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full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2011 Dodge Journey electrical problems
severe 33 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850 · see electrical across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
33
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
1crash
3injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 33 electrical complaints filed for the 2011 Dodge Journey, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 33 electrical complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Electrical accounts for 20% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 9 categories tracked.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
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full bulletin at NHTSA ↗LAMP - DOME
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service Library that is causing the incorrect repair kit part number to populate. Please use the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website until this issue is resolved.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service Library that is causing the incorrect repair kit part number to populate. Please use the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website until this issue is resolved.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2011 Journey's electrical systems generate complaints focused on power loss, starting failures, and uncontrolled activation of various functions. The most serious issue is sudden engine shutoff at highway speeds—owners report the engine dying, power steering and brakes locking up, and the vehicle becoming uncontrollable while rolling. These incidents repeat after dealership repairs (including alternator replacement) because diagnostic tests find no fault codes. Owners describe being stranded multiple times and feeling unsafe driving with children.
Starting problems are equally common: the vehicle won't crank despite good battery, alternator, and wiring tests. Hot starts fail while cold starts work. Some owners replaced batteries three times in four years. One owner discovered a CD left in the player drained the battery, but this didn't explain all failures.
Phantom electrical activation haunts many vehicles—horns honk without input, windows roll down, doors lock and won't unlock, seats move, and climate controls activate themselves while driving and parked. Multiple battery replacements don't stop it.
Infotainment screens go black, killing radio and AC control. Software updates and module swaps don't stick; screens reboot while driving and display languages change on their own. One owner was locked out when phantom door locks activated.
Cold-climate wiring fails catastrophically: broken wires between the body and liftgate cause tail lights and rear wipers to stop working and battery drain. Dealers repeatedly fail to identify root causes across all these issues.
Same Dodge Journey electrical reports on nearby years: 2009 · 2010 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014
Failure modes owners describe
Engine stalls at highway/city speeds with power loss
Engine shuts off without warning while driving at various speeds (25-65 mph), with loss of power steering and brake assist. Electrical systems (lights, radio) sometimes remain functional. Vehicle difficult or unable to restart immediately. Repeats after repair attempts.
When: At various mileages from 64,600 to 125,000 miles; some incidents reported within weeks of prior stall events
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden engine shutdown while driving; Loss of power steering, requiring manual effort to steer; Loss of brake assist, requiring hard pedal pressure; Vehicle continues to roll without power; No check engine codes despite multiple diagnostic attempts; Radio and lights sometimes stay on during stall; Push-button start non-responsive during stall; All check engine lights begin flashing after stall
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership replaced alternator ($$) on first stall; diagnostics showed no fault; problem recurred one week later. Repeated tows and diagnostics by both independent and dealership mechanics found no stored codes. Mechanic suspected WIN module or ignition fault entering accessory mode.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: 2009 and 2010 model year Journey recalled for same issue. 2011 owner reported Chrysler unwilling to prioritize the issue and offered no rental car during multi-week diagnostic wait.
Vehicle will not start or fails to hold charge
Intermittent starting failures despite functional battery, alternator, and wiring. Vehicle may start cold but fail after driving. Battery repeatedly dies despite replacement. Security system suspected as possible cause by owner research.
When: At 63,000 to 137,000 miles; multiple episodes within days or weeks of each other
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle refuses to crank or start; No clicking noises from starter; Lights, radio, dashboard, and accessories function normally; Battery dies after only 18 hours parked; Battery will not hold charge after jump-start; Vehicle requires 20 minutes to 3 hours rest before starting again; Cold starts work, but hot starts fail; Battery replaced multiple times with recurring issue
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replaced multiple times (3 replacements in 4 years reported in one case); alternator and wiring tested and found good. Independent mechanic diagnostics showed no electrical fault detected. One owner found leaving a CD in player caused battery drain.
Uncontrolled electrical activation (phantom functions)
Horn honks, windows roll down, doors lock/unlock, seat moves, lights flash, and climate control activates without driver input while driving or parked. Cannot shut off or control activated systems. Doors may lock preventing entry.
When: Reported occurring daily since February 2018 in at least one case; happens at various mileages
Symptoms owners cite: Horn honks involuntarily while driving and parked; Windows roll down without input; Doors lock and will not unlock; Electric seat moves on its own; Dashboard lights and indicators flash on; Climate control power button and touch screen fan activate automatically; Systems cannot be shut off manually; Owner locked out of vehicle due to door locks activating
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple batteries replaced with no resolution. Dealers charged battery and returned vehicle without identifying cause.
Infotainment and display system failures
Touch screen display goes blank, disabling radio and climate control which are controlled through the screen. Software updates and module replacements (clock spring, cruise control module) do not resolve recurrence. Display may switch to unknown language. Clock loses time.
When: Reported at 90,000 miles and beyond; issues recur despite multiple repairs
Symptoms owners cite: Touch screen display goes black with no visibility; Radio stops functioning when screen is blank; Climate control non-functional when screen fails; Steering wheel control buttons fail intermittently; Clock loses time and falls behind; Display switches to unknown language without user action; System reboots while driving; Cruise control intermittently works
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple dealer visits; software updates applied repeatedly; cruise control module replaced; clock spring changed. Dealer stated they would contact Chrysler but no follow-up information provided to customer.
Battery and charging system faults
Battery light illuminates repeatedly. Vehicle enters battery saver mode, causing loss of function (radio, AC, lights). Charging system components replaced without resolving battery drain or saver mode activation.
When: At various mileages; one case at 64,600 miles during city driving with children in vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Battery warning light on dashboard illuminates; Vehicle enters battery saver mode; Radio, air conditioning, and lights stop working; All check lights illuminate on dash; Vehicle will not shift gears properly; RPMs spike to 4-5k but vehicle only reaches 20 mph; Battery dies despite charging; Battery saver mode remains on after battery and alternator replacement
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replaced; alternator replaced; all wiring checked out fine per technicians. Battery saver mode remains active and vehicle will not hold charge after repairs.
Lighting and rear liftgate wiring failures
Tail lights and interior lights malfunction. Broken wires in harness between body and liftgate become brittle and crack in cold temperatures below 20°F (-7°C). Rear wiper stops working. Wires fail only after vehicle moved to cold climate region.
When: After vehicle moved to cold climate region; rear wiper failure reported same winter as light issues
Symptoms owners cite: Tail light on liftgate stops working (bulb not burned); Rear wiper stops working; Battery dies frequently; Broken wires in harness between body and liftgate; Wires crack and break in cold temperatures; Short circuits from broken wires; Loss of power, instability can occur while stationary, driving, or turning
Repairs/costs cited: Owner identified broken wires in the sleeve between body and liftgate during inspection. No dealer repair mentioned.
Fuse failures and intermittent electrical shorts
Fuses blow repeatedly, requiring replacement multiple times in short periods. Interior and exterior lights go out. Possible short circuit in vehicle electrical system causing loss of power to various circuits.
When: Under 1 year of ownership; fuses replaced 4 times in 6 months in one case
Symptoms owners cite: Lights go out repeatedly; Fuses blow and require replacement; Multiple fuses fail in short time span; Interior and exterior lighting affected; Electrical shorts suspected but not confirmed
Repairs/costs cited: Fuses replaced 4 times in 6 months. No root cause identified by dealer.
Key fob and door lock system failures
Key fob fails to unlock doors in cool weather. Vehicle detects ghost key fob signals with low battery despite both fobs being at home. Remote locks fail. Rear locking mechanism fails to unlock.
When: At 80,000 and 125,000+ miles; cool weather triggers failures
Symptoms owners cite: Key fob will not unlock doors in cool weather; Vehicle detects phantom key fob with low battery when both fobs are at home; Door locks malfunction; Rear locking mechanism fails to unlock; Vehicle locks owner out when parked; Push-button start non-responsive during electrical events
Repairs/costs cited: Rear locking mechanism diagnosed by dealer but technician could not find cause; vehicle not repaired.
Steering wheel controls and horn failures
Steering wheel control buttons fail intermittently or completely. Horn becomes unresponsive. Buttons cannot operate radio, cruise control, or other functions.
When: At various mileages; intermittent failures reported
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel control buttons fail intermittently; Horn non-functional; Cannot operate radio or climate controls via steering wheel buttons; Horn honks involuntarily when not pressed
Repairs/costs cited: Malfunction reported after stall incidents in some cases. No specific repairs documented.
Wiring harness internal shorts
Wiring harness internally shorts, causing cascade failures including cruise control malfunction. Harness insulation fails under temperature stress.
When: At various mileages
Symptoms owners cite: Wiring harness shorts internally; Cruise control switch shorts out due to harness failure; Multiple electrical systems affected; Cruise control intermittently works after short occurs
Repairs/costs cited: Wiring harness identified as cause by consumer; wire harness underneath driver's seat mentioned in airbag warning context at 137,000 miles.
Anti-theft/TIPM system malfunction
Vehicle randomly refuses to start, entering apparent anti-theft mode. Multiple dealers suspect faulty TIPM (Totally Integrated Power Module). Removing battery temporarily resets system but problem recurs frequently.
When: At least twice per week according to one complaint
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle randomly will not start; Vehicle enters anti-theft mode; Removing battery temporarily resets system; Problem recurs within days after reset; No diagnostic codes present
Repairs/costs cited: Three different dealers identified bad TIPM as suspected cause. Temporary fix involves removing battery to reset system.
Synthesized from 33 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
2011 Dodge journey when the weather is cool the fobs will no unlock the doors. Cw the consumer also stated he had difficulty starting the vehicle. *jb
There are many many as in huge multiple complaints of this journey vehicle not starting because keeping a charge. We have had to buy and have dealer install three batteries in the last four years. Found one problem, leaving a cd in the player causes the battery to drain. Cannot find any other. Please help.
Vehicle has repeatedly had problems starting after driving for any length of time. It will start cold, no problem. Battery and starter all checked and tested as good. It is believed to be due to a bad ground connection, but not 100% sure. My wife and children have been stranded several times due to this issue. Many times, the vehicle will have to be turned off for at least 30 minutes…
Had electrical trouble with your 2011 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 electrical problem on the 2011 Dodge Journey?
It's a meaningful issue. 33 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Across the 24 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most electrical failures cluster between 60,000 and 119,174 miles, with the median around 80,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 60,000; a quarter make it past 119,174. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical 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 electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical 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/2011/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.