2011 DODGE JOURNEY Complaints

THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES IN THIS VEHICLE SINCE WE BOUGHT IT ALMOST 3 YEARS AGO, ALTHOUGH THE DEALERSHIP HAS SAID THEY CANNOT FIND IT. AT SPEEDS OVER 40MPH, WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY STOPPED. NOW THAT THE VIBRATION IS REALLY BAD, I BEGAN AN INVESTIGATION ONLINE TO SEE IF OTHER JOURNEY OWNERS HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE WITH VIBRATION. I HAVE DISCOVERED THERE ARE MANY WITH THE PROBLEM, THAT CHRYSLER HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS BEING DONE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM FOR THOSE OF US WHO OWN THE VEHICLES. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR, THAT THE DEALERSHIP CHOSE TO IGNORE WHEN BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION, AND THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

I LIVE AND BOUGHT THE CAR IN GUADALAJARA, MEXICO. BUT SINCE IT IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME AS THOSE SOLD IN THE USA, AND OTHER COUNTRIES I HOPE MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE CAR PROBLEM I AM DESCRIBING BELOW, HELPS OTHER OWNERS.ONLY A FEW MONTHS AFTER WE BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2011 DODGE JOURNEY NOTICED A STRONG STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING FROM ANY SPEED. CAR STOPPED OK, BUT ANNOYING AND FELT UNSAFE. TOOK TO DEALER, THEY FOUND A WARPED LEFT FRONT ROTOR AND PREMATURELY WORN FRONT PADS, HAD TO FIX ON MY EXPENSE. AFTER ONLY 5000 OR SO MORE MILES SAME FAILURE AGAIN, THIS TIME TOOK CAR TO A SPECIALIZED BRAKES SHOP, THEY AGAIN FOUND WARPED ROTOR (REPLACED NEW), WORN PADS, ETC. AGAIN AFTER ANOTHER 6K MILES, SAME FAILURE. TOOK THE CAR TO THE SAME BRAKE SHOP. THEY WERE SO PUZZLED BY THE REPEATING FAILURE AND LOW MILEAGE IN BETWEEN THAT THIS TIME THEY DID A VERY THOROUGH DISASSEMBLY AND INSPECTION OF THE BRAKES SYSTEM. THIS TIME THOUGH, WE SUCCESSFULLY FOUND THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM: WARPED AND WORN PINS WHERE THE CALIPERS SIT AND SLIDE TO GRIP THE PADS WHEN BRAKING. THIS, UNDER SOME CONDITIONS APPARENTLY CAUSED CALIPER TO "STICK" (DUE TO WARPING AND NOTICEABLE INDENTATION FROM EXCESSIVE WEAR), CAUSING SOME PERMANENT BRAKING ON ROTORS WITH OBVIOUS OVERHEATING, ROTOR WEAR, WARPING AND EXCESSIVE (AND NOTORIOUSLY UNEVEN) WEAR OF BRAKE PADS. SO, THE PINS WERE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE PADS AND ROTOR, I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT AT LEAST IN MY CAR THIS COMPLETELY SOLVED THE PROBLEM FOR GOOD, THIS LAST TIME I HAD THE BRAKES SERVICED THE PADS LASTED OVER 14K MILES PRIOR TO REPLACEMENT AND NO VIBRATION WAS FELT AGAIN, (WE LIVE ON A HILLY AREA AND USE A LOT OF BRAKING DOWNHILL, SO 14K MILES PAD LIFE IS ACCEPTABLE AND COMPARABLE TO OTHER CARS WE OWNED). HOPE THIS HELPS THE HUNDREDS OF OWNERS EXPERIENCING THIS SAME PROBLEM AS SEEN IN MANY FORUMS OVER THE INTERNET. *TR

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR, WHEN SUDDENLY THE GAS PEDAL BROKE OFF AT THE BASE. THE CAR LOST ALL ACCELERATION. LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS BEHIND HER AND SHE WAS ABLE TO GLIDE OF THE RODE. *TR

THIS CAR SHAKES VERY BAD WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND MY CYLINDER HEADS ARE MISS FIRING 2 OR 3 AT A TIME THEY MISS FIRED TO THE POINT DODGE DOESN'T KNOW WHICH ONE IT IS SO THEY WANT TO REPLACE THE MAIN HEAD. *TR

THESE TIRES CAME ON NEW 2011 DODGE JOURNEY. AFTER TIRE ROTATION THE CAR SHOOK AT 60MPH. RETURNED TO THE SERVICE CENTER, WAS TOLD THE BELTS WERE SEPARATING. TREAD 6/32, WITH 21,203 MILES!! KUMHO SOLUS KH16 225 55R19. STILL IN WARRANTY, NO ONE WILL DO WARRANTY WORK FOR KUMHO!!! TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. *TR

BOUGHT DODGE JOURNEY 2011 R/T IN FEB IF THIS YEAR(2013). TRUCK CURRENTLY HAS 29,000 MILES ON AND NOW STEERING WHEEL SHAKES RAPIDLY WHEN BRAKING. VERY SCARY WHEN ON PARKWAY DRIVING 50-65 MILES PER HOUR WHEN YOU HAVE 2 YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. GOT A CARFAX ON VEHICLE AND FOUND OUT THAT IT HAS HAD ROTORS AND BRAKES REPLACED OR REPAIRED AT LEAST 3 TIMES STARTING AT 2,400 MILES. I THINK THAT IT TOTALLY UNCALLED FOR AND IT SOUNDS REALLY UNSAFE FOR ME AND MY CHILDREN. TO HAVE TO REPLACE THEM 4 TIMES BEFORE IT EVEN HITS 30,000 MILES. I THINK THERE IS A PROBLEM HERE. SO NOT ONLY DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM TO BE REPLACED TIME AND AGAIN BUT TO PUT MY FAMILY AT RISK. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD DEF BE RESPONSIBLE AND LIABLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR

MY 2011 DODGE JOURNEY STEERING WHEEL SHAKES QUITE HARD WHEN BRAKING AND PULLS TO THE RIGHT. TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED. THE CAR ONLY HAS 14,000 MILES AND DEALERS SAID BRAKES WERE LIKE NEW. THIS WOULD APPEAR TO BE PREMATURE TO ME AS WELL AS A SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. *TR

MY JOURNEY IS LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD WITH 18,500 MILES. ROTORS ARE ALREADY WARPED (CAR SHAKES VIOLENTLY UPON BRAKING AT ALL SPEEDS). DODGE STATES THAT BRAKES ARE ONLY COVERED UNDER THEIR WARRANTY UP TO 12,000 MILES. INTERNET SITES ARE FILLED WITH COMPLAINTS ABOUT SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN 2009-2010 JOURNEYS AND DODGE ENDED UP EXTENDING WARRANTEES FOR THOSE YEARS AS A RESULT. DODGE CLAIMS TO HAVE ADDRESSED BRAKE ISSUES WITH THE 2011 REDESIGN BUT CLEARLY THE PROBLEM REMAINS. THEY NEED TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT, AND DO THE RIGHT THING BY EXTENDING THE BRAKE WARRANTY ON 2011'S AS WELL. *TR

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

PURCHASED 3/26/13 EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS W/DODGE JOURNEY..MY 1ST CALL TO FORD3-27-13@ 4:11PM .IT CONT. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.4/23/13 [XXX] @ DODGE STATED CYLINDER HEAD HAD MISFIRE BUT NOT BAD ENOUGH TO SIGNAL LIGHT. REC'D CALL FROM [XXX] @FORD TO COME& CHOOSE ANOTHER CAR. 4-13-13, I STOPPED LOOKING AFTER 3RD-4TH CAR WHEN [XXX] STATED TO ME &GILBERT W DODGE CALLED &STATED WILL FIX DODGE. [XXX] ASKED ME GIVE FORD2WKS 5-7-13 TO FIX THE PROBLEM.4/24/13@ 4:30PM CAR WAS P/U FROM DODGE. 5-2-13 [XXX] N STATES HE WAS UNDER IMPRESSION ISSUE WAS TAKEN CARE OF.5/7/13 MESS. FROM [XXX] STATES "WORKING NEW LOAN TO PUT ME IN ANOTHER CAR, 5/8/13 CAR STOPPED @3:33PM TOW VEHICLE DIRECTLY TO DODGE. [XXX] KNEW ALL THAT I'VE BEEN THRU .ALL HE SAID "I AM SORRY BUT NO COOLING OFF PERIOD>DON'T WANT CAR TOO MANY PROBLEMS & I'VE BEEN HERE TOO MANY TIMES.I ASKED FOR RENTAL TOLD BY [XXX] NO BECAUSE I WASN'T KEEPING CAR.I ASKED MARK [XXX]& [XXX] IF YOUR WIFE WAS HAVING THIS PROBLEMS, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? NO ONE ANSWERED. DODGE- FOUND DEAD BATTERY& MISFIRE ON CYLINDER1,2,3,5 HEADS ONDODGE. [XXX] DID LEAK DOWN TEST.5-14-13@ 12:19PM,[XXX] STATES BOTH CYLINDER HEADS NEEDED REPLACED BE READY BY 5/17/2003. MY JOB& FAMILY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. ALL OF WHAT I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING FORD HAS CAUSED ME TO HAVE REPEATEDLY MIGRAINES&PROLONG BACK PAIN THROUGH STRESS. I AM REQUESTING TO CLOSE CONTRACT ON DODGE JOURNEY. PLEASE REFUND $4000.00 BACK,W/ VEHICLE TAGS & LIC. PLATES FEES. ON 5/22/13DODGE [XXX] G STATES CAR SHOULD BE READY 5/24/2013.STATED A VALVE HAD FAILED & STATES PARTS WILL BE RE-MANUFACTURED PARTS. 5/24/2013@ 645P I WENT TO FORD TO GET MY CAR. CHECK BATTERY SENSOR, OIL CHANGE CAME ON.LEFT CAR NEED ALTERNATOR.5/29/2013 CAR IS NOW READY.THE PROBLEMS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN DISCLOSED TO ME,& HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME TO DRIVE UNSAFE FOR MY DAUGHTER AND I. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR, WHAT'S NEXT TO HAPPEN? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR