CAMERA – REAR VIEW
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2019 Dodge Journey electrical problems
moderate Owners of the 2019 Dodge Journey have filed 20 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
20
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2015 Journey | 88 |
| 2016 Journey | 65 |
| 2017 Journey | 47 |
| 2018 Journey | 61 |
| 2019 Journey (this page) | 20 |
| 2020 Journey | 16 |
1crash
What stands out
Electrical accounts for 22% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 6 categories tracked.
No new NHTSA electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 3 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 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.
LAMP - DOME
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗LAMP - DOME
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗"Washer Light On And Will Not Turn Off After Adding Washer Solvent."
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗LAMP - DOME
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report two dominant electrical issues affecting the 2019 Dodge Journey: backup camera failures and broader electrical system faults.
Backup camera issues dominate the complaints. Owners describe the camera flickering, displaying upside-down or black screens, or failing completely. Some report the malfunction is intermittent—the camera works occasionally but is unreliable; others say it fails entirely. One owner noted the camera has been upside down 99 percent of the time since shortly after purchase. A few owners mention awareness of recalls for 2018 Journey models with the same problem, but report their own 2019 VINs do not qualify, suggesting a potential manufacturing defect gap between model years.
Whole-vehicle electrical shutdowns also appear repeatedly. Owners describe the car losing all power mid-drive—dash goes dark, engine shuts off in traffic, then power returns after a delay. This has occurred during active driving and is described as very dangerous. Dealers replaced batteries and inspected fuse boxes without resolution.
Additional electrical faults include: check engine and throttle control warning lights triggering limp-mode (maximum 40 mph), repeated dealer visits with no root cause found; Uconnect Bluetooth connectivity requiring resets or fuse pulls 50 percent of the time; door locks and window switches malfunction inconsistently; reverse lights inoperative; liftgate wiring harness damage affecting rear wipers and backup lights; and a key-detection false alarm that prevents restart until time passes.
Owners perceive these as safety-critical defects and report multiple people with identical issues.
Same Dodge Journey electrical reports on nearby years: 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2020
Failure modes owners describe
Backup Camera Malfunction / Failure
Factory-installed backup camera intermittently or permanently malfunctions. Common presentations include flickering, upside-down image display, black/blank screen, glitching image, or complete failure to activate. Some units fail completely within months of purchase; others remain intermittent for years. Owners report 99% upside-down operation or 30% activation rate. The camera poses a safety concern—a federally required safety feature after 2018.
When: Intermittent failures begin shortly after purchase (within weeks to months); progressive degradation over time; complete failure follows in many cases
Symptoms owners cite: Backup camera displays blank or black screen; Image appears upside down; Camera flickers or glitches when shifting into reverse; Camera fails to activate entirely; Red and green stripes visible on display; Line through the camera image in mirror display
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reports dealership stated diagnosis would be 'costly and labor intensive.' No repairs documented as successful in narratives; repairs attempted by dealership and third parties have not resolved the issue.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Some 2018 Dodge Journey models have a recall for backup camera issues; however, 2019 VINs with identical symptoms do not qualify for the same recall according to owner reports.
Complete Electrical System Shutdown / Power Loss
Vehicle experiences unexpected, complete loss of electrical power while driving. Dashboard goes dark, engine shuts off mid-traffic, all electrical functions cease, then power spontaneously returns after a delay. No warning precedes the event. This creates acute danger and has occurred multiple times. Dealer replaced battery and inspected fuse boxes without isolating a root cause.
When: Occurs randomly and unexpectedly during active driving; at least one report of recurrence immediately after battery replacement at dealer
Symptoms owners cite: Complete loss of power while driving; Dashboard goes dark; Engine shuts off mid-traffic; All electrical functions disabled; Power spontaneously returns after delay; No warning before shutdown
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replacement attempted at dealer; issue persisted after replacement. Fuse boxes inspected and reported normal. No successful repair identified.
Check Engine, ESC, and Throttle Control Warning Lights / Limp Mode
Check engine, electronic stability control (ESC), and electronic throttle control warning lights illuminate together, causing engine to bog and vehicle speed to cap at 40 mph. Event occurs during active driving. Owner reports five occurrences and four dealer visits with no resolution; vehicle has been at dealership more frequently than driven since purchase.
When: Repeated episodes; vehicle purchased June 29th, each event occurred while driving
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine warning light illuminates; ESC (electronic stability control) warning light illuminates; Electronic throttle control warning light illuminates; Engine bogs down; Vehicle speed capped at 40 mph
Codes mentioned: Check Engine Light (generic), ESC warning, Electronic Throttle Control warning
Repairs/costs cited: Four dealer visits; no answers or root cause identified.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Chrysler has not replaced the vehicle despite repeated failures.
Uconnect Bluetooth Connectivity Failure
Uconnect infotainment system (8.4-inch radio without navigation or DVD) fails to initialize Bluetooth approximately 50 percent of the time. Owner must power off vehicle for 5 minutes or pull the radio fuse to reset and restore Bluetooth for hands-free calling and music playback.
When: Intermittent; approximately 50% occurrence rate
Symptoms owners cite: Bluetooth fails to initialize; Hands-free calling unavailable; Bluetooth music playback unavailable
Repairs/costs cited: Workaround: power off vehicle for 5 minutes or pull radio fuse to reset connection.
Door Lock and Window Switch Malfunction
Power windows and door locks exhibit inconsistent operation. Owner reports windows will not open or close; passenger door is the only door that opens and close reliably; other doors are locked and cannot be operated. Driver-side window randomly stops working despite motor and switches testing functional with no identified cause.
When: Intermittent; timing not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Power windows will not open or close; Passenger door is only functioning door; Other doors locked and inoperable; Driver-side window randomly stops working
Repairs/costs cited: Motor and switches tested and function correctly; no known cause identified.
Liftgate Wiring Harness Malfunction
Liftgate rear wiring harness malfunction causes multiple downstream electrical failures. Rear wiper blade operates continuously when not activated and shuts off when intentionally activated (reverse function). Reverse lights do not illuminate.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Rear wiper blade operates unintentionally when turned off; Rear wiper blade shuts off when turned on; Reverse lights inoperative
Key Detection False Warning / Ignition Control Fault
Instrument cluster displays 'key not in vehicle' warning when ignition key is present and in use. Warning alarms sound despite vehicle being stationary and key being in ignition. Vehicle will not restart until time has passed, then starts normally. Issue repeats.
When: Occurs unpredictably while vehicle is stationary and key is in ignition
Symptoms owners cite: False 'key not in vehicle' warning displays; Warning alarms sound despite key present; Vehicle will not start immediately after alarm; Vehicle starts normally after time delay
Engine Coil Pack and Spark Plug Defect
Engine coil packs and spark plugs reported as faulty, causing engine malfunction and engine 'collapse' (failure). Attempted repairs by dealership ($700 labor) did not resolve the issue; repairs by independent technician and subsequent second dealership visit also did not resolve the problem.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Engine malfunction; Engine collapse/failure
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership attempted repair ($700) without success. Independent repair also unsuccessful. Second dealer visit did not resolve issue.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership stated they could not service the vehicle until 2 weeks after problem reported and requested payment for diagnosis.
Synthesized from 20 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
The back up camera started to go in and out suddenly. Then all of sudden I started to get an upside down imade with red and green stripes and with stripe at the top. I saw the journey up to 2018 has a recall for this issue but mine is a 2019 and this just randomly started on 12/08/2022.
My windows won’t open up or close also my passenger door is the only one that can open and close the rest of the doors. My cruise control isn’t working, the back up camera isn’t working at all
Rear camera only turns on 30% of the time. The camera is in the rear view mirror and when it doesn’t work it puts a black screen in the rear view mirror putting many lives in danger.
Had electrical trouble with your 2019 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 2019 Dodge Journey?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 20 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 20 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 15,375 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
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/2019/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.