Dodge Journey problems
194 owner complaints with NHTSA, no active recalls. Here's where owners say it breaks.
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
- Electrical system: 47 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 21,000–63,000 mi
- Reliability score 7.4/10 — around the segment average
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Top trouble spots 8 categories with 3+ complaints
What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim
I bought my 2017 Dodge Journey in September 2021, as I was driving home I noticed an issue with acceleration. I would have my foot on the throttle and the vehicle would seemingly convulse, like accelerate then bow down and repeat. I brought It back to the dealership and they…
I have had 3 incidents, with the latest on 12/23 when during a rapid breaking to avoid collision as a vehicle did illegal lane change in front of me, my wallet, which I had on top of the middle compartment, pushed the clutch and changed the gear to reverse and my car went…
After 65,500 miles, my two year old Dodge journey has a catastrophic failure. The hydraulic pump blew and caused complete damage to the transmission costing me $3500 to get the complete transmission rebuilt. It's ridiculous this is happening to a 2 year old car with only 65k…
The transmission went out. You would hit gas, hear engine but wouldn’t go anywhere.
Estimate your repair exposure
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Under investigation 1 open at NHTSA
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. EA24003 on NHTSA →
How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →
Common questions
Is the 2017 Dodge Journey reliable?
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.4 out of 10 based on 194 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2017 Dodge Journey is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
Should you avoid the 2017 Dodge Journey?
The 2017 Dodge Journey is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Electrical system: 47 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 21,000–63,000 mi; Reliability score 7.4/10 — around the segment average. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
What's the most common problem on the 2017 Dodge Journey?
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is electrical, with 47 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 50,323 miles. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop.
What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?
The electrical is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 50,323 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
How do I check if my Dodge Journey has open recalls?
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2017 Dodge Journey?
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 194 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $850, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.