2016 Dodge Journey Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2016 Dodge Journey most often describe stalling or sudden loss of power, which many attribute to the crankshaft or camshaft position sensor; a large share of these complaints also involve transmission symptoms such as harsh shifting, failure to engage a gear, or a whine before the vehicle stops moving. Electrical oddities — lights, accessories, and door locks cycling on their own — are the next most common theme, and a distinct cluster of reports describes front-seat head restraints popping open while the vehicle is parked. Most of these reports fall in the 45,000-120,000 mile range.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission whine, harsh shifting, or no drive gear

   • 100 complaints (26%)
   • median 64,788 mi at 4.2 yrs old (62 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2016–2026

   Owners describe the transmission whining or grinding, shifting harshly between gears, slipping out of gear to neutral, refusing to engage reverse, or revving without the vehicle moving. Several complaints state a mechanic or dealer concluded the transmission or transmission pump needed replacement. Some owners connect the symptoms to the transmission pump recall for vehicles built in a specific production window. Mostly between 45,000 and 130,000 miles, appearing at highway and low speeds alike.

   Recall 16V4610002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the transmission fluid level and condition, ask whether the transmission pump recall applies to the build date, and test drive both from a cold start and at highway speed listening for whine or delayed engagement.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving and my car suddenly wouldnt shift gears. Recently before that my car was in a body shop getting repaired due to a fender bender a couple months before. But I had no warning or no warning light come on til the car would no longer drive. Right before it stop driving it did rev high and then just stop driving never had any problems beofee this”

   NHTSA complaint #11318871, filed 2020-03, 91,000 miles

   “Driving down the road my jeep started whining. The more the pressed the gas the more it wouldn't go into gear. I stopped and tried going again and it wouldn't go just the RPM's was going up and no movement.”

   NHTSA complaint #11353908, filed 2020-09, 84,000 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Stall or sudden loss of power (crank/cam sensor)

   • 136 complaints (35%)
   • median 55,000 mi at 4.0 yrs old (99 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2016–2026

   Complaints describe the engine shutting off without warning while driving, sometimes with a check engine light and sometimes with none, and often being able to restart after pulling over. Mechanics have replaced the crankshaft or camshaft position sensor, and some owners report the stall returned after that repair. Several owners point to the 2016 crank/cam sensor recall and say their vehicle identification number was not included. Reported from roughly 40,000 to 130,000 miles, at both city and highway speeds.

   Recall 16V9070001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the crank and cam position sensors have been replaced and whether the vehicle identification number was included in the sensor recall; confirm the engine restarts reliably and that no stored sensor codes are present.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My car started shaking stopped abruptly the middle of the road and I was almost rear ended. I found out that the problem was a 'crank sensor' I have since had it repaired but wanted to report how dangerous this is. I did some research and found that the same make a year had been recalled due to this issue and I was wondering why my VIN # was not. Can you help me so that this issue won't happen again and a reimbursement had well,”

   NHTSA complaint #11310506, filed 2020-02, 58,000 miles

   “Driving the car on the highway, it started to slow down; the vehicle stopped and did not move. My children and I scared but thank god help came. The lights on the car turned on, indicating something was wrong.I couldn't read the sign or understand what went wrong. The car will not stay on. It shut off, and the code indicated the cylinder is not working. I reported it and towed the Dodge dealership vehicle because the representative said it would be covered because it's a recall. My car is still at the dealership. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11396017, filed 2021-02, 67,000 miles
3. 3
   Seats

   Front head restraint pops open while parked

   • 43 complaints (11%)
   • median 67,500 mi at 5.0 yrs old (18 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2018–2026

   Owners report the front passenger or driver head restraint suddenly deploying or springing forward while the vehicle is parked, unoccupied, or just after a door is closed, with plastic pieces breaking off. In some cases the air bag warning light comes on afterwards. Complaints describe the restraint as unable to be reassembled and dealers or the manufacturer being notified without a repair. Reported between roughly 45,000 and 145,000 miles, almost always with the vehicle stationary and no impact.

   What to check: Check both front head restraints for play, cracked housings, or a restraint that will not stay latched, and confirm the air bag warning light is off at start-up.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My son exited the passenger side front seat and the headrest deployed. We weren't involved in an accident. We had just parked the car. I reversed into the parking spot, put the car in park, and we exited the car. I heard a thump when we closed the doors. When I opened the door to see what happened, the headrest had sprang forward.”

   NHTSA complaint #11363334, filed 2020-10, 86,817 miles

   “I I sat down in the passengers seat and adjusted the seat back. When I leaned back the head snapped out with a degree of force and hit me in the back of the head. It appears to be broken as it will not go back in to place and remain there. The car was in park at the time and was not hit or bumped by another vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #11387734, filed 2021-01, 77,000 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Lights, accessories and locks cycling on their own

   Mentioned in 8 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe dashboard and exterior lights, interior lamps, the radio, air conditioning and power windows turning on and off by themselves, sometimes with the engine cutting out at the same moment. Some owners report doors locking and unlocking on their own, fuses blowing, or the vehicle failing to restart after a new battery. Owners say dealers either could not reproduce the problem or gave no diagnosis. Spread from about 48,000 to 146,000 miles, often intermittent and not tied to weather.

   Recall 18V3320003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether any battery, fuse or control-module work has been done, check that the charging system and battery sensor read correctly, and try every light, window and lock during the test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “This has been happening for about a month now. While driving my dash board lights go on then off,my radio will turn up by itself, my heat/ AC wont come on. I will have to shut my car off and then back on.for it to work. And it makes my car to jerk and now today.feb.26 2020. My wipers go out as well on the highway in a down pour. Again I had to pull over turn my car off wait about 5 mins and then start my car again. I had to do this about 5 time during my hour 1/2 drive.”

   NHTSA complaint #11311697, filed 2020-02, 119,235 miles

   “Either sitting or driving, the cars lights come on and it loses power and stops. Sometimes when I try to start it, it won't start and I just got a new battery! There are several people having this problem. I just got my Journey 2 months ago, it was used, and I never could have imagined the problem I having with it! This is my only transportation, and I need it for work! Someone said it is the tipm, others have said it's the battery, etc... This happens either while I'm driving or sitting idle!”

   NHTSA complaint #11388963, filed 2021-01, 122,000 miles
5. 5
   Brakes

   ABS and traction control warning lights

   • 39 complaints (10%)
   • median 39,000 mi at 3.8 yrs old (19 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2017–2026

   Complaints describe the ABS and traction control lights coming on without a braking event, sometimes while driving at low speed in a parking lot, and staying on. Owners report being told the ABS module needed replacement, with one noting the part was on back order, and others linking the lights to brake service. Commonly between about 35,000 and 120,000 miles.

   What to check: Confirm the ABS and traction control lamps do a normal self-test and go out after start-up, and ask whether the ABS module or wheel sensors have been serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My airbag light keeps coming on and going off. My ABS light stays off after starting and while driving. Now my brake light is on. The brake pops on after I began to drive and stays on.”

   NHTSA complaint #11338328, filed 2020-07, 112,560 miles

   “Driving in a parking lot at a low speed, no breaking and 2 sensors came on. Anti-lock brake and traction control light. No reason for them to engage and have not turned off.”

   NHTSA complaint #11407935, filed 2021-04, 49,000 miles

Buying note. This model year draws a broad spread of stall, transmission and electrical complaints, so a pre-purchase inspection focused on stored engine and transmission codes, sensor replacement history against the open recalls, and a thorough electrical check is worthwhile. Verifying recall completion by build date and confirming the head restraints and ABS lamps behave correctly costs little and covers the most common reports.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.