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

2016 Dodge Journey: Complaints, Recalls, and Known Problems

Owners have filed 386 safety complaints about the 2016 Dodge Journey with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · Retrieved September 7, 2026 · Counts change as new reports are filed

386
Complaints
4
Recalls
3
Investigations
4★
Overall crash rating

Complaints for this vehicle report 19 crashes, 4 fires, 16 injuries. No deaths have been reported.

Key findings
  1. Engine & cooling leads the complaint list, cited in 121 of 386 complaints, followed by Power train / transmission.
  2. Stalling is a recurring theme. 62 of the 386 reports describe the engine stalling — many while driving.
  3. 3 NHTSA defect investigations are associated with this vehicle.

What owners report

Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2016 Dodge Journey, here is how reports break down by system.

Complaints by vehicle system
System mentions in 386 complaints · a complaint can cite more than one system
Engine & cooling
121
Power train / transmission
86
Electrical
84
Other / unspecified
67
Brakes & stability
66
Body & structure
40
Steering
34
Airbags & restraints
33

"As I was driving my 2016 DJ just list power.. I coast my to the side of the road. I try cranking the car up but it wouldn't crank up. So I had it towed to my house which were about 5 mins away. Please help me with my car. Vehicle would not go up small hills"

Owner complaint filed October 2025 · Power Train,Electrical System,Engine · NHTSA ODI 11692237

"Cam/crank position sensor intermittent problems and codes. Catalytic converter efficiency codes and problems. Power steering problems. Automatic transmission issues, stutters, acceleration issues."

Owner complaint filed March 2024 · Power Train,Engine,Forward Collision Avoidance · NHTSA ODI 11575055

When complaints were filed

Complaint filings for the 2016 Dodge Journey over time:

Complaints filed per year — 2016 Dodge Journey
Year the complaint was filed, not the incident year
12
26
43
82
57
39
27
30
25
28
17
1617181920212223242526
2026 is a partial year (through September 7, 2026).

How the 2016 compares with other model years

Across the Dodge Journey model years we track, the 2009 has the most complaints on file (1,594); the 2016 ranks 5 of 5.

Total complaints by model year — Dodge Journey
All complaints on file per model year, as of September 7, 2026
1,594
1,085
411
553
2016
386
Older model years have had more time on the road to accumulate complaints — compare adjacent years, not endpoints.

Recall history: 4 recalls

4 recalls apply to some or all 2016 Dodge Journey vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.

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.

Jun 201616V-461
Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles manufactured July 31, 2015, to April 18, 2016, 2016 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured August 17, 2015, to January 29, 2016, and 2016 RAM ProMaster vehicles manufactured August 15, …

Dec 201616V-907
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2016 Dodge Journey, Jeep Compass, and Jeep Patriot vehicles manufactured May 9, 2016, to July 15, 2016. The crankshaft or camshaft sensor may only work intermittently, causing the engine to stall.

May 201818V-332
Electrical System:Wiring

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler…

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 →

Crash-test ratings

NHTSA crash ratings measure how the car protects occupants in a crash — a separate question from the reliability complaints above. A vehicle can be both crashworthy and trouble-prone.

★★★★☆
Overall
★★★★☆
Frontal crash
★★★★★
Side crash
★★★★☆
Rollover

Frequently asked questions

How many complaints does the 2016 Dodge Journey have?

As of September 7, 2026, owners have filed 386 complaints about the 2016 Dodge Journey with NHTSA. The most-reported system is engine & cooling.

How many recalls does the 2016 Dodge Journey have?

The 2016 Dodge Journey has 4 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.

Is the 2016 Dodge Journey safe in a crash?

NHTSA gives the 2016 Dodge Journey an overall crash rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Crash ratings measure occupant protection in a collision; they do not measure reliability, which is what the complaint data above reflects.

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 September 7, 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.