2012 Dodge Journey: owner complaints and recalls

Owners have filed 375 complaints about the 2012 Dodge Journey and NHTSA has issued 6 recall campaigns. The most-reported system is electrical system, named in 115 of them.

375
Complaints
6
Recalls
21
Crash reports
13
Fire reports
24
Injuries
94.4
Severity index

Severity index 94.4 - Medium. It weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints, so a vehicle attracting serious reports scores above one attracting many trivial ones (how this is calculated).

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 94.4p25 35p75 96cleanestworst
Where the 2012 Dodge Journey sits against the quartiles of every vehicle we track.

Among the 129 2012 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2012 Dodge Journey ranks 35 of 129 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 73% of its model-year peers. See the full 2012 ranking.

What actually fails

Electrical SystemElectrical System: 115 complaints (30.7%)115 31%Service BrakesService Brakes: 106 complaints (28.3%)106 28%EngineEngine: 97 complaints (25.9%)97 26%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 48 complaints (12.8%)48 13%Electronic Stability Co…Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 44 complaints (11.7%)44 12%Power TrainPower Train: 36 complaints (9.6%)36 10%Air BagsAir Bags: 29 complaints (7.7%)29 8%SteeringSteering: 23 complaints (6.1%)23 6%
Systems named in complaints. One complaint can name several, so shares overlap.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11530.7%
SERVICE BRAKES10628.3%
ENGINE9725.9%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER4812.8%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)4411.7%
POWER TRAIN369.6%
AIR BAGS297.7%
STEERING236.1%

Complaints filed per year

032632012: 92013: 192014: 322015: 482016: 342017: 372018: 442019: 632020: 202021: 162022: 122023: 152024: 122025: 72026: 7 (partial year)12131415161718196320212223242526
Complaints filed per calendar year, not model year. The hatched bar is the current year and is still incomplete.
YearComplaints
20129
201319
201432
201548
201634
201737
201844
201963
202020
202116
202212
202315
202412
20257
2026 (year to date)7
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
17V43200007/07/2017AIR BAGS:FRONTALChrysler (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.
16V27300006/05/2016STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONSChrysler (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.
15V43100007/07/2015ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINEChrysler (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.
15V67500019/10/2015ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)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
11V55000010/11/2011SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FLUIDCHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 DODGE JOURNEY AND FIAT 500 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 24, 2011, THROUGH OCTOBER 26, 2011. SOME VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH CONTAMINATED BRAKE FLUID AND MAY EXPERIENCE A DEGRADATION OF THE SEALING COMPONENTS WITHIN THE BRAKE
11V48700029/09/2011ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGCHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 CHRYSLER VEHICLES, INCLUDING 200 AND TOWN AND COUNTRY MODELS, DODGE VEHICLES, INCLUDING CHARGER, DURANGO, GRAND CARAVAN AND JOURNEY MODELS AND JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 31, 2011, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 13, 2011,
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.