Car Issues Tracker
Vehicle complaints, recalls & safety data — sourced from NHTSA

2009 Dodge Journey: Complaints, Recalls, and Known Problems

Owners have filed 1,594 safety complaints about the 2009 Dodge Journey with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · Retrieved July 14, 2026 · Counts change as new reports are filed

1,594
Complaints
8
Recalls
4
Investigations

Complaints for this vehicle report 42 crashes, 37 fires, 35 injuries, 1 death.

Key findings
  1. Electrical issues dominate. They appear in 51% of the 1,594 complaints on file — an unusually concentrated failure pattern.
  2. Stalling is a recurring theme. 189 of the 1,594 reports describe the engine stalling — many while driving.
  3. Complaints peaked 6 years after the model year (413 filed in 2015) — a pattern consistent with wear-out failures rather than assembly defects.
  4. 4 NHTSA defect investigations are associated with this vehicle.

What owners report

Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2009 Dodge Journey, electrical issues stand far above everything else.

Complaints by vehicle system
System mentions in 1,594 complaints · a complaint can cite more than one system
Electrical
814
Brakes & stability
393
Airbags & restraints
293
Engine & cooling
196
Power train / transmission
132
Other / unspecified
129
Wheels & tires
96
Steering
79

"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 manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000."

Owner complaint filed April 2026 · Electrical System · NHTSA ODI 11731127

"I have issues starting it. New starter, new battery and it just dies. Luckily I was parked when it died. I have children, if it dies while driving I could be in a serious car crash with my children in the car. I do not want to die, I love my car but I do not want to be put in danger because of this type of issue. I also do not want to be stranded somewhere. PLEASE HELP."

Owner complaint filed August 2025 · Electrical System,Engine · NHTSA ODI 11682538

When complaints were filed

For most vehicles, complaint volume spikes early and tapers off. The 2009 Dodge Journey peaked later than usual, in 2015.

Complaints filed per year — 2009 Dodge Journey
Year the complaint was filed, not the incident year
7
21
167
148
110
89
176
413
173
75
83
62
28
14
10
7
3
5
3
08091011121314151617181920212223242526
2026 is a partial year (through July 14, 2026). A late peak is the signature of wear-out failures: parts that don't fail until the vehicle has years and miles on it.

Recall history: 8 recalls

8 recalls apply to some or all 2009 Dodge Journey vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.

Jun 200808V-247
Electrical System:Wiring

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.

Oct 200808V-528
Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm)

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.

Mar 200909V-082
Electrical System

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.

Apr 200909V-118
Electrical System:Wiring

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.

Dec 201010V-658
Electrical System:Wiring

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…

Jun 201414V-373
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch

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 cer…

Jan 201616V-047
Air Bags:Frontal

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 uni…

May 201616V-273
Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Hose, Piping, And Connections

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.

Does your car have an open recall?

Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit. Look up your 17-character VIN on the official NHTSA site to see open recalls for your specific vehicle. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov →

Frequently asked questions

How many complaints does the 2009 Dodge Journey have?

As of July 14, 2026, owners have filed 1,594 complaints about the 2009 Dodge Journey with NHTSA. The most-reported system is electrical.

How many recalls does the 2009 Dodge Journey have?

The 2009 Dodge Journey has 8 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.

Methodology & source

All figures come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public APIs: the Office of Defects Investigation complaint database, the recalls database, and NCAP safety ratings, retrieved July 14, 2026.

Complaints are self-reported by consumers and are not verified by NHTSA or by this site. A single complaint may cite multiple vehicle systems, so system mentions can sum to more than the complaint total. Complaint volume is influenced by fleet size, media attention, and recall notices, and is not by itself a measure of defect rates.

This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. Nothing here is repair, purchase, or legal advice. For your specific vehicle, use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and consult a qualified technician.