2018 DODGE JOURNEY Complaints

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? ANSWER: The middle seat belt in the 2nd row back seat does NOT lock. (It buckles into the buckle fine) 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? ANSWER: I cannot have my children or anyone else ride in the back middle seat due to it not locking. If we were in a wreck, the seat belt would not lock. I also cannot put a car seat in the middle. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? ANSWER: I can go get it checked out by a dodge dealer. However, I have read that other people have the same issue. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? ANSWER: The vehicle was repaired after I was hit back in June 2024. I do not believe the seat belt itself was inspected. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? ANSWER: No, there were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms. I noticed it when I was switching my carseat around. I feel this is a major safety issue and it needs to be reported and resolved.

The back up camera intermittently comes on when vehicle in reverse. Sometimes it shows a camera with a line, sometimes an image then it disappears and sometimes the image is hazy or distorted. It is never consistent nor reliable. The rear view mirror cannot be used to its full size because of the image of the failed camera.

10.17.25 Vehicle started making tapping noise under the hood. I wasn’t able to identify the problem. I took it to the dealership and they found noise coming from the transmission and stated possible front pump, but wasn’t for sure. They wanted to do an additional diagnostic after I had already paid $197.27, for 3 more hours at $200 per hour. I took vehicle to another company who found noise was coming from the transmission and stated that the transmission will need to be replaced as they found metal shavings in the pan. They flushed the fluid, replaced the filter, test drove noise went away. They advised that I would make it back to Georgia but definitely suggested to get transmission checked. I made it 107 miles from home when it stalled out in 5 o’clock traffic. I tried to accelerate and but it lost motive power. I tapped the breaks tried again after 2 attempts I was able to get to the right shoulder out of the heavy traffic without incident. I was on the side of the road for 4hrs before an older man pulled up to assist. I had to be pushed 2 exits to a gas station. We added more transmission fluid still no motive power it stalled again. Got it towed to a shop to be checked for 3rd time was told it’s the transmission and as of this morning it has been towed to a 4th shop who handles transmission. In my online search for recalls I noticed the same thing happened with the 2016 Dodge Journey as well. I’ve had this vehicle just over a year. I received it with 42k miles on it, awesome condition, apparently one owner who appears to have taken care of it from the looks of vehicle. No major/minor issues noted. By God’s grace I made it out of heavy traffic safely to the off shoulder which was still frightening as well. I may be the first one to report this issue but it needs to be addressed not only for me but everyone who owns one. Metal shavings inside the transmission is crazy. No warning lights on the dash to show something is wrong.

Stated having coolant issues in 2023. September 2025 Engine light Started blinking and Started running rough at 65 mph. Stopped the vehicle and you could see the whole car shaking from the motor running so rough. Fueled up kept going and it kept doing it. Eventually dying at a stop light and I couldn't get it to fire back up. Ended up needing a tow since it wouldn't stay running. White smoke coming from tailpipe. Cracked cylinder head. $3000 repair with a USED PART.

The contact's husband owns a 2018 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the rear-view camera image was either blank or upside-down. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where the camera was repaired. Despite the repair, the contact stated that the failure had recently recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the recent failure, but informed the contact that there were no recalls on the VIN related to the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V398000 (Back Over Prevention) which was linked to the failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was 83,258

***Radio system not working properly no longer connecting properly to phone, sounds muffled to the receiver on the other end of call, audio connect is not allowing me to be heard and I got a brand new updated phone! Thinking that was the issue. It wasn’t the phone, there was a precious recall regarding system updates issues, that I saw on here, but I was never notified about it!! *Audio hands free won’t map my iphone, to the car Bluetooth system will not connect at times, ****instrument panel lights are not showing, Radio goes off while driving often, not working properly, *****BACK UP CAMERA NOT WORKING PROPERLY: *Back up camera not working properly, noticed blurry, not able to see properly at night. ****Back up parking assist lines are not as bright and clear when backing up, image is no longer vivid! *Difficulty seeing behind you at night when Backing up, looks like snow on a tv screen ! ***off road system comes on by its self and stays on at times, car is serviced regularly!

My back up camera goes black or it has lines all over it, sometimes it works out times i can't see nothing, have to stick my head out to back up.

WHILE DRIVING, WITHOUT ANY WARNING,THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT HEADREST EXPLODED, HIT MY WIFE IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD AND SNAPPED HER NECK FORWARD, ALMOST KNOCKED HER OUT. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF THIS EXPLODED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT (I'LL BET THIS HAS HAPPENED BUT WAS OVERLOOKED). I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER AND THEY CLAIMED THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS ISSUE BEFORE...I ADVISED THEM TO DO SOME ONLINE RESEARCH...IT HAS HAPPENED THOUSANDS OF TIMES! THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT COST ABOUT $1000 TO REPLACE (TIMES TWO FOR THE DRIVERS SIDE AS WELL). NOW WE ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AS WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING WHEN THE DRIVERS SEAT HEADREST WILL EXPLODE! AS FOR THIS BEING A SAFETY FEATURE TO PROTECT AGAINST A REAR END COLLISION, IT IS NOT, AND THERE IS NO INDICATION OF SOMEONE HITTING THE REAR END OF THIS VEHICLE. I SPOKE TO A MECHANIC I KNOW AND HE HAS NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING.

The passengers side head rest came apart. It came apart so fast it was like it exploded. It was almost like it had an air bag on the inside of it. I just started the unit in our drive way, went to back out, and it came apart. I tried to reset the head rest but the plastic locking tabs on the inside no longer work. This needs to be a recall!

I was driving in the vehicle to put gas in, all of the sudden, i heard something snap and felt something hit the back of my head really hard. I felt disoriented as I didn't know what had happened. When I stopped and look at the seat, I noticed that head rest had deployed suddenly without warning and hit the back of my head. There was no accident that should have caused the head rest deployment. I sat there disoriented and started getting a headache and my neck started getting stiff. It's been a week since it happened, if it doesn't go away , I will be seeing a doctor as the pain comes and goes.