Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Dodge Journey owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
I have power door locks not working except manually or driver door by key. Key fob and door module for locks will not function. I cannot open the hatch due to power lock function. The Airbag light comes on when vehicle is started and the door is open and only disappears after the door is closed, engine shut off then restarted. Also the engine light came on for awhile then off and is now back on. This is what code scan report says. Engine and Transmission are P0420 Catalyst Efficiency (Bank1), OBDll Codes ($03) is Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold Bank 1. The Airbag is U0172 Lost Commuication w/Left Side Satellite Accelerator Sensor 1- Stored. The Door Module- Front Right (DMFR) is B16A5 Passenger Window Switch Backlighting Circuit High-Stored. Not sure exactly what these all mean but I think the Power Locks are a safety issue along with the Airbags. …
The gear will not shift unless I press the release button. After I took it for a recall in Route 18 Dodge dealer East Brunswick NJ, it came back without been able to shift. I asked the mechanic why my car is no moving, they said you have to press the release button and shift gears at the same. I told them I didn't bring my car in like this. After I spoke to "Mike" the manager, he said it was a matter of time. I'm scare for my life when driving because now is making all these sounds on the transmission.
The rear end is going out fuel system is causing a misfire number six and the airbag light is on we have had more problems with it with the power steering starting it when it's cold and it rupturing the hose plus the wiring and the door front door there's wires broke supposedly fixed in 2011 but are broke again every recall if you type in 09 Dodge journey is what's going wrong with mine right now but there's supposedly no recall on it
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle veered to the left side of the road into terrain. The vehicle then rolled over multiple times until coming to a stop in a water drain ditch. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact and her daughter sustained injuries that required medical attention. The driver's right side of the face was severely bruised and neck and spine trauma was sustained. The contact needed an mri on the wrist, arm, neck, and lower lumbar area to further diagnose the extent of her injuries. The contact's daughter had a knot on her forehead and was treated for a possible concussion. A police report was filed. The vehicle was affected by NHTSA campaign number: 14V373000 (air bags, electrical system); however, the dealer stated that the parts needed were not available. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled on several occasions. While driving approximately 60 MPH on a major highway, the vehicle stalled causing the contact to crash into a brick wall. The drivers side air bag deployed with force however the front passenger side air bag failed to deploy. The driver sustained neck pains, body pains, muscle spasms in the left arm and scarring to the left arm. The front passenger sustained head, mouth and face injury due to no air bag deployment. Both received further medical treatment. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed and a dealer was not contacted. The contact was unaware that the vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V373000 (air bags and electrical system) as the vehicle was not purchased from a dealer. …
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. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Journey. Upon starting the vehicle, it stalled and was unable to restart. The contact stated that the engine and windshield wipers failed, and the instrument panel lighting illuminated continuously. This was a recurring failure. The dealer advised the contact to bring the vehicle in for repair. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 71,000. On January 4, 2013, another vehicle crashed into the rear of the contact's vehicle. The contact's vehicle spun around, became airborne, and landed upright. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries to left shoulder and had to wear a brace. The contact sought medical attention. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 51,000. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that the engine failed to start. The contact was able to start the vehicle after multiple attempts. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The transmission was repaired and the key fobs were replaced, but the failure persisted. In addition, the contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, another vehicle crashed into the front driver side of the contact's vehicle and the air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained knee and lower back injuries that did not require medical attention. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 14V373000 (air bags, electrical system). The contact mentioned that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 52,000.
Related recalls
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.
NHTSA investigations
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…
Airbag complaints in other Journey years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2009 Dodge Journey?
NHTSA has 286 complaints about the air bags of the 2009 Dodge Journey, 18% of the model year's 1,594 complaints. The component named most often is side/window (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Dodge Journey airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 16V-047 (frontal, Jan 29, 2016); NHTSA recall 14V-373 (air bags, Jun 26, 2014). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2009 Dodge Journey airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 101,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 24 crashes, 1 fire and 25 injuries to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.