Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2010 Dodge Journey owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
It all started with no starts and had starter replaced and then charging problem had new battery and alternator replaced . Then driving to work all the dashboard lights lit up like a Christmas tree and died a couple of times once in the middle of the road . Even when the car was in park and key out of the ignition the lights on dashboard would light up , like the car never totally shut off?Replaced ecm afterwards thinking that was the problem but wasn't the case (I still have the original ecm unit ) and still there was a battery drain , driving it and the lights lit up the dashboard and stalled out . You can here a buzzing sound after the car if off and key is removed ?
2010 Dodge Journey - on July 8, 2019 my wife stopped at a local station for gas but when she pulled out of the station she lost all dashboard lights. The radio was playing but the controls were not working to turn the radio down or off. She decided that since the vehicle seemed to be running okay she would continue to her next stop. When she arrived at her next stop she pulled into a parking spot. All dash lights etc were still off. While depressing the brake and attempting to place the car in park the RPM's increased dramatically and she lunged forward and crashed into the building. The air bag did not deploy and the headlights were not damaged. However give the damaged cased by the fallen debris and some under carriage damage the car was determined a total loss. …
Our accelerator pedal snapped off while accelerating. This was during rush hour traffic on I-55 in illinois by mile marker 261. The vehicle was in motion already, the broken gas pedal happened when I went to accelerate further. I was driving straight. There was no shoulder on the left where I was traveling and I had to cross multiple lanes of traffic to get to the right shoulder. If I had to stop, I would not have been able to get out of driving lanes as the pedal snapped all the way up where the shaft meets the firewall. Illinois state police came to assist after Dodge refused to send a tow truck because the vehicle was no longer under warranty, when I communicated that this was far more than a warranty issue, they responded by stating that the supervisor was "too busy" to speak with me despite our children and us being stranded on the side of I-55 during rush hour. …
I have replaced the alternator twice since we bought it. But the engine light comes on , the and light comes on and the traction light comes on. Sometimes the just flash off and on. Then the next two to three days these lights are persistently on and the car does not want to go over 20 to 30 miles per hour. Two of the four cylinders seems to be "misfiring" or not firing at all. All these things are obviously happening when you are driving the vehicle. And sometimes when you are coming to a stop sign of traffic light, the vehicle will just shutdown. Then you have to try and jump it off for it to crank again....if it will crank at all. Had to tow it to a garage for repair on March 24, 2019. Replaced the battery, alternator(for the second time), and spark plugs.
The car will not start ....I can jump it ...get it running but then within 2 hours it is completely dead I have replaced everything and nothing is working from what I have read this is an ongoing issue with the Dodge Journey and this needs to be fixed by Dodge ....this is very very dangerous because it also will stall out while driving in the middle of the road....please please research this and make Dodge do something...I have had it at the dealer and they say everything tests out fine with it ....my 16 year old son drives this vehicle and if something happens to him because of the car malfunction I will sue the [redacted]off Dodge !!!
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Dodge Journey. On several occasions, the windows independently rolled up and down, the horn activated independently, and the vehicle accelerated independently. The contact also stated that the battery was replaced twice; however, the failure was ongoing. Jt's dodgeland and Fiat of columbia (190 greystone blvd, columbia, sc 29210, [phone]) was contacted, but the contact decided not to have the vehicle diagnosed due to the cost. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 99,999.
Driving down the interstate, all of a sudden my heating/cooling would shut off along with my radio. Then it would come on. It did this several times. Shortly after that, my turn signals no longer worked and it caused me to almost get in an accident. I was driving approximately 65-70 MPH. It continued to do this even after stopping. A week later, as I got up to go to work in the morning, it wouldn't start. It would just click when attempting. It wasn't sending the signal to the starter to get it going. I was stranded. I feel like my vehicle is possessed and it's really scary.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle would not properly accelerate before eventually stalling. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated as normal however, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The local dealer and manufacturer were not yet contacted. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 68,700.
I've had electrical problem ever since I bought this car the horn goes off randomly the fob doesn't work any of the locks and sometimes won't start my car transmission jumps gears heater vent makes weird noise basically this car has so many electrical problems it drains my battery every other day I really can't pin point because it has different issues I'm afraid to go anywhere because I never know if it will start back up that's another thing it shuts off as if I turned the key off as I'm driving or come to a stop took it in spent
I have a 2010 Dodge Journey and the transmission has been slipping out of gear since I have had the car the car has been in and out of the shop since I've had the vehicle and now I'm sitting on the side of a road cause the transmission went out even though I have serviced the transmission and everything to this car
Acceleration complaints in other Journey years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2010 Dodge Journey?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2010 Dodge Journey, 3% of the model year's 1,085 complaints. The component named most often is cruise control (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2010 Dodge Journey acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2010 Dodge Journey, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2010 Dodge Journey acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 19% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to speed control & acceleration 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.