Dodge Journey Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2009 draws 15.38 complaints per run and the 2014 3.74, a 4.1-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age, so 76.1% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Electrical System, with 1,982 complaints, typically at 5.5 years.

Dodge Journey years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Dodge Journey — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2020	3.14	66	21	yes
2019	2.06	101	49	yes
2018	3.17	228	72	yes
2017	2.51	188	75	yes
2016	3.86	374	97	yes
2015	4.31	521	121	yes
2014	3.74	393	105	yes
2013	3.78	321	85	yes
2012	3.9	339	87	yes
2011	2.23	147	66	yes
2010	10.14	963	95	yes
2009	15.38	1384	90	yes

ROWS 12·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2009 Journey asks a median $2,450, against $2,700 for a 2010, the next model year: about 9% less, so sellers do price some of the trouble in.

Among the 6 Dodge Journey years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2009, 2010, 2015; the three worth hunting are 2014, 2016, 2012.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Dodge Journey — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	281	5.7%	covered
1 year	492	15.6%	covered
2 years	413	23.9%	covered
3 years	451	32.9%	you pay
4 years	477	42.5%	you pay
5 years	725	57.1%	you pay
6 years	686	70.9%	you pay
7 years	436	79.7%	you pay
8 years	347	86.7%	you pay
9 years	282	92.4%	you pay
10 years	167	95.7%	you pay
11 years	98	97.7%	you pay
12 years	58	98.9%	you pay
13 years	32	99.5%	you pay
14 years	17	99.8%	you pay
15 years	8	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 23.9% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 76.1% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 28% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Dodge Journey, the early trouble is Service Brakes — reported at around 3.6 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Electrical System at 5.5 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Dodge Journey — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Electrical System	1982	5.5 yrs	31	46
Service Brakes	937	3.6 yrs	52	7
Engine	908	4.9 yrs	14	34
Air Bags	623	5.7 yrs	111	5
Unknown Or Other	600	5.9 yrs	16	14
Power Train	488	5 yrs	16	14
Steering	322	5.3 yrs	17	4
Seats	295	6.4 yrs	2	2

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Journey's vehicle class. Per production run, the Honda Pilot draws 3.9, the Ford Escape 8.92 and the GMC Terrain 2.44, against 5.37 for the Journey.

FIG.05·Dodge Journey — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Journey	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Honda Pilot	9,359	197	2003–2026
Ford Escape	28,602	227	2001–2026
GMC Terrain	3,172	45	2009–2026
Volkswagen Tiguan	2,278	69	2009–2026
Volkswagen Atlas	1,993	77	2018–2026
Jeep Compass	3,990	47	2006–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Dodge Journey

Recalls53 campaigns Fuel economy22 mpg best Common problems5,537 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Used prices2,864 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2009–2023

Frequently asked questions

Is the Dodge Journey reliable?

By complaints per production run it is worse than typical: 5.37 against 3.73 for the average car, and in the middle of its class rivals.

Which Journey years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2009, 2010, 2015. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2014, 2016, 2012. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Journey problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age. The most reported system is Electrical System, typically at 5.5 years, followed by Service Brakes.

Will the warranty cover Journey problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 23.9% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 28% of the complaints here.

Is the Journey more reliable than the Honda Pilot?

No: 5.37 complaints per production run for the Journey against 3.9 for the Honda Pilot.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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