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2011 Dodge JourneyProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 169 owner complaints about the 2011 Dodge Journey, most often about the service brakes. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 17V-432 the manufacturer reports only 57% of affected cars repaired.

2011 Dodge Journey
69
CarFlaw IndexOne of the best years55% below the Journey median · #10 of 12 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Lowest repair rate 57%Owner complaints16918 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage27kService brakes, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 22, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2011 Dodge Journey has problems

169 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Service brakes473
Electrical system432
Engine292
Steering232
Power train201
Air bags145
Service brakes, hydraulic81
Exterior lighting80
Vehicle speed control70
14 other systems396

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

4 recalls

2011 Dodge Journey recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

57%repaired · 2018 Q4

Air bags: frontal

Recall 17V-432 · Jul 7, 2017 · 363,480 vehicles · 206,369 repaired

Risk. Unexpected deployment of the driver's frontal air bag increases the risk of a crash or driver injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

64%repaired · 2017 Q3

Hydraulic power assist: hose, piping, and connections

Recall 16V-273 · May 6, 2016 · 8,569 vehicles · 5,482 repaired

Risk. A loss of power steering assist may require extra steering effort, especially at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

69%repaired · 2017 Q1

Engine and engine cooling: engine

Recall 15V-431 · Jul 7, 2015 · 145,379 vehicles · 99,907 repaired

Risk. If the displaced engine cover contacts the exhaust manifold, there would be an increased risk of a vehicle fire.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Steering: column

Recall 11V-315 · Jun 8, 2011 · 11,096 vehicles

Risk. A MISSING OR INCORRECTLY INSTALLED RIVET COULD COMPROMISE THE ABILITY OF THE STEERING COLUMN TO SUPPORT THE OCCUPANT LOADS IN THE EVENT OF A FRONTAL CRASH,…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Dodge.

Mileage at failure

When do service brakes problems start?

27kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 41 service brakes complaints. 85% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
22under 30k miles35under 100k miles6100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2011 vs. every other Journey year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Journey median. How we score

'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2011 Dodge Journey safety ratings

2011 Dodge Journey SUV 4WD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Rollover: 4 stars (17.9% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2011 Dodge Journey, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Vehicle entrapmentEA24003 · still open
    Open
  2. Active Head Rest Inadvertent DeploymentPE19014 · closed Feb 25, 2026
    No recall
In owners' words

What Journey owners report

Recent service brakes complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I REPLACED MY CALIBER AND BRAKES LESS THEN A YEAR AGO. SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN REPLACING MY BRAKES EVERY 3 MONTHS I HAVE TO REPLACE MY BRAKES AND ROTORS. I KEEP SMELLING METAL BURNING PLUS THE BRAKES LIGHT IS STAYING ON.
Complaint 11340798 · Jul 22, 2020 · 12,467 miles
SHAKING IN CAR AND STEERING WHEEL WHEN I APPLY THE BREAKS. THIS IS SUPPOSE TO BE A RECALL BUT DODGE HOUSE SAYS NO RECALLS? I REPLACED THE ROTTERS AND BRAKES AND IT STILL DOES IT AT ANY SPEED ABOVE 30 MPH. HAS BEEN ON GOING SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE.
Complaint 11267264 · Oct 9, 2019
1) CRUISE CONTROL NOT WORKING AND ONLY WORKS WHEN IT WANTS OR REFUSES TO TURN OFF THIS HAPPENS SITTING STILL, DRIVING OR EVEN IF I TURN OFF AND ON THE CAR FOR RESET IT STILL DOES NOT WORK. THE WEB SHOWS A RECALL BUT THE DODGE DEALERSHIP SAID NO RECALL? THIS HAS BEEN ON GOING SINCE WE PURCHASED THE…
Complaint 11267261 · Oct 9, 2019 · 65,000 miles

Own a 2011 Journey?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.