The 2015 Dodge Journey's engine problems are widespread and serious. The most dangerous is sudden stalling at speed with no warning—owners report the engine dying mid-traffic with complete loss of power steering and brakes. Some cars stall multiple times a week. Dealerships struggle to reproduce the issue during diagnosis, leaving owners stranded and unable to get repairs covered. The problem typically traces to the crankshaft position sensor, but even after replacement, stalling recurs in the same vehicle.
Cylinder misfires are equally common and persistent. Cylinders 2, 3, and 6 fail repeatedly in the same engine. Check engine lights come back within days or weeks of repair. Owners report visiting multiple shops and dealers without resolution, spending $3,800 to $8,000 on repairs. Chrysler's extended warranty for cylinder head damage applies only to 2011-2013 models, not the 2015, and coverage is limited to specific cylinders.
The plastic coolant tee joint cracks from heat cycling, causing sudden overheating with no warning. One owner reported engine fire and vision obstruction from steam. A second catastrophic issue: the plastic oil filter housing cracks and leaks oil throughout the engine, eventually causing seizure.
Recall campaign 15V431000 for engine and cooling was issued but parts remained unavailable for years, leaving owners unable to complete the safety repair. The 3.6L Pentastar engine in these vehicles shows design flaws identical to problems Chrysler recalled in earlier model years but refuses to address for 2015 owners.
Failure modes owners describe
Engine stalling without warning
Vehicle cuts power mid-drive with no warning lights or minimal warning. Engine dies, forcing the driver to coast and restart. Power steering and power brakes may fail simultaneously, creating a hazard in traffic.
When: Across model years; reported at 2,800 miles, 30-50 mph, and highway speeds. Multiple incidents reported within 3-5 months of purchase.
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden engine shutdown mid-drive; No warning lights or minimal warning; Loss of power steering; Loss of power brakes; Vehicle must be restarted; Recurrent issue in same vehicle
Codes mentioned: P0339 - crankshaft position sensor fault, Crankshaft position sensor malfunction
Repairs/costs cited: Crankshaft position sensor replacement reported. Some owners report multiple stalling incidents within days or weeks despite repairs; dealers unable to reproduce issue on first visit.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall for 2015 model; recall issued only for 2016 Journey. Extended warranty for cylinder head damage does not cover all cylinders or all VINs. No compensation offered when failures occur outside warranty.
Cylinder misfires and compression loss
Engine misfires in specific cylinders (most common: #2, #3, #6) with check engine light. Loss of power while driving, hesitation, and rough idle. Repeated misfire in the same cylinder after repairs. Some owners report cylinder head damage and low compression.
When: 50,000-209,000 miles. Multiple instances in same vehicle over years.
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illuminated; Engine misfire; Loss of power while accelerating; Hesitation during acceleration; Rough idle or shaking at idle; Repeated misfire in same cylinder after repair; Low engine compression (cylinder #6); Low compression and cylinder head damage
Codes mentioned: P0302 - cylinder 2 misfire, Cylinder 3 coil crack, Cylinder 6 misfire, Generic misfire codes
Repairs/costs cited: Coil replacement ($400-500 range). Spark plug replacement. Extended warranty (X56) for 3.6L left cylinder head damage applies only to 2011-2013 models, not covered on 2015. Out-of-warranty repairs run $3,800-$8,000+. Multiple repairs in same vehicle without resolution.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Known issue referenced in service bulletins for earlier model years. Extended warranty X56 not applied to 2015 model year. Dealer states issue is known but refuses warranty coverage. Manufacturer refers owners back to dealer.
Engine fire and overheating with coolant hose failure
Plastic tee joint in heater hose cracks from thermal cycling, causing coolant leaks and sudden overheating. Oil temperature spikes above 300 degrees, head gasket fails, and engine fire reported. No warning until catastrophic failure.
When: Occurs after thermal cycling stress (high heat to cold repeatedly). Reports at 160,000 miles and lower.
Symptoms owners cite: Cracked plastic tee joint in coolant system; Coolant leak around hose connections; Sudden overheating with no prior warning; Oil temperature above 300 degrees; White smoke from engine; Impaired vision from steam/smoke; Engine fire; Head gasket failure
Repairs/costs cited: Factory tee joint cannot be purchased separately; entire hose assembly ($200) required. Labor and parts together $600+. Plastic tee joint fails due to design not suited to heat cycling. Owners report this is a known common problem.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall issued. Manufacturer requires entire assembly replacement, not covered under warranty if customer replaces themselves. No compensation for out-of-pocket repairs.
Oil filter housing and cooler assembly cracking
Plastic oil filter housing and cooler assembly cracks and leaks oil into engine valley and throughout engine compartment. Can fail completely, leaking large amounts of oil and/or coolant, causing total engine failure.
When: Can occur during or after warranty period. Failure noted at 100,000+ miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Oil leak from filter housing; Oil accumulation in engine valley; Oil spread across engine and floor; Complete assembly failure with large oil/coolant leak; Engine seizure
Repairs/costs cited: Repair cost exceeds $800 out of warranty. Known to be a design defect per multiple online sources documenting same failure cause.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer covers repair only if failure occurs during warranty period. No recall issued. Known design issue but treated as warranty-dependent.
Check engine light with transmission slip and multiple sensor failures
Check engine light illuminates with transmission slipping and loss of power. Vehicle requires thermostat, thermostat housing, sensors, oil, radiator hose, and oil pan gasket replacements across multiple shop visits. Failures persist despite repairs. Vehicle stalls and fails to restart.
When: Approximately 100,000 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light; Transmission slip; Shuddering while driving; Stalling; Failure to restart
Repairs/costs cited: Thermostat replaced, thermostat housing and sensors replaced, oil and radiator hose replaced, oil pan gasket replaced. Multiple repairs did not resolve issue.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer and manufacturer not notified. No recall or TSB referenced.
Engine misfire with violent shaking
Check engine light with violent shaking of vehicle during operation. Camshaft position sensor replacement performed but failure recurred.
When: Reported at very low mileage (8 miles in one case).
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illuminated; Violent shaking; Engine misfire
Repairs/costs cited: Camshaft position sensor replaced but failure recurred.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified but no resolution reported.
Coil cracking and repeated coil failure
Ignition coil cracks and fails, causing misfire in cylinder. Replacement coil also cracks and fails. Extended warranty covers only right side of cylinders, not left, and does not apply to all VINs.
When: 50,000 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light; Engine misfire at 35 mph and other speeds; Power loss
Codes mentioned: Cylinder 3 coil crack
Repairs/costs cited: Coil replaced at aftermarket shop. Failure recurred at dealer where technician found coil was cracked. Consumer traded vehicle in for fear of $4,000 additional repair.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Extended warranty for cylinder head cracks applies only to right side cylinders, not left. Warranty does not include consumer's VIN. No recall or assistance.
Throttle body failure with repeated stalling
Check engine light followed by complete engine shutdown with loss of steering and braking. Throttle body diagnosed and replaced but vehicle handling not restored. Failure recurred 10 days later with different sensor fault.
When: Reported within weeks; 11/28/17 first incident, 12/14/17 second incident.
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light; Engine shutdown; Loss of power steering; Loss of power brakes; Second failure with crank sensor code; Engine will not crank
Codes mentioned: Throttle body fault, Crank sensor fault
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle body replacement $716. Crank sensor replacement $147. Vehicle still not running normally after first repair.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall. Dealer performed repairs but did not address root cause of repeated failures.
Catalytic converter failure
Catalytic converter fails causing abnormal exhaust odor, hesitation, and loss of motive power. Check engine light illuminates. Failure tied to Emissions Recall U67.
When: 209,000 miles in one report; lower mileage not specified.
Symptoms owners cite: Strong exhaust odor; Hesitation during acceleration; Loss of motive power; Check engine light
Repairs/costs cited: Catalytic converter repair required but not completed in reported case.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Emissions Recall U67 (Customer Satisfaction Campaign, NHTSA 10230438) issued but parts unavailable for extended period. Manufacturer exceeded reasonable time for recall repair.
Engine knock, catastrophic failure, and connecting rod damage
Engine began knocking while driving with no check engine light or warning. Loud bang and smoke. Engine blown with connecting rod pieces in oil pan. Stranded on busy highway at 76,000 miles, only 6 months ownership.
When: 76,000 miles, 6 months of ownership. Oil change performed 3 days prior.
Symptoms owners cite: Engine knock; No warning lights or chimes; Vehicle not overheating; Loud bang; Puff of smoke; Engine failure
Repairs/costs cited: Oil pan contained chunks of metal and connecting rod pieces. Engine declared blown and inoperable.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall or assistance mentioned. Owner vows never to buy Dodge again due to premature failure.
Power loss and jerking with abrupt deceleration (crankshaft sensor)
Vehicle jerks and decelerates abruptly without warning at 49 mph. Steering wheel becomes tight. No warning light prior to incident. Crankshaft position sensor diagnosed and repaired. Recall exists only for 2016 model, not 2015.
When: 63,000 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle jerks; Abrupt deceleration; Steering becomes tight; No prior warning
Codes mentioned: P0339 - crankshaft position sensor
Repairs/costs cited: Owner paid dealer for crankshaft position sensor repair.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall for crankshaft position sensor exists for 2016 Journey but not 2015, despite same underlying issue.
Emissions code P0441 with recurring stalling
Check engine light for emissions code P0441 (evaporative emission system purge). Vehicle stalls randomly at slower speeds—turning corners, parking lot maneuvers. Same code recurs after multiple dealer visits.
When: Recurring over 1.5 years.
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light for P0441; Random stalling at slow speeds; Stalling during turns; Stalling during parking lot maneuvers
Codes mentioned: P0441 - evaporative emission control system purge flow
Repairs/costs cited: Two separate dealers visited for 7 separate service visits. Code continues to return.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No resolution after multiple visits. Owner reports this is a very common problem online.
Recall parts unavailable (15V431000)
Multiple owners received NHTSA Campaign 15V431000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) recall notification but parts for repair remained unavailable for extended periods, far exceeding reasonable timeframe. Owners frustrated by inability to perform safety recall.
When: Recall issued 2015, but parts distribution issues persisted through at least 2018.
Symptoms owners cite: Recall notification received; Parts unavailable at dealership
Repairs/costs cited: No repair performed due to parts unavailability.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 15V431000 issued. Parts distribution disconnect resulted in extended delays. Manufacturer exceeded reasonable time for recall remedy. Multiple complaints about this single issue (narratives 34-50 all address recall parts unavailability).
Synthesized from 66 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.