Owners report a cluster of electrical failures spanning multiple systems: battery drain and no-start conditions, stalling without warning at highway speeds, instrument cluster malfunctions, and loss of power steering and braking during operation. The stalling problem frequently involves crankshaft and camshaft position sensors, with owners citing check engine code P0335 (Crankshaft Position Sensor Circuit Malfunction). Several owners report this failure occurring already under recall S89/NHTSA 16V-907 (limited to May–July 2016 builds) but claim the issue is far more widespread than the recall covers.
Window and door lock systems fail intermittently—windows won't lower or raise, and doors lock/unlock unintendedly. Climate control malfunction is common: AC blows hot air, defrost won't engage, and blower motors stay on one setting. Dashboard screens go black or flicker; infotainment systems reset repeatedly and change radio channels without user input. Lighting issues range from headlights strobing and flickering to all dashboard lights illuminating simultaneously, sometimes followed by total power loss.
ABS and traction control lights illuminate persistently, often linked to wheel speed sensor failures. Owners report the antilock brakes locking unexpectedly. Backup cameras fail to display or glitch. A few owners describe ground strap wires overheating and burning through insulation, and one reports airbag wiring beneath the front passenger seat exposed to water damage from common spills.
Many owners say dealers couldn't diagnose problems or found nothing on scan tools. Recurring failures after repair are frequent.
Failure modes owners describe
Stalling at speed / Loss of power while driving
Engine cuts out suddenly without warning at highway speeds (reported at 35–70 MPH) or at stops. Loss of power steering and braking reported. Vehicle enters limp mode or requires restart. Occurs multiple times for some owners.
When: Various mileages: 27,000–120,000 miles; some early (27k), some late (120k)
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stalls without warning while driving; Loss of power and ability to brake; Loss of power steering; Check engine light illuminates; Vehicle requires multiple restart attempts; Multiple warning lights illuminated; Vehicle hesitates on accelerator depression
Codes mentioned: P0335 (Crankshaft Position Sensor Circuit Malfunction), Camshaft sensor failure, Shift solenoid defect
Repairs/costs cited: Crankshaft position sensor replaced; camshaft sensor replaced; engine harness replaced; one owner reports replacing battery, alternator, starter and other parts without resolving issue
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Recall S89/NHTSA 16V-907 issued for engines built May 8–July 12, 2016 only; owners outside this date range denied coverage; software update covered under NHTSA Campaign 18V332000 (Electrical System, Vehicle Speed Control) but additional repairs out of pocket
Battery drain / No-start failure
Battery discharges fully with vehicle sitting idle for 3–4 days or overnight. No lights or systems left on. Vehicle will not start or starts only with jump. Recurring for some owners after dealer reset.
When: Early in ownership; some at <16,000 miles; one documented 52,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Battery dead (zero to 5.6 volts) after short idle period; Lights flicker when attempting to start; Clicking from engine compartment; No warning before total discharge; Cannot turn off ignition even when parked
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replaced; battery charged by dealer; one owner replaced battery multiple times; some owners advised to drive vehicle more frequently or install battery trickler (not a repair)
Window and door lock system malfunction
Power windows fail to operate; clicking or humming when switches engaged. Doors lock and unlock without user input. Interior lights flicker or illuminate unintendedly. Some owner reports wiring harness exposed and fragile.
When: Reported from early ownership through 120,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Windows will not roll up or down; Clicking or humming noise from window switches; Doors lock and unlock repeatedly on their own; All window switches fail to function; Interior lights flash without user action; Driver-side door won't unlock with key fob (though key works)
Repairs/costs cited: Wiring harness replacement quoted >$500 labor; one water intrusion case noted water bottles breaking airbag wires under passenger seat (repair quoted $300); no permanent fix offered
Dashboard and infotainment screen malfunction
Front touchscreen goes black or will not turn on. Dashboard lights flicker or all illuminate at once. Infotainment system resets repeatedly, losing time and settings. Radio changes channels without user input.
When: Reported at various mileages; one at 64,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Front screen stays black when car is on; Dashboard lights flicker on and off; All dash warning lights illuminate simultaneously; Radio changes channels without user touching controls; Infotainment system resets and forgets settings; Check engine light comes on and off intermittently; System unable to display vehicle status (oil level, tire pressure)
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reports multiple software updates that do not resolve the issue; no repairs documented
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Software update provided under NHTSA Campaign 18V332000
Climate control system malfunction
AC blows hot air when AC is on; defrost does not engage; blower motor stuck on one setting and cannot be switched. Heat turns on by itself repeatedly.
When: Reported at 40,000 miles and earlier
Symptoms owners cite: AC compressor blows hot air in summer; Defrost will not activate; Blower motor stuck on one setting (cannot select defrost, face, or feet); Passenger side blows hot air while driver side works; Heat turns on by itself and will not stay off; Winter windshield fogs up while driving despite warm-up
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented in narratives
ABS and traction control light illumination / Wheel speed sensor failure
ABS and traction control warning lights illuminate and stay on. Often associated with wheel speed sensor malfunction. Cruise control disabled when lights are on. One owner reports brakes do not grip road properly when lights are on.
When: Reported several months after tire replacement in one case; at various mileages from 20,000–103,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: ABS warning light illuminated continuously or intermittently; Traction control light remains on; Service AWD light illuminates; Cruise control will not engage when lights are on; Brakes do not grip road (feel like ice in summer); loud noise when braking; Near accidents from failed braking response
Repairs/costs cited: Right front ABS sensor replaced (one owner paid $97 diagnostic at independent shop, then dealer replacement); brake pads replaced in one case without resolving ABS light
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One owner reports dealership stated 'Journeys have been coming in by the dozen' for this issue 'all over the U.S.'
Backup camera and rear lighting failure
Backup camera image does not display, suddenly goes black, or glitches while in reverse. Rear lights (reverse lights, tail lights, interior hatch lights) fail to illuminate or are very dim.
When: Reported at 64,000 miles and higher
Symptoms owners cite: Backup camera image black or will not display; Camera glitches occasionally in reverse; Reverse lights do not illuminate; Tail lights do not come on; Left tailgate light does not illuminate; Interior hatch lights do not come on when hatch opens
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented; one owner notes electrical short in tail gate wiring harness suspected
Electrical short / Ground strap overheating
Chassis ground strap wire glows red and burns through insulation coating while vehicle is warming up after remote start. Strong plastic/rubber burning smell emanates from heat vents. Wire attachment point shows poor connection (sheet metal clip to motor mount).
When: Approximately 5 minutes after remote start
Symptoms owners cite: Strong plastic/rubber burning smell from heat vents and under hood; Glowing red ground strap wire visible; Insulation coating burning off wire; Burning smell audible inside vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: No repair documented; owner notes attachment method (sheet metal clip to motor mount) may cause high electrical resistance and heat buildup
Airbag wiring damage and warning system failure
Airbag wires beneath front passenger seat are thin, fragile, and unprotected. Water bottles or spills can break wires, disabling airbags. No warning light alerts driver to airbag failure. Also correlates with ABS light illumination.
When: At 20,000 miles reported; issue noted after water intrusion
Symptoms owners cite: ABS and traction control lights illuminate; Airbags do not function; No warning light for airbag failure
Repairs/costs cited: Wires repaired at dealership for $300; no design change made to protect wires
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Older Dodge vehicles have recalls for similar issue; manufacturer refuses to acknowledge design flaw on 2016 Journey
Crankshaft / Camshaft position sensor failures (recurring)
Multiple reports of crankshaft and camshaft sensor failures causing stalling. Some owners report sensors replaced multiple times without permanent resolution. Outside of limited recall date range, owners denied coverage.
When: 27,000–100,000+ miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stalls without warning; Check engine light with P0335 code (Crankshaft Position Sensor); Multiple stalls requiring restart; Hard starting after stall; Difficulty diagnosing—codes not always present
Codes mentioned: P0335 (Crankshaft Position Sensor Circuit Malfunction)
Repairs/costs cited: Crankshaft position sensor replaced; camshaft sensor replaced; engine harness replaced; one owner had three sensors replaced but failure recurred; one owner disputes diagnostic and notes TIPM (Totally Integrated Power Module) drain as alternative cause
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Recall S89/NHTSA 16V-907 for limited build dates (May 8–July 12, 2016); outside date range, manufacturer denies coverage; owners report this is more widespread than recall covers
Cruise control malfunction (sticking / not canceling)
Cruise control will not turn off once engaged; vehicle maintains speed even when cruise is off; cruise control won't engage when ABS lights are on. One owner reports dangerous acceleration to high speeds on its own.
When: Reported at various mileages
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control will not disengage; Vehicle maintains speed with cruise off; Cruise control won't engage; Vehicle accelerates to high speeds on its own when cruise engaged; Cruise unavailable when ABS lights are illuminated
Repairs/costs cited: One owner under NHTSA recall 18U49182 for cruise control; software update provided
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Recall 18U49182 for cruise control malfunction; NHTSA Campaign 18V332000 (Electrical System, Vehicle Speed Control)
Liftgate wiring short and rear lighting
Electrical short in tailgate wiring harness causes brake lights, tag lights, and signal lights to be dim or non-functional. Issue occurs after recall work in some cases.
When: At 103,000 miles; one owner reports issue after speed control computer flash recall
Symptoms owners cite: Brake lights do not illuminate or are very dim; Tag lights do not illuminate; Signal lights do not illuminate; Reverse lights do not come on; Rear wiper operates only in reverse or when unlocking car; Rear wiper will not turn off unless switch left in on position
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented; electrical short in tailgate wiring harness suspected
Door wiring harness brittleness and failure
Driver-side door wiring harness is thin, cheap, and brittle. Wires break easily with normal door operation. Causes door lock failure and interior light flashing.
When: Reported at various mileages
Symptoms owners cite: Driver-side door will not lock; Interior lights flash; Vehicle beeps repeatedly; Door lock control failure
Repairs/costs cited: Wiring harness replacement labor quoted >$500
Electrical fire (center console USB and trunk area)
Center console USB plug caught fire. One owner reports trunk area caught fire after cleaning, causing interior hatch to overheat and melt seat and storage containers. Strong electrical smell precedes fire.
When: Reported at lower mileages; one at ~2 months ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Center console USB plug overheats and ignites; Strong electrical and smoke smell; Trunk fire after electrical short; Interior hatch overheats from electrical fire; Seat and storage containers melted
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented; one owner notes online mentions electrical fires linked to window switch problems
Intermittent electrical system resets and component failures
Dashboard lights, wipers, AC, heat, and radio fail or malfunction intermittently. Requires turning vehicle off and back on to restore function. Multiple resets per drive reported.
When: Reported at <40,000 miles and higher
Symptoms owners cite: Dashboard lights turn off and on while driving; Radio turns up by itself; Heat/AC won't come on without vehicle reset; Wipers stop working while driving (especially in rain); Vehicle jerks during electrical reset events; Multiple resets required during single trip
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented; multiple resets required by driver to maintain function
Tire pressure monitoring system malfunction
Tire pressure readings are inaccurate and fluctuate dramatically within minutes. All tire PSI values differ substantially (e.g., 39 PSI becomes 34 PSI in 5 minutes). Vehicle imbalance and rocking results.
When: Reported for 1 month duration; no mileage specified
Symptoms owners cite: Tire pressure PSI readings fluctuate by 5+ PSI in minutes; All four tires show different PSI despite being filled identically; Vehicle rocks and feels imbalanced
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented
Vehicle veering off road / steering control loss
Vehicle constantly veers off road without driver input. Nearly caused crash on expressway. Associated with electrical system malfunction.
When: Reported; no specific mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle veers off road without warning; Loss of steering control; Near-crash incidents
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented
Engine limp mode and transmission shift issues
Vehicle enters limp mode with check engine light. Transmission hesitates, fails to shift gears properly, or jumps out of gear. Vehicle stalls while in gear. One owner reports cannot shift out of park or turn off vehicle when stalled.
When: Reported at 66,000–100,000+ miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle enters limp mode; Transmission hesitates on acceleration; Transmission fails to shift or jumps out of gear; Transmission pump fails; Vehicle stalls in gear; Cannot shift out of park; Cannot turn off vehicle when stalled; Requires battery disconnect and reconnect to reset
Codes mentioned: P0335 (Crankshaft Position Sensor in some cases)
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple independent mechanics recommended transmission replacement; one owner reports dealership suggests trading vehicle and buying new one instead of repair
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Software update under NHTSA Campaign 18V332000; additional repairs out of pocket
Synthesized from 65 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.