2020 Dodge Journey Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2020 Dodge Journey most often describe rearview camera problems — the image flipping upside down, going black, or showing lines — sometimes intermittently and sometimes persistently. Electrical complaints are the next most common, covering door locks, radios, screens and lighting, followed by reports of loss of power or overheating involving the engine and of moisture in the headlight housings.

1. 1
   Back-over prevention (rear camera)

   Rearview camera image upside down, black or streaked

   • 31 complaints (47%)
   • median 41,500 mi at 5.4 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2023–2026

   Owners report the rearview image flipping 180 degrees, going blank or black, showing static or green lines, or freezing while backing up. In several cases the camera worked and then failed mid-reverse, or worked again for days. Complaints describe the display sometimes showing a camera icon with a line through it, and dealers telling owners the camera cannot be repaired and must be replaced, with quotes around $800. Several owners say they were told no recall remedy or replacement part was yet available. Reported across a wide mileage range, from newly purchased vehicles to about 110,000 miles, and often described as intermittent and worsening over time.

   Recall 25V5520001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Put the vehicle in reverse and watch the display for an upside-down, blank or streaked image, and ask whether recall 25V552000 applies and whether a remedy has been completed. Ask whether the camera has already been replaced and whether the problem returned.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My rear back up camera most of the time does not work. Sometimes it will work then mid backing up it will go black or show the picture upside down or have green lines in it. I have had this vehicle since 11/2021 and the camera started doing this in 2022. I feel like it is a safety issuse as it is hard to see in the rear view mirrors when backing up.”

   NHTSA complaint #11593701, filed 2024-06

   “Approximately two weeks ago, my back up camera, which is located on my rearview mirror started flickering off and on and then it flips upside down and I’ve done some research on the Internet and it says that a lot of people has had this issue with the Dodge journey in the back up camera so I find this to be a safety issue and I believe this is something that Dodge should be fixing for their consumers”

   NHTSA complaint #11614970, filed 2024-09
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Electrical glitches: locks, radio, screens and lighting

   • 30 complaints (45%)
   • median 48,900 mi at 5.7 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2021–2026

   Owners describe door locks that lock or unlock intermittently from the fob or interior buttons, and doors that stay locked from inside or outside. Others report the radio and Bluetooth cutting in and out, volume changing on its own, and climate controls that turn themselves back on or stop responding to the panel. Complaints also mention dash and screen brightness dimming or dropping out, sometimes when the wipers or air conditioning are turned on, and one owner reported a burning plastic odor and a horn sounding on its own. Complaints appear from low mileage onward, with several owners noting the behavior started within the first few years of ownership and gradually worsened.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test every door lock from the fob, the interior buttons and each door handle, and try the radio, Bluetooth and climate controls at several fan and temperature settings. Ask whether any battery sensor or start-stop warning-lamp service bulletin work has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My electrical shorts out, radio goes in and out and the ac/heat turns on and off! When I choose to turn off it will turn back on! When driving at night driving on paved road you can see the lights dim and brighten it has gotten worse since I got the car in 2024”

   NHTSA complaint #11718274, filed 2026-02

   “Backup camera has been recalled several months ago but no remedy has been made yet. I’ve also noticed when I turn on the wipers my screens including the dash and entertainment go dark and barely visible.”

   NHTSA complaint #11731256, filed 2026-04
3. 3
   Engine

   Engine stalling, loss of power and overheating

   • 10 complaints (15%)
   • median 57,800 mi at 6.1 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2021–2026

   Owners report the vehicle hesitating and losing motive power while driving, with the check engine light coming on and the engine sometimes refusing to restart. Several complaints describe overheating, steam from under the hood, coolant loss and, in some cases, a dealer conclusion that the engine needed replacement. Others report thermostat failures, including one that recurred after replacement, and one owner was told the engine consumes oil. Mostly reported between roughly 40,000 and 60,000 miles, with several failures described at highway speed and little or no prior warning.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the coolant level and look for residue around the thermostat housing and hoses, and ask for service records showing whether the thermostat, coolant or starter has been replaced. Ask about oil consumption between changes and whether the vehicle has ever overheated or stalled.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The thermostat and housing failed at 57,000 miles, less than 5 years of owning the vehicle. Not available for inspection as it is being replaced as I'm typing this. The problem was reproduced by the shop who is repairing the thermostat. There were no warnings or messages, the car started overheating severely one day and I brought it to the shop. This all started 3 days ago.”

   NHTSA complaint #11652276, filed 2025-04

   “I have brought the car to the dealership three times. It stalls and hesitates when accelerating. The dealership cannot recreate the issue because it only happens after you've been driving all day running errands and they don't have anyone that can duplicate the problem. It has stalled on me several times in traffic are leaving fast food. Restaurants with my grandchildren installed across three lanes of traffic and when backing out of the driveway it stalled on the highway. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11550185, filed 2023-10
4. 4
   Exterior lighting

   Moisture inside headlight housings

   • 5 complaints (8%)
   • typically at 3.9 yrs old
   • filed 2023–2025

   Owners report moisture collecting inside the sealed headlight assemblies, dimming nighttime visibility and causing bulbs to fail repeatedly. Some describe replacing bulbs or the whole housing and having the problem return on the same or the other side, and one owner notes the condition led to a failed inspection. Mechanics cited in the complaints pointed to the socket or wiring rather than the bulb. Reported from roughly 23,000 miles upward, often noticed after rain or washing and recurring after repairs.

   What to check: Inspect both headlight lenses for fogging, droplets or dried water marks, and test high and low beams plus turn signals on both sides. Ask whether bulbs, sockets or housings have already been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I purchased my 2020 in April of 2021 brand new. When I’m driving my SUV, it will stall and not pick up speed, but my RPM still rise. Both of my front headlights fog all the time and have been replaced multiple times. The fog makes the lightbulbs blow and they have been replaced multiple times. The back up camera is turns upside down stops working when it wants to goes black and also has a green light. It was replaced by the dealership and started doing the same things again after one month. There is also an issue with my radio. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11664096, filed 2025-05

   “Since I have owned this vehicle, the wiring for the backup camera has been wrong since purchase. The image is fuzzy, sometimes non-existent, and if it is it is upside down. The radio works when it wants to. The headlights keep filling with moisture no matter how many times I get it fixed. The windshield wiper will no longer spray the fluid to clear the windshield (after about owning it for a year) and the speedometers have been off since purchase. I bought the car brand new and just found out you’re supposed to report this stuff here. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11627980, filed 2024-11
5. 5
   Brakes

   Brake and ABS warning lights with pedal change

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report the ABS, traction control and service park assist lights coming on together, sometimes after braking hard, and cruise control stopping. Complaints describe the brake pedal feeling different or locking up, and dealers identifying the ABS module or hydraulic control unit as needing replacement, with parts reported as unavailable or under engineering review for extended periods. Reported from about 10,000 to 35,000 miles, in some cases shortly after a hard stop or during ordinary driving.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check that no ABS, traction control or park assist lamps stay lit after startup, and ask whether the ABS module or hydraulic unit has been replaced. Ask what warning lights have appeared previously and whether any related codes were stored.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “As I was driving down the road approaching standstill traffic, I attempted to step on the break to slow down to come to a stop. As I pushed on the brakes I got about halfway down and I noticed more play in the brakes than usual, so I attempted to push the brakes further down to come to a stop as I was getting closer to a stopped car. In doing so as I got the brake pedal almost completely to the floor the airbag just in front of the pedals deployed, pushing my foot off the break, putting a gash in my ankle, and caused me to rear end somebody. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11395877, filed 2021-02, 9,600 miles

   “In July of 2024 I had to brake to avoid striking a deer. My ABS and Traction Control light came on in the dash, and my cruise control stopped working. I took the vehicle to the dealership and they said the HCU and ABS Modules were bad, but the ABS Module was no longer made by Chrysler, and it wasn't available aftermarket. I contacted Stelantis and they said the ABS module was under Engineering Review and not available. I received an email in September indicating the part was now available and it was being shipped to my dealership. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11634099, filed 2025-01

Buying note. Focus your inspection on the rearview camera display and on the electrical accessories, since those account for the bulk of what owners report for this model year, and ask for written confirmation of any open recall work. Service records showing coolant, thermostat, brake and electrical repairs are worth reviewing before purchase.

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.