2018 DODGE JOURNEY Engine Problems

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.

***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!

Car trys to start, it turns over but doesn't start. When it does start the red lightening bold is illuminated. Motor runs rough and shaky has ZERO POWER to accelerate. On going since 2024

No accidents

The cruise control has stopped working. And there is faulty wiring in the hood making the check engine light come on. And a huge water and oil leak we just got the vehicle Friday 2/21

While driving on the freeway some of the lights on my dash kit up and all the sudden my car would not go over 15 mph. I tried to turn it off and turn it back on and it continued to do the same thing. I did have my grandkids in the car.

The contact owns a 2018 Dodge Journey. The contact stated while driving various speeds, the vehicle inadvertently shut-off with the check engine and traction control warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was initially taken to a dealer however, the cause of the failure was not determined. The failure persisted and the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the spark plugs, alternator, battery, engine coils, oil housing, and engine gaskets were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that after the initial repair, the same repairs were made by the same mechanic approximately every two to three months. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

Car shuddered while driving, started making metal clanging noises’ and stalled in the middle of an intersection. I just had it worked on and had to fully replace the transmission (approximately $4000) due to the torque converter shredded metal in the transmission and seized up. Car after stalling would not go into reverse or drive. Would start up, but once in gear would make loud metal clanging sounds and shut down. No warning lights shown on dashboard.

Cylinder misfire. Cylinder leak. Engine damage. Dodge issued Service Bulletin TSB-09-002-14 for model years 2011-2013 for vehicles with the same 3.6L engine and same issue. TSB provided warranty extension for covered models up to model year 2013. My 2018 model year has the same defective engine type and Dodge refuses to repair because the TSB, which predates the manufacturers date for my vehicle, doesn't cover my vehicle.

My 2018 dodge journey shutdown when driving. There is recalls for this but not for my dodge journey. This is unsafe. The manufacturer should pay for it to be fixed. I have read so many store on all makes of dodge journeys they all have same problem but only certain ones are being recalled.

The vehicles warning lights have all lit up and the engine has stalled. We have taken it to multiple mechanics and they believe it to be the voltage regulator chip that is faulty which is accusing the engine to stall. It has also lost the back up camera capabilities which is also another recall of the 2018 Dodge Journey.

The contact's son owns a 2018 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that the headlight bulbs burned out soon after replacement. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was discovered that moisture was entering the headlight module and causing the bulbs to become blown. The contact also stated that the alternator had failed due to a defective O2 sensor. The contact replaced the O2 sensor; however, the failure returned soon after the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle had been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Mileage: 80,000

We had problems with axels. After that the throttle control system light would turn on. Now the backup camera doesnt work and we changed everything and still doesnt work. Currently the car starts getting hot when we drive in the freeway and the AC blows hot air

Cylinder 2 is misfiring, for coils and spark plugs. Vehicle had tune up and replaced all spark plugs and coils in March. Check engine still coming on reading same code, has been checked multiple times, coils and spark plugs are perfect and brand new.

Multiple cylinder misfires, low mileage. Mechanic doesn't know how it happened.

Engine shuts off without warning. Driving and all of sudden, engine stops, drop vehicle in neutral and push start and it starts right back. I have been on curvy road, going up steep hill and also on perfectly level road, makes no difference, happens without warning. Dangerous because on hill started rolling back...can't steer on curvy road unless engine running...please check into this before I or someone else gets hurt or killed.

THE AC AIR COMPRESSOR ARE DEFECTIVE AND CAUSED THE SERPTINE BELT TO BREAK AND CAR STOP IMMEDIATELY IN TRAFFIC TO A DEAD STOP THE DEALERSHIP IS NOT FIXING IT IT'S A FACTORY DEFAULT

Mileage: 43,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 DODGE JOURNEY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY SHOOK AND VIBRATED AT START-UP WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING UPON DEPRESSION THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO LANDMARK DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM (6850 MT ZION BLVD, MORROW, GA 30260) WHERE THEY INFORMED HIM TO TOW THE VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5.

Mileage: 5

FROM DAY 1: CAR DOESN'T ACCELERATE PROPERLY; DOESN'T GO AS IT SHOULD WHEN ONE PULLS INTO TRAFFIC. VERY SCARY! THE 'EXTRA GEARS' ONLY MAKE THE MOTOR SOUND LIKE IT'S GOING TO EXPLODE, & DOESN'T MAKE CAR MOVE ANY FASTER/EASIER. I AM AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER WITH A PERFECT DRIVING RECORD; IT'S NOT THE DRIVER! SECOND ISSUE: THE HOOD KEEPS POPPING UP, AND I FEAR IT WILL EVENTUALLY FLY ALL THE WAY UP. THESE ISSUES ARE LIFE THREATENING. 3RD ISSUE: IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T GET THE GAS MILEAGE THAT IT SHOULD, GETTING 16-18. PLEASE HELP! AS A CANCER PATIENT, I DEPEND ON THIS CAR TO GET TO MANY DR VISITS. THANK YOU.

Mileage: 2,000

I WAS DRIVING MID DAY, 35 MPH ON MAJOR CITY STREET AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING. AS I WAS IN RIGHT HAND LANE I WAS ABLE TO FORCE THE CAR TO THE CURB EVEN THOUGH THE POWER STEERING HAD SHUT DOWN. WITH THE CAR STOPPED I COULD SEE THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ON AND THE IT WAS STILL IN "DRIVE". AFTER MY NERVES CALMED I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AND DRIVE ON. THIS WAS A RENTAL CAR THAT I HAD DRIVEN FOR 1,700 MILES DURING THE PAST 10 DAYS WITH OUT A PROBLEM. HOWEVER AN HOUR BEFORE I HAD BEEN ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IN A DRIVING RAINSTORM. HAD IT SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING THERE I AM SURE THE ACCIDENT WOULD OF SHUT THAT INTERSTATE FOR HOURS.

Mileage: 20,000

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND NOTICED THAT IT WAS STRUGGLING FOR POWER. I EXITED. AT THE STOPLIGHT MY CAR STARTED SHAKING AND PUTTERING. `WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS TO GO THE CAR PUTTERED LIKE IT DIDN'T WANT TO GO, BUT THEN DID. SO I DROVE TO THE CAR DEALERSHIP ON THE NEXT EXIT. MY CAR SHUT ITSELF OFF IN THE ENTRANCE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE MECHANIC REPORTED THAT A FUEL INJECTOR HAD EXPLODED AND WAS SPEWING RAW GAS. MY CAR IS NOW IN THE SHOP AWAITING PARTS. ANOTHER ISSUE IS THAT IT EASILY SLIPS INT REVERSE WHILE DRIVING. SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS!

Mileage: 15,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 DODGE JOURNEY. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION POWER AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND THE FAILURE WENT AWAY. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,100.

Mileage: 20,100

THE CAR KEPT LOSING POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING AND NO ENGINE LIGHTS WERE POPPING UP TO SHOW THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FIRST 2 TIMES WERE IN REVERSE. THE POWER CUT OFF AND I WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL OR BRAKES. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND GO. THE THIRD TIME I WAS GOING FORWARD ON A HIGHWAY. I SLOWED TO TURN ON AND THE POWER CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TURN. I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL OR BRAKES. LUCKILY I WAS NOT AROUND OTHER VEHICLES AND THE CAR SLOWED TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN GRASS. THIS OCCURRED WITH A YOUNG CHILD IN THE CAR AND IT SCARED BOTH OF US. I WAS ABLE TO THEN START THE CAR AGAIN AND GET IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT THE NEXT DAY. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE WHEN THEY HOOKED IT UP TO THEIR MACHINES. THEY DROVE THE CAR FOR A WEEK AND WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE LAST DAY WHEN THEY TOOK IT FOR ONE MORE DRIVE THE CAR DIED ON THEM IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. THEY HOOKED THE CAR UP AGAIN AND IT SHOWED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. WHEN THEY CONTACTED CHRYSLER CORPORATION THEY TOLD THEM TO LOOK AT THE ENGINE. THAT IS WHEN THEY FOUND METAL SHARDS AND OTHER THINGS WRONG WITH THE ENGINE. THE CORPORATION HAD KNOWN THAT SOME OF THESE ENGINES WERE FAULTY BUT HAD NOT NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP OR THE CONSUMERS THAT THEY COULD BE DRIVING A CAR WITH A FAULTY ENGINE. THIS WAS MOST DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND ESPECIALLY CONCERNING SINCE WE HAD BEEN DRIVING OUR YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE WITH US. I BELIEVE THE CONSUMERS SHOULD KNOW THAT THEY COULD HAVE FAULTY ENGINES AND NOT KNOW BECAUSE THE SERVICE MACHINES DO NOT DETECT THE PROBLEM AND CHRYSLER IS NOT GIVING OUT THE INFORMATION.

Mileage: 2,700

2018 DODGE JOURNEY. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ILLUMINATED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED TWICE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILUIRE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A FULL REFUND OR A NEW VEHICLE OF A DIFFERENT MAKE AND MODEL. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 DODGE JOURNEY. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED ALL STAR DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM (LOCATED AT 11503 ST CHARLES ROCK RD, BRIDGETON, MO 63044) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE SENSOR FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR TURNED OFF THE NEXT DAY. THE CONTACT THEN CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED NOT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS BECAUSE THE SENSOR SYSTEM RESET ITSELF BUT IF THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT RE-ILLUMINATED TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK IN FOR REPAIRS. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE SAME DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE GROUND WIRE FROM THE BATTERY TO THE VEHICLE WAS NOT CONNECTED APPROPRIATELY. A NEW BATTERY WAS INSTALLED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

Mileage: 22,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 DODGE JOURNEY. WHILE DRIVING 22 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JOE MACHENS CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (1310 VANDIVER DR, COLUMBIA, MO 65202, (573) 474-9500), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,005.

Mileage: 11,005

AFTER PCM AND ECM RECALL REPAIR, BLUETOOTH SYSTEM WOULD NOT CONNECT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, TOUCH SCREEN RADIO MALFUNCTIONING WHILE DRIVING, ECO COLOR DRIVEING TRACKER NOLONGER WORKED, THE ELECTRONIC GAS MILES WAS INCORRECT (EXP: AFTER PUTING GAS IN MILES SHOWED 115 UNTIL EMPTY, DRIVE 7 MILES THE CAR WOULD SHOW 70 MILES TO EMPTY) BOTH WOULD MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY AND CITY. VEHICLE WOULD NOW SHAKE WHEN IDLING AND WAS HESITATE TO START. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOP FOR 7 DAYS FOR SECOND REPAIR.

ON 6/4/2018 I PICKED UP MY VEHICLE FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AFTER TAKING IT IN FOR THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS BEING ON AND LOSS OF POWER. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED THEY DID AN UPDATE ON THE POWER CONTROL MODEL AND FIXED A WHEEL SPEED SENSOR. WHILE ON THE FREEWAY ABOUT 9 MILES AWAY FROM THE DEALERSHIP THE LIGHTS (ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL) CAME BACK ON AND THE RPMS WENT UP. THE VEHICLE WAS IN CRUISE CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE HAD A 5MPH LOSS IN SPEED BUT WENT BACK UP TO 65MPH WITH THE RAISE IN RPMS. WHILE GOING TO EXIT THE FREEWAY AND APPLYING THE BRAKES THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. I IMMEDIATELY PLACED THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND PULLED TO THE RIGHT HAND SHOULDE ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO COAST TO A STOP.. AFTER PULLED OVER I APPLIED THE BRAKE AND PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND TURNED THE VEHICLE BACK ON. THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS ADVISED TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK AND I ADVISED I WOULD BRING IT BACK IN THE MORNING AND WOULD NOT USE THE CRUISE CONTROL. THIS IS NOW THE SECOND TIME THE VEHICLE WILL BE GOING TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE SAME ISSUES WHICH INCLUDE THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS BEING ILLUMINATED WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS NOT WORKING, LOSS OF POWER AND HIGH RPMS AND BLUETOOTH NOT WORKING (NOT A MAJOR CONCERN). THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE CRUISE CONTROL HAS FAILED TO DISENGAGE AND ONLY MY FOURTH TIME USING CRUISE CONTROL AS IT IS A NEW VEHICLE AND I DON'T USE IT MUCH ON THE FREEWAY.

Mileage: 646