2019 Dodge Journey Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2019 Dodge Journey most often report rearview camera problems: the image goes blank, freezes, flips upside down or shows a warning icon, and many say the part was not available when they contacted a dealer. Electrical issues such as Uconnect problems, sudden loss of power and warning lamps appear next, followed by transmission complaints involving slipping, harsh reverse-to-drive engagement and, in some cases, replacement. Reports appear across a wide mileage range, from a few thousand miles to well over 100,000.

1. 1
   Back-over prevention (rear camera)

   Rearview camera blank, upside down or distorted

   • 44 complaints (43%)
   • median 83,000 mi at 7.0 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2019–2026

   Complaints describe the backup camera showing a black or blue screen, a camera icon with a line through it, inverted colors or an image that is upside down and flickering. Some owners say it worked intermittently at first and later stopped showing any image. Several say the dealer confirmed a camera or related part failure but the replacement part was not yet available; others were told diagnosis would be costly. Multiple owners note the symptom matches recall 25V552000 but their VIN is not included. Reported from as little as 4,000 miles up to about 137,000 miles, with many complaints filed on vehicles in the 55,000-90,000 mile range.

   Recall 25V5520001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Put the vehicle in reverse and watch the screen for a blank, upside-down or glitched image, and ask whether the 25V552000 recall has been completed for that VIN. If the screen works, check again after the car has been parked in sun or cold for a few hours, since owners describe intermittent behavior.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 2019 Dodge Journey was built in March of 2019. My backup assist camera is having the same issues as the recall for Dodge Journeys that were built in May thru September or 2019. Why is my car not included in the recall when it is suffering the exact same issue as the vehicles included in the recall. Clearly I have the same equipment as the other cars.”

   NHTSA complaint #11735475, filed 2026-05

   “My rear view camera shows a black screen when the vehicle is put in reverse. It is not a fuse problem. That has been checked. I have resorted to “the old fashioned way” of looking behind either side when backing up. It’s just terrifying because you can’t see all that the rear view camera shows and since it’s not working I don’t get the noise alerts when getting close to something”

   NHTSA complaint #11757289, filed 2026-08
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Electrical faults: sudden shutdowns, warning lamps, Uconnect

   • 15 complaints (15%)
   • median 50,023 mi at 5.2 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2019–2026

   Owners describe the vehicle losing all electrical power while driving and then powering back up after a period, or multiple dashboard lamps (check engine, ESC, throttle control) coming on while the car bogs down and will not exceed a limited speed. Others report Uconnect and Bluetooth functions that fail to initialize, key-not-detected messages, and starting problems. In several cases dealers replaced a battery or sensor without resolving the symptom. Spread across the sample from under 2,000 miles to above 100,000 miles, with several reports at low mileage shortly after purchase.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the battery and intelligent battery sensor bulletins were performed, and test every dashboard switch, the radio/Bluetooth pairing and the keyless start. Watch for warning lamps staying lit after the engine starts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “About 50% of the time the Bluetooth in the car fails to initialize. I have to either turn the car off for about 5 minutes or pull the fuse for the radio in order to get Bluetooth to connect for hands free calling and Bluetooth music. I have the 8.4 inch uconnect radio without nav or the dvd player option.”

   NHTSA complaint #11714368, filed 2026-01

   “The liftgate wiring harness is malfunctioning, causing my wiper blade in the rear to be working when it’s not turned off and turns off when you try to work it and my reverse lights are not working. Everything that I have looked up points to the liftgate rear wiring harness has been damaged somehow”

   NHTSA complaint #11638415, filed 2025-01
3. 3
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission slipping, harsh reverse-to-drive engagement or

   • 14 complaints (14%)
   • median 53,300 mi at 4.5 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2020–2026

   Complaints describe clunking when shifting from reverse to drive, intermittent slipping, high revving with unstable speed on the highway, and in some cases loss of power followed by a diagnosis that the transmission needed replacement. Owners report dealers attributing the clunk to shifting technique or being unable to duplicate the problem, while others paid for a replacement out of warranty. Mostly reported between roughly 25,000 and 80,000 miles, with some cases in the 43,000-53,000 mile range.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Test-drive from cold and pay attention to the reverse-to-drive shift, then accelerate onto a highway on-ramp to check for slipping or flare. Ask for transmission service records and whether any powertrain software updates were applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The transmission is stalling at 25739 miles. I bought it in april of 2020, 6 months ago. When accelerated the engine struggles to get over 65 miles and revs incredibly. Then the tachometer shoots up and down giving me unstable speeds. This happened on the expressway continuously. It is still under warranty and I am taking it to the Dodge dealership tomorrow. There is also a shake I feel and vibration.”

   NHTSA complaint #11362716, filed 2020-10, 25,739 miles

   “The engine coil packs and spark plus were faulty. After we paid the dealership 700 to fix WHICH WAS NEVER FIXED then we fixed on our own paid a family friend to look at and fixed and then to another dealer to fix NEVER WERE fixed which cause faulty engine and engine collapsed. When told the dealer ship the problem they told us they couldn’t look at it until 2 weeks from that day and then we had to pay for it.”

   NHTSA complaint #11656424, filed 2025-04
4. 4
   Air bags

   Airbag and seat belt sensor faults

   • 10 complaints (10%)
   • median 45,000 mi at 3.2 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2020–2026

   Owners report the airbag warning lamp cycling on and off while driving, airbags not deploying in a rear impact, and front passenger seat belt sensor or trim cover problems that owners say could affect airbag and belt operation. Some were told the repair was not covered under warranty; one complaint describes airbags deploying without a crash. Reported from around 10,000 miles to above 90,000 miles, with several complaints tied to crash events rather than mileage.

   What to check: Turn the ignition on and confirm the airbag lamp goes out after the self-test, then check the front passenger seat belt buckle, sensor and trim for looseness. Ask whether any airbag-related repairs or sensor replacements have been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was traveling on a very busy highway going 50 miles an hour. I noticed a lot of congestion ahead so I had to lean over because the car has bad blind sites due to headrests on all seats. When I turned back there were many cars stopped dead in front of me. I slammed on the brakes but didn't even slow down. I rear ended the car in front of me. My air bag did not deploy nor did my seat belt even tighten. My entire body especially on the right side slammed the steering wheel. My knee slammed the column or something underneath the steering column. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11383972, filed 2020-12, 10,000 miles

   “Ever time I drive my airbag light will come on and stay on for 5-10 mins then go off for 5-10 mins then come back on. Something is seriously going on with my cars air bags”

   NHTSA complaint #11438294, filed 2021-10
5. 5
   Exterior lighting

   Headlamp moisture and brake light or brake module issues

   Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe condensation inside the headlamp assemblies that reduces brightness, with one owner saying a lamp was replaced under warranty and the other failed after coverage ended. Others report rear brake lights illuminating on their own, traced by a dealer to a brake module that was no longer available, and brake vibration or pulsation felt through the pedal. Mostly reported between about 23,000 and 53,000 miles.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Inspect both headlamp lenses for fogging or water droplets and have someone watch the rear lights while you press and release the brake pedal. Note any vibration through the pedal during a firm stop from highway speed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I recently took a trip to pigeon forge tennesee from charl3ston west virginia. The speed most of the drive was 65mph. My vehicle only has 43,000 miles on it. I bought it used but that doesn't mean that the brakes should already be wearing down. Braking down hill at 65mph the brakes seemed to almost be pulsating but felt like the rotor may have been warped and the sound was horrible! I felt the vibrations every time I would brake. I don't know what to do about it as I just spent a lot of money on the car itself! …”

   NHTSA complaint #11352907, filed 2020-09, 43,000 miles

   “Left headlamp seal is bad. Condensation on inside has diminished brightness. The right lamp also leaked but was replaced under warranty. My warranty has expired but, as a safety issue, I believe the faulty lamp should be replaced at no charge. I'd be happy to have the bad headlamp inspected by a dealer or whoever.”

   NHTSA complaint #11582889, filed 2024-04

Buying note. Check the rearview camera carefully in reverse and confirm whether recall 25V552000 has been completed for the specific VIN, since camera complaints dominate this model year and parts availability has been an issue. A pre-purchase inspection covering the transmission behaviour, warning lamps and headlamp housings is worthwhile before committing.

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.