Most common 2009 Dodge Journey problems
Share of the 1,594 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Dodge Journey complaints by model year
Best Journey years: 2008, 2020, 2019. Years to avoid: 2009, 2010, 2015. Compare all years →
2009 Dodge Journey recalls (8)
Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2009-2016 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured July 31, 2007, to November 12, 2016. After exposure to cold temperatures, the power steering return hose may rupture at engine start-up causing a loss of power steering assist.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering return hoses, steel tubes, and power steering oil cooler, free of charge. The recall began on May 24, 2016.
Air bags › Frontal
FCA US LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2009 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured December 31, 2007, to August 31, 2008, 2008-2009 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles manufactured June 18, 2007, to August 31, 2008. In the affected vehicles, the air bag control units may corrode and fail.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control unit, free of charge. The recall began on December 6, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Air bags
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch and key FOBs, free of charge. The recall began on May 26, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Electrical system › Wiring
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2009 Dodge journey vehicles manufacturer from November 1, 2007, through November 7, 2008. The wires within the front door wire harnesses May fatigue and break, which can interrupt the circuits for the side impact sensor(s), resulting in an airbag warning lamp illumination and loss of…
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners and replace the left and right door wiring harnesses free of charge. The safety recall began on February 18, 2011. Owners May contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Electrical system › Wiring
Chrysler is recalling 4,314 my 2009 Dodge journey, Jeep grand cherokee, commander and wrangler vehicles. Wiring May be reversed on the steering column control module driver airbag squib connector. The driver's airbag May not deploy as intended.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the driver's airbag squib wires and replace the steering column control module free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during May 2009. Owners May contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Electrical system
Chrysler is recalling 16,852 my 2009 Dodge journey vehicles equipped without optional 115 volt auxiliary power outlet. An unused electrical connector for the optional 115 volt auxiliary power outlet option May become corroded and could short circuit.
Remedy: Dealers will re-route and stow the 115 volt auxiliary power outlet connector and pull the 25 amp fuse to remove power from this unused circuit free of charge. The recall began on March 30, 2009.
Show 2 more recalls
Power train › Automatic transmission › Control module (TCM/PCM/tecm)
Chrysler is recalling 712 my 2009 sebring, Dodge caliber, avenger, journey, Jeep patriot, and compass vehicles. A new adhesive used in the power train control module (PCM) manufacturing process can cause the printed circuit board to break.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the PCM free of charge. The recall began on November 10, 2008. Owners May contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Electrical system › Wiring
Chrysler is recalling 6,692 my 2009 Dodge journey vehicles equipped with a 3.5l engine. The engine wiring harness May contact the left transaxle mount.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the engine wiring harness for damage. If the harness is damaged, the wiring will be repaired and a tie wrap installed to secure the harness away from the left transaxle mount.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2009 Dodge Journey:
Air Bag Non-Deployment/Engine Stall
In March 2011 Chrysler submitted a defect information report for NHTSA Recall No. 11V139 declaring a defect condition that could cause the ignition key to inadvertently move from the RUN to the ACC position on model year (MY) 2010 Dodge Journey, Grand Caravan, and Chrysler Town and Country.The report identified engine stalling as the defect consequence and cited customer complaints and warranty claims, as well as…
Vehicle entrapment
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23008 on May 1, 2023 to investigate an incident involving a 2009 Dodge Journey alleging occupant entrapment during a vehicle fire that resulted in a fatality. During this investigation, ODI collected information and evidence related to the defect allegation and incident, from the manufacturer and involved parties.
Vehicle entrapment
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-008 on May 1, 2023 to investigate an incident involving a 2009 Dodge Journey alleging occupant entrapment during a vehicle fire that resulted in a fatality. During the investigation, ODI collected information from the manufacturer and involved parties to confirm or refute the defect allegation.
Totally Integrated Power Module Failure
In a letter dated August 21, 2014, the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a defect investigation of alleged failures associated with the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) installed in Chrysler SUV?s, trucks, and vans beginning in the 2007 model year.
What 2009 Dodge Journey owners say
Electrical system all 814 →
The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Journey. The contact stated while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle loss motive power and stalled. The driver restarted the vehicle and continued to drive; however, the failure recurred. The driver was unable to restart the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed back to the residence. An independent mechanic went to the residence to inspect the vehicle. The mechanic replaced the starter and installed a new battery however, the failure recurred. The mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact was concerned that the failure was related to the ignition switch and the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start up. The vehicle also failed to start up after receiving a jumpstart. The contact mentioned that the starter needed to be tampered with for the vehicle to start. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the starter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred several times. The starter was replaced several times. The contact contacted several dealers and notified the dealers of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 116,614.
Brakes all 374 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that the rotors, calipers, transfer case, and front passenger seat sensor caught fire, the vehicle also experienced a loss of power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the technician diagnosed that the brake rotors and the brake caliper were defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact also had the vehicle repaired at the dealer for the transfer case malfunction. Upon inspection for the seat sensor failure, the contact noticed that a rubber boot was not installed, which resulted in the insulation igniting. The contact extinguished the flames and placed electrical tape at the end of the wire. The vehicle was able to be restarted after numerous attempts. The tire sensor also malfunctioned, which resulted in the tire constantly going flat. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Journey. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16V047000 (seat belts, air bags). The parts to do the repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was taken to holt Dodge and Jeep dealer to get the recall repaired. Upon taking apart the vehicle, the contact noticed that the parts were not the correct ones. The vehicle was reassembled and the parts were ordered. The next day, while traveling at highway speeds, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to stop the vehicle, which resulted in a front end collision. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was not filed. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 149,000. …
Air bags all 286 →
The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle failed to start-up. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V373000 (Electrical System, Air Bags). The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
On [redacted] around [redacted] I was driving 25mph in Alameda CA, and about two minutes into the ride, the airbag warning light came on. My fiance was in the passenger seat and our dog was in the back. About 15 minutes into the drive, my side airbags deployed without any collision or even bump in the road. I carefully and swiftly turned onto a side street and pulled over. My fianc and I got out of the car, and as we took our dog out of the back seat, the primary airbags (steering wheel and passenger seat) deployed, and shattered the windshield. The dashboard was cracked as a result of the primary bags deploying. My fianc 's arm was bruised from the side airbag deploying (photo evidence taken). We called the police and they came to document the incident and confirmed that there was no collision (police report included). Vehicle was then towed home and is available for inspection. …
2009 Dodge Journey engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 25 / 21 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 23 / 18 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 22 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Dodge Journey a good car?
Based on 1,594 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Journey rates avoid: 4.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the Journey at the same age. It is one of the Journey years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2009 Dodge Journey?
The electrical system — 814 complaints, 51% of all complaints for this model year, most often about ignition. Next are the brakes (374) and air bags (286).
How many recalls does the 2009 Dodge Journey have?
There are 8 recalls for the 2009 Dodge Journey, the most recent from May 6, 2016 (hose, piping, and connections). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Dodge Journey?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2008, 2020 and 2019. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2009, 2010 and 2015. See the full Dodge Journey years comparison.
At what mileage do 2009 Dodge Journey problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 62,000 miles; 41% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.