019

Journey

  • 87,756 miles
On multiple occasions over the past two or three months, my vehicle loses all power, and at same time the power steering goes out and brakes have to pushed extra hard to get them to work. This has happened when driving under 40 mph in town. It has happened most often within the first 5 minutes of starting the car, but today it happened after I had been driving 30 minutes on the highway and then in town for several minutes. It has happened when slowing down, when accelerating, or when going stable speed, as well as before a turn, after a turn, or while going straight. I have been able to pull over to side of road and stop, put car in park, and restart it. We took the car to a local car repair shop twice, and they could find nothing wrong after hooking it to their computer. The car has 87,756 miles on it. I am concerned that this is unsafe, and I'm worried it could happen at a dangerous intersection or at highway speeds.

- Mt. Pleasant, IA, USA

problem #62

Mar 012019

Journey

  • 110,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

On multiple occasions my vehicle will loose all power. If I'm going over 45 it usually restarts itself. If under 40 the steering locks up, all electrical shuts down and I cannot get hazard lights or pull over. I can throw it into neutral and hit the push-to-start and it restarts. Sometimes, like at stoplights, I have had to throw it into park then restart it. There have been a few instances of it not restarting no matter what we try. Through trial and error we got it to start again after serious rocking. I have noticed it happens more if the usb port or aux port are being used, although it has happened a couple of times without those being touched. Has only been happening since the majority of the functions with my on-board entertainment unit went out. Dealership can not diagnose, say they cannot get the problem to duplicate. I have videos of this happening but dealership has not been interested in seeing them.

- Lakewood, WA, USA

problem #61

Aug 192018

Journey

  • 119,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that the vehicle constantly lost power, there was a reduction of speed, and the service engine warning indicator flashed within months of owning the vehicle. The vehicle was serviced per NHTSA campaign number: 11V487000 (engine and engine cooling), but the repair failed to remedy the failures. Hondru Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of elizabethtown (2005 S market St, elizabethtown, pa 17022, (717) 367-6644) indicated that they repaired the vehicle, but the vehicle made an abnormal ticking noise and the service engine indicator kept illuminating. The dealer had not provided a loaner vehicle. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 119,000.

- Harrisburg, PA, USA

problem #60

Oct 012018

Journey

  • 83,000 miles
Heater core has to be replaced! I have no heat coming out of the passenger side vents! will cost over$1300

- Madison, IN, USA

problem #59

Dec 182018

Journey

  • 89,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The 4 cylinder engine on my 2012 Dodge Journey developed an engine coolant leak. Trouble shooting found the leak to be related to deterioration of a plastic part inside the engine...Dodge part# 68003582...adapter C. the car was standing when the problem was diagnosed. If I had not had the part replaced a catastrophic engine coolant leak could have occurred while the car was being driven, leading to a full loss of coolant, overheating of the engine and seizing of the engine. I talked with Dodge customer service and they acknowledged awareness of the problem.the car has 89,000 miles. I consider this to be a serious safety problem.

- Frederick, MD, USA

problem #58

Oct 012018

Journey

  • 116,785 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Journey. While driving various speeds, the vehicle suddenly shut off. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the crank shaft sensor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and an unknown dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 116,785. The VIN was invalid.

- Lewisville, TX, USA

problem #57

Sep 032018

Journey

  • 98,000 miles
"takata recall" it is to my understanding that this type of vehicle shouldn't have no issue with the engine at 98000, driving at 40 mph the engine stop working and now we have to buy a new transmition... how is this possible... this is unaceptable.

- White Sulphur Springs, WV, USA

problem #56

Nov 012015

Journey

  • 85,000 miles
In the middle of the winter 2015-2016 I had to replace my radiator due to a small crack that developed. My heat started to malfunction the following winter 2016-2017 it only worked part of the time. Starting in the fall of 2017 my heat went out completely. We took it in to have them check the heater core, come to find out that since the heater core is installed at an angle it doesn't drain the sludge properly. I have also noticed that my air conditioning will turn on at random. I don't know exactly when this started, but it will turn on by itself. Just this morning 8/13/18 my air turned on 15 times, after being shut off every time. I'm wondering if this is something wrong electronically. Thank you for your time and consideration on my 2012 Dodge Journey.

- Albany, IN, USA

problem #55

Jul 032018

Journey

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving on very busy highway I-270 in columbus Ohio my car stop on me on the highway that happens back in 2/14/2018 I started it back keep going luckily no accident occurred through that week continue doing it I take to shop get it fixed.on 7/3/2018 he started it's again am scared to drive my car that am paying for I don't know what to do he cost much last time I fixed it. His making strange noise from the dashboard often I don't know where the noise is coming from am really scared to put my family in its because that our family car

- Columbus, OH, USA

problem #54

Jun 122018

Journey

  • 140,000 miles
Last week I was driving my car and it felt like it was going to stall at a stop sign. Then the engine light came on when I started driving again. While driving on a busy highway my car just shut off. No brakes, or steering. I had 3 kids in the car 2 being toddlers. I was able to put it into park and start it again to get it off the road. This is the first time this happened to me and now I am scared to drive it. As for electrical my car randomly sometimes just changes radio stations, U connect doesn't work. When disconnecting the battery it works for about a month and you can not use it anymore.

- Pittsgrove, NJ, USA

problem #53

Apr 122018

Journey

  • 148,000 miles
While raining I had went to turn and the power steering had gone. I had little to no control over my 2012 Dodge Journey. Warning lights come and mainly the airbag light when turning. The battery been replaced and I had a recall preformed for lake of wiring covers. I have taking it to two different dealerships and they do not take me serious. Always trying to get me to buy a new car. Instead of fixing my current one

- Taswell, IN, USA

problem #52

Mar 152018

Journey

  • 85,365 miles
My vehicle odometer would jump from 0 to 30 while in motion(foot on pedal) and vice versa. Wiperblades started all on it's on without being turned on. No current is being brought to whole entire vehicle. Vehicle won't turn over or lock without being hooked to another battery. Can jump start but once connection is off the vehicle shuts back off. All lights flickered on and off on dash board when they never came on the 2 years I had the vehicle.

- Springfield, MA, USA

problem #51

Jan 102018

Journey 6-cyl

  • 87,035 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled when she approached a stop sign and a stop light. There were no warning indicators illuminated before or after the failure. The vehicle was driven to the sherman Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram dealer (7601 skokie blvd, skokie, il) where the vehicle was diagnosed. The diagnosis was undetermined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 87,035.

- Evanston, IL, USA

problem #50

Oct 242017

Journey

  • 140,000 miles
While driving the vehicle on a 4 lane highway the car stopped in the middle of traffic while accelerating. The vehicle had no indication/warning of its shut off. I had my child in the vehicle and could have been in a serious accident. I tried starting the vehicle again and it would not turn over. Vehicle has had all required/recommended maintenance. Vehicle has 140000 miles. Unknown of the cause of the shut off.

- Palm Coast, FL, USA

problem #49

Aug 202017

Journey

  • 130,000 miles
My vehicle has been constantly stalling out while in motion and it is unsafe to drive. My vehicle also picks up speed randomly without excelling the gas pedal. I have a family of five and due to this issue we are having to borrow other vehicles. Its sad that Dodge has not done anything about this issue as I see 100's of people have been making the same online reports. I have one year left on this vehicle and was so happy until this issue arose. I do not want to start over with a vehicle & due to so many complaints I feel like Dodge should at least waive down payment deposits to get these vehicles off the road before a huge lawsuit is done against them.

- El Campo, TX, USA

problem #48

Aug 182017

Journey

  • 200,000 miles
The car stalled on me a total of 3 times when coming to a stop at busy intersections with cars coming up behind me fast. I took it in a total of two times, to no avail. They stated they could find nothing wrong. The second time I took it in was after a week of very sketchy engine trouble (where it almost stalled numerous times) and the last 2 times it had stalled on me. When I got it back it drove much better, but yet they stated they didn't find anything. I have researched and this is not an isolated incident. I have a cousin who has a Chrysler T&C, same year and the same thing happened and again they could find nothing (they are the same engine.) I have put a complaint into Dodge. I have my paperwork form service at Dodge, just unable to upload right now.

- Escondido, CA, USA

problem #47

Apr 242017

Journey

  • 45,000 miles
Dodge recall 2011-2015 2012 Dodge Journey purchased March 25 2017 - total loss as of April 24th 2017 engine blew during a reverse

- Verona, PA, USA

problem #46

Oct 262015

Journey

  • miles
The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that the ABS and the traction control warning lights intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer (ville platte Dodge, 1320 w main St, ville platte, la 70586, (337) 363-6627) where it was indicated that they serviced the vehicle under a manufacturer recall regarding the brakes and within a week the contact noticed an abnormal noise and the brakes had failed to function properly when applied. The vehicle as taken to the dealer more than twice and they had been unable to replicate and diagnose the vehicle after several test drives. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign numbers: 15V675000 (electronic stability control, service brakes, hydraulic), and 15V431000 (engine and engine cooling) but was uncertain if the dealer remedied the recall repairs. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available. Parts distribution disconnect.

- Ville Platte, LA, USA

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