Dodge Journey Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 5,488 NHTSA complaints, the Dodge Journey years to avoid are 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015 and 2016 — the worst logged up to 4.2× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by engine failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 8 | 1 | 0 | N/A |
| 2009 | 1,594 | 739 | 8 | AVOID |
| 2010 | 1,084 | 455 | 3 | AVOID |
| 2011 | 169 | 120 | 4 | SOLID |
| 2012 | 375 | 254 | 6 | CAUTION |
| 2013 | 351 | 206 | 4 | CAUTION |
| 2014 | 408 | 249 | 7 | AVOID |
| 2015 | 548 | 345 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2016 | 383 | 253 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2017 | 196 | 109 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2018 | 219 | 88 | 6 | SOLID |
| 2019 | 92 | 25 | 1 | BEST |
| 2020 | 61 | 17 | 1 | BEST |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Dodge Journey. Full methodology.
Common Dodge Journey problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Dodge Journey are engine, electrical, brakes. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Engine fire / manifold fire
· Dodge Journey 2011–2020Corroborated by 6 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 464 engine complaints across 2011–2020, typically 160,000–230,000 miles.
Backup camera malfunction with image distortion
· Dodge Journey 2013–2018Corroborated by 12 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 391 electrical complaints across 2013–2018.
ABS and traction control malfunction in wet conditions
· Dodge Journey 2013–2015Corroborated by 7 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 263 brakes complaints across 2013–2015.
Why these years stand out
2009 Dodge Journey: 1,594 owner complaints on federal record, 739 of them severe, plus 8 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Journey.
2010 Dodge Journey: 1,084 owner complaints on federal record, 455 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Journey.
2014 Dodge Journey: 408 owner complaints on federal record, 249 of them severe, plus 7 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Journey.
2015 Dodge Journey: 548 owner complaints on federal record, 345 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Journey.
2016 Dodge Journey: 383 owner complaints on federal record, 253 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Dodge Journey.
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FAQ
What years of the Dodge Journey should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Dodge Journey years to avoid are 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015 and 2016 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by engine issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Dodge Journey?
The 2019 and 2020 Dodge Journey show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Dodge Journey verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Dodge Journey's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Dodge Journey before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Dodge Journey reliable?
The Dodge Journey's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 5,488 NHTSA owner complaints, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015 and 2016 rate "avoid", while 2019 and 2020 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Dodge Journey?
The most-reported problem area for the Dodge Journey is engine, followed by electrical and brakes. Confirmed failures include engine fire / manifold fire, backup camera malfunction with image distortion, abs and traction control malfunction in wet conditions. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Dodge Journey across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Dodge Journey, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.