2009 Dodge Journey Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Journey years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 14 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 8 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 1,433 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Dodge Journey. That is the most of any Journey model year in the database (14 years). The most reported problem area is electrical system (767 complaints, 54%), typically at around 80,000 miles. Complaints mention 41 crashes, 30 fires, 34 injuries. There are 8 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
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- 1,433owner complaints
- 8safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 41complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2009 Dodge Journey problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 767 | 54% | 80,000 | “air bags electrical” (28%) | $950 |
| Air Bags problems | 269 | 19% | 101,000 | “air bags electrical” (54%) | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 195 | 14% | 20,000 | “brake pads” (33%) | $760 |
| Engine problems | 149 | 10% | 82,000 | “failed start” (17%) | — |
| Service Brakes problems | 106 | 7% | 50,736 | “brakes rotors” (18%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 104 | 7% | 80,500 | “chrysler jeep” (9%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 84 | 6% | 96,000 | — | — |
| Steering problems | 72 | 5% | 95,508 | “steering hose” (21%) | — |
| Tires problems | 52 | 4% | 32,000 | “valve stem” (17%) | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 34 | 2% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 31 | 2% | 43,018 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 23 | 2% | 97,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 23 | 2% | 50,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 21 | 1% | 21,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 20 | 1% | 31,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 19 | 1% | 86,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 14 | 1% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 12 | 1% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 12 | 1% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 11 | 1% | 22,586 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 9 | 1% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 9 | 1% | 39,101 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 9 | 1% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 6 | 0% | 6,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 5 | 0% | 17,000 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 3 | 0% | 55,300 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 3 | 0% | 12,993 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 3 | 0% | 18,000 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 3 | 0% | 119,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 0% | 32,468 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2009 Dodge Journey recalls (8)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Steering:hydraulic power assist:hose, piping, and connections
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2009-2016 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured July 31, 2007, to November 12, 2016. After exposure to cold temperatures, the power steering return hose may rupture at engine start-up causing a loss of power steering assist.
Risk: A loss of power steering assist may require extra steering effort, especially at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering return hoses, steel tubes, and power steering oil cooler, free of charge. The recall began on May 24, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S08.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: FCA US LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2009 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured December 31, 2007, to August 31, 2008, 2008-2009 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles manufactured June 18, 2007, to August 31, 2008. In the affected vehicles, the air bag control units may corrode and fail.
Risk: If the air bag control unit fails, the air bags may not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury. Additionally, the air bags may inadvertently deploy, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control unit, free of charge. The recall began on December 6, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S07.
Air bags; electrical system:ignition:switch
Problem: This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured June 29, 2007, to June 17, 2010, and 2008-2010 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles manufactured January 26, 2007, to June 17, 2010. Road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
Risk: If the ignition key inadvertently moves into the OFF or ACCESSORY position, the engine will turn off, which will then depower various key safety systems including but not limited to air bags, power steering, and power braking. Loss of functionality of these systems may increase the risk of crash and/or increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch and key FOBs, free of charge. The recall began on May 26, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R03. Note: This is an expansion of recall 11V-139.
Electrical system:wiring
Problem: Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2009 dodge journey vehicles manufacturer from november 1, 2007, through november 7, 2008. The wires within the front door wire harnesses may fatigue and break, which can interrupt the circuits for the side impact sensor(s), resulting in an airbag warning lamp illumination and loss of side crash sensing capability.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the side airbag may not deploy, reducing the protection intended for the occupant and increasing the risk of injuries.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners and replace the left and right door wiring harnesses free of charge. The safety recall began on february 18, 2011. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Air bags:frontal; electrical system:wiring
Problem: Chrysler is recalling 4,314 my 2009 dodge journey, jeep grand cherokee, commander and wrangler vehicles. Wiring may be reversed on the steering column control module driver airbag squib connector. The driver's airbag may not deploy as intended.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the driver's airbag may not properly inflate and may not be able to properly protect an occupant, increasing the risk of injuries.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the driver's airbag squib wires and replace the steering column control module free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2009. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Electrical system
Problem: Chrysler is recalling 16,852 my 2009 dodge journey vehicles equipped without optional 115 volt auxiliary power outlet. An unused electrical connector for the optional 115 volt auxiliary power outlet option may become corroded and could short circuit.
Risk: If the fuse for this circuit does not blow, the connector could overheat and potentially catch fire.
Fix: Dealers will re-route and stow the 115 volt auxiliary power outlet connector and pull the 25 amp fuse to remove power from this unused circuit free of charge. The recall began on march 30, 2009. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Problem: Chrysler is recalling 712 my 2009 sebring, dodge caliber, avenger, journey, jeep patriot, and compass vehicles. A new adhesive used in the power train control module (pcm) manufacturing process can cause the printed circuit board to break.
Risk: This can cause the engine to stall and cause a crash without warning.
Fix: Dealers will replace the pcm free of charge. The recall began on november 10, 2008. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Electrical system:wiring
Problem: Chrysler is recalling 6,692 my 2009 dodge journey vehicles equipped with a 3.5l engine. The engine wiring harness may contact the left transaxle mount.
Risk: Damage to the wiring harness could result in an engine compartment fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the engine wiring harness for damage. If the harness is damaged, the wiring will be repaired and a tie wrap installed to secure the harness away from the left transaxle mount. If no damage is found, a tie wrap will be installed to secure the harness away from the left transaxle mount. The recall began on july 7, 2008. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Vehicle entrapment (EA24003) — opened Aug 1, 2024, still open.
- Vehicle entrapment (PE23008) — opened May 1, 2023, closed Aug 15, 2024.
- Totally Integrated Power Module Failure (DP14004) — opened Sep 25, 2014, closed Jul 24, 2015.
- Air Bag Non-Deployment/Engine Stall (RQ14002) — opened Jun 16, 2014, closed Mar 2, 2015, led to recall 14V373000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The…
Power steering hose ruptured after a few days of snow and ice. I went to drive to the store but was unable to turn out of the driveway due to no power steering. I done some research to where I found out there was a recall for this same issue but evidently my VIN # isn't included in this recall as…
The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while reversing in cold weather, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. Upon inspection, the contact became aware that the power steering hose was leaking fluid and had detached. There were no warning lights illuminated. The…
Car doesnt start all the time when it does it ends up shutting off. it shuts off while driving, also cuts in and out while driving.
The steering locked up could not turn or straighten car out. All electrical things lights air conditioning gas light just went haywire and is still not working. The shifting system I guess is what u call it started slipping out of gear like going into natural or first gear and nothing else. Several…
Other Dodge Journey years
← 2008 Journey · 2010 Journey →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Journey | 65 | 1 |
| 2019 Journey | 102 | 1 |
| 2018 Journey | 236 | 6 |
| 2017 Journey | 199 | 2 |
| 2016 Journey | 388 | 4 |
| 2015 Journey | 553 | 6 |
| 2014 Journey | 416 | 7 |
| 2013 Journey | 353 | 4 |
| 2012 Journey | 376 | 6 |
| 2011 Journey | 169 | 4 |
| 2010 Journey | 988 | 3 |
| 2009 | 1,433 | 8 |
| 2008 Journey | 8 | 0 |
| 2007 Journey | 4 | 0 |
See all Dodge Journey problems by year, every Dodge model, or the Dodge VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Dodge Journey?
Owners most often report electrical system, air bags, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 767 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2009 Dodge Journey?
Yes, 8 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2009 Dodge Journey a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Journey model years, the 2009 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.