Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Dodge journey. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact was able to restart the vehicle in addition, the contact stated that the brake pedal hit the floorboard when it was depressed. In addition, the headlights intermittently intermittently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made…
2010 Dodge Journey lighting problems
moderate 10 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $250 · see lighting across all vehicles →
Complaints
10
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$250
When does it fail?
Of the 10 lighting complaints filed for the 2010 Dodge Journey, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Among the 6 model years of Dodge Journey in our records for lighting problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
No new NHTSA lighting complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners describe a cluster of electrical control issues centered on the lighting and wiper systems. High-beam headlights have activated involuntarily and flickered on and off while driving; low-beam headlights fail to illuminate or flicker intermittently, sometimes restoring function temporarily after bulb replacement only to fail again. Headlights remain on after the vehicle is shut off. Windshield wipers activate independently without driver input, forcing some owners to disable the fuse entirely. Turn signals fail to operate. One owner reports daytime running lights were installed but not activated at the factory, requiring dealer intervention at significant cost to enable.
Multiple owners took vehicles to dealers where technicians reset the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM)—the vehicle's central electrical control unit—yet failures recurred. No diagnostic trouble codes appeared in several cases despite the electrical malfunctions. One owner reported a wire bundle under the hood appeared loose and touching it allowed the engine to start when it otherwise would not, suggesting potential wiring or connector issues.
Owners encountered little manufacturer support; several reported notification to Dodge but no recalls or technical service bulletins specific to these failures were mentioned in any narrative. Most vehicles remained undiagnosed or unrepaired.
Failure modes owners describe
High-beam headlight unintended activation and flickering
High-beam headlights activate on their own while driving and will not turn off; they flicker on and off intermittently. In one case, bright beams came on in daylight with no headlights on.
When: Occurred multiple times; one occurrence at 5:30 AM on highway
Symptoms owners cite: High-beam headlights come on by themselves; Would not turn off when activated; Flicker off and on repeatedly; Bright beams activated in daylight without headlights on
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership checked for codes and found none. No repair completed.
Low-beam headlight failure and intermittent operation
Low-beam headlights fail to illuminate or operate intermittently, flickering on and off. Bulb replacement provides temporary relief before the same failure reoccurs.
When: One case at 32,000 miles; another case after 3 weeks of operation post-bulb replacement
Symptoms owners cite: Headlights would not come on; Lights pop on for a few seconds then go out; Lights flash on and off at various times when left in on position; Both low and high beams failed to function
Repairs/costs cited: Bulb replacement provided temporary repair but failure recurred; vehicle rendered unable to be driven in one case
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified of failure in at least one case
Headlights remaining on after vehicle shutdown
Headlights remain on continuously after the vehicle is turned off and parked.
Symptoms owners cite: Headlights stay on after vehicle is turned off; Continuous operation of headlights when engine is off
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer reset Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) but failure recurred
Windshield wiper unintended activation
Windshield wipers activate on their own whenever the vehicle is in operation, with no driver input.
When: 55,000 miles in one case; 89,528 miles in another case
Symptoms owners cite: Wipers activate independently; Wipers activate whenever vehicle is in operation
Repairs/costs cited: One owner disabled wiper fuse to stop independent activation
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer reset TIPM in one case but failure recurred; manufacturer not notified in another case
Turn signal failure
Turn signals fail to operate as intended on multiple occasions.
When: 55,000 miles in one case; 89,528 miles in another case
Symptoms owners cite: Turn signals failed to operate; Both turn signals failed to function
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer reset TIPM but failure recurred in one case; manufacturer not notified in another
Daytime running lights disabled at factory
Daytime running lights hardware was installed but not activated during manufacturing. Dealer activation requires expensive scanner work.
When: Discovered right after used vehicle purchase
Symptoms owners cite: DRLs installed but not activated; Safety feature not functional without dealer intervention
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer quoted several hundred dollars to activate via factory scanner
Interior lights very dim
Interior cabin lights are very dim and do not provide adequate illumination.
Symptoms owners cite: Interior lights very dim
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Roughly 3 weeks ago, I was driving home from work and my headlights would not come on. When I made it home, I tried turning the lights off and on. They would pop on for a few seconds and then go right back out. After a day or two, ,y son came over and changed the bulbs for the headlights. They worked for about 3 weeks. Last night the same thing happened again. No head lights. If you leave the…
Had lighting trouble with your 2010 Dodge Journey?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the lighting problem on the 2010 Dodge Journey?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 10 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $250 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the lighting typically fail?
Based on the 10 complaints filed, lighting issues most often appear around 68,243 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $250 for lighting repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to lighting?
No active recalls currently cover lighting issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2010/Dodge/Journey.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.