SHIELD, Seat For concern of driver side seat shield is broken/cracked. Before replacing this part send an email to FCA Redacted Content; With the dealer address and a picture of the part. If no response in 15 minutes, proceed with repair.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2016 Dodge Journey airbags problems
severe 25 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
25
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
6crashes
8injuries
What stands out
Owners have filed 25 airbags 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.
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 4 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags 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.
SHIELD, Seat For concern of driver side seat shield is broken/cracked. Before replacing this part send an email to FCA Redacted Content; With the dealer address and a picture of the part. If no response in 15 minutes, proceed with repair.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners describe two distinct airbag failures on the 2016 Journey. First, headrest-mounted airbags deploy without warning or collision, sometimes injuring passengers. Reports include headrests popping open while parked in garages, deploying during normal city driving and highway speeds up to 70 mph, and internal plastic components snapping with no external cause. One owner struck in the back of the head reported dizziness and body aches; another experienced plastic fragments flying from the headrest. Once deployed, these headrests cannot be reassembled and remain broken.
Second, conventional airbags fail to deploy during actual collisions. Owners report accidents at 35 mph, 70 mph, and head-on impacts at high speed where no airbags activated. In one case, a vehicle struck a building at low speed with no deployment. A separate issue involves airbag warning lights staying on continuously or blinking intermittently for no clear reason, often with warning chimes. Owners report dealers deny these are covered under recalls or warranty. One complaint references faulty wiring and chaffing recalls that don't cover all 2016 model year vehicles, despite similar manufacture dates creating gray areas in coverage eligibility.
Same Dodge Journey airbags reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2017
Failure modes owners describe
Headrest airbag spontaneous deployment
Airbags integrated into driver- and passenger-side headrests deploy without collision, impact, or warning. Owners report headrests popping open, breaking plastic components, metal bars separating from plastic holds, and internal tension pins breaking. Deployment occurs while parked, during low-speed driving, or at highway speeds. Some cases result in injury.
When: Occurs at various mileages from low-mileage vehicles and in parked, stationary conditions. No correlation with specific mileage or time pattern reported.
Symptoms owners cite: Headrest deploys spontaneously while vehicle is parked; Headrest deploys during low-speed or highway driving with no collision; Plastic cover separates or gaps appear on headrest; Plastic holding components break internally; Tension pin breaks internally; Metal bar separates from plastic frame; Occupant struck in back of head by deploying headrest; Occupant experiences dizziness and body aches after deployment
Codes mentioned: Airbag warning light illuminates
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report broken plastic tabs and components that cannot be reassembled. Headrests remain in deployed state.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall for airbag wire chaffing in steering column exists but does not cover all 2016 model year vehicles. Owners report dealers deny coverage despite similar manufacture dates.
Airbag warning light malfunction
Airbag warning indicator illuminates on dashboard, either continuously or intermittently. Light remains on with no detectable collision or system activation. Owners report light persists and no recalls identified to address the condition. Some complaints mention airbag light coming on alongside other dashboard warning lights.
When: Occurs at various mileages including 44,000 miles and 122,128 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminates at startup or while driving; Warning light remains on continuously or flickers intermittently; Warning chime sounds when light illuminates; No collision or impact has occurred
Codes mentioned: Airbag warning light
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle referred to dealer; independent mechanics unable to resolve. Vehicles not repaired in reported cases.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified in one case and stated no recalls apply. Dealers report issue is not covered under warranty.
Airbag non-deployment in collision
Airbags fail to deploy during actual vehicular collisions, including head-on impacts and accidents at significant speeds. Owners report striking buildings, embankments, light poles, and other vehicles at speeds ranging from 35 to 70 mph with no airbag activation. Some result in injury.
When: Occurs during active collisions at various speeds (35 mph, 70 mph, high-speed head-on). One case at approximately 10,545 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle strikes object or embankment with no airbag deployment; Collision occurs at 35 mph with steering failure; airbags do not deploy; Head-on collision at high speed; no airbags deploy; Vehicle struck on head-on and right side; no deployment; Owner reports body injury from collision but no protection from airbags
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle taken to body shop for collision repair in one case. Vehicle not diagnosed by dealer in other cases.
Clock spring failure
Clock spring component in steering column fails, triggering airbag warning light. Light turns on and off randomly with accompanying beep. Clock spring failure can potentially affect airbag functionality.
When: Timing not specified in complaint.
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag light turns on and off randomly; Warning beep sounds intermittently; Clock spring not functioning
Codes mentioned: Airbag light
Synthesized from 25 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Head on Collison with light pole high speed the no airbags deployed. Vehicle was towed to tow yard is awaiting insurance to estimate damages.
Had airbags trouble with your 2016 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 airbags problem on the 2016 Dodge Journey?
It's a meaningful issue. 25 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 11 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 44,000 and 112,560 miles, with the median around 72,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 44,000; a quarter make it past 112,560. 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 $1,100 for airbags 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 airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags 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/2016/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.