Dodge Journey reliability by year
15 recalls and 5,466 owner complaints across 12 model years. Best year to buy: 2020. Year to avoid: 2009.
Worst model years to avoid → — the single year to avoid for every model line we track, ranked side by side.
Years to avoid — and why 7 flagged on the NHTSA record
Cleaner on the data: 2011, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 . Still verify the specific vehicle.
At-a-glance: every year color-coded
Each cell shows the last two digits of the model year and its 0–10 reliability score from NHTSA data. Click any year to see the full record. ★ best year · ✕ year to avoid.
Year-by-year reliability 12 model years · newest first
Common trouble spots across the Journey aggregated across 12 model years
Common questions
What's the best year to buy a Dodge Journey?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2020 Dodge Journey scores 7.8/10 — the strongest in the 2009–2020 range. 60 complaints on file, 1 active recall. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.
Which Dodge Journey year should I avoid?
The 2009 Dodge Journey scores 5.6/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 1,594 owner complaints with NHTSA, 4 active recalls. That doesn't mean every 2009 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.
Which years of the Dodge Journey should I avoid?
On the NHTSA complaint and recall record, the model years to be most careful with are 2016 (avoid — the powertrain — powertrain: 82 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 40,000–84,000 mi); 2015 (avoid — the electrical system — 5 fire-related complaints and 3 crash-related complaints on the electrical system); 2014 (avoid — the electrical system — 5 fire-related complaints and 3 crash-related complaints on the electrical system); 2012 (avoid — the brakes — 6 fire-related complaints on the engine); 2010 (avoid — the engine — 7 fire-related complaints and 4 crash-related complaints on the electrical system); 2009 (avoid — the electrical system — 1 fatality report and 17 fire-related complaints on the electrical system). The cleaner years on the data are 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2011. This is our read of the federal data, not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection of the specific vehicle.
How many years of the Dodge Journey are tracked?
12 model years (2009 through 2020) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 15 recalls and 5,466 owner complaints.
What's the most-reported problem on the Dodge Journey?
electrical is the most-reported category — 1,926 complaints across 12 model years. Average shop repair runs about $850.