Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (seat frames, recliners, heated seats and seat tracks).
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).
I was sitting, idling in my car when my active headrest restrain system in my passenger seat suddenly went off. I am lucky no one was in my passenger seat and that I wasn't driving at that time. I looked more into it and it looks like the plastic encasing the metal bar which holds the headrest together snapped. Googling online I saw that this is a common issue with dodge, jeep, and Chrysler cars. I am now worried my driver side active headrest restraint system could go off while I am driving and cause an accident, as the passenger one definitely flew forward fast when it snapped.
My active headrests on the front seats have suddenly sprung, i.e. they have opened up. The car was parked in my yard, no other vehicles around, no accident/fender bender. I went out one day and the headrests were both opened up. This is a known problem for Dodge (at the time it happened, I researched) and they did extend the warranty for ten years; however, my vehicle is a 2010 so past that extended warranty. This is an expensive fix. I am a senior on a fixed income and wonder if there is any way to remedy this problem?
My significant other and I were driving to cedar point with our kids and I was in the passenger seat. The headrest literally shoved my head forward. No accidents or anything. It just happened out of no where! This is very dangerous and considering it went off what if it was the driver seat and I was driving! This could have caused an accident.
I just purchased a 2010 dodge journey. It has not been in an accident. This morning when getting in my car, I noticed the active headrest restraint has been deployed. I was not in an accident. The car with sitting in my driveway overnight.
I was driving in my 2010 Dodge Journey when the driver head rest deployed.....no event caused the painful ejection. I almost hit a semi coming in my direction. There are many testaments to others experiencing the same flaw in their Dodge journeys. It should be recalled......who knows if this causes accidents and it just appears as though it was a result instead of the cause. The dealership that sold this car is unable to help me......the repair is my sole responsibility. Completely negligent of Chrysler/Dodge,!!! I could have been killed and still have the terrible head pain 2 days later!!! I feel as though others need to know of this danger. Nothing was even touching the head rest when it deployed........my head wasn?t even touching it. The force was so hard I hit the steering wheel! Consumer stated she put metal clips to prevent the head rest from deployment.
My head rest has came apart & the Dodge dealer doesn't know how to put it back together. I was told it is part of the air bag recall & I just had that fixed yesterday. I drive with my seat straight up & I'm unable to do so because of the head rest.I met a guy from Dodge & he took pictures & made a report but that was 3 weeks ago. I need something done. I was driving my car when my head rest exploded on a side street if I would of been on the highway I would of probably wreaked . I need help with this!!
Front seats head rests retaining pin plastic c cup holders failing and letting head rest snap forward with tremendous force toward head of driver or passenger. Basically a plastic part holding a steel pin that hinges failing. If while driving could create concusion to either driver or passenger. Sounds like cherry bomb going off. The vehicle in my case was in garage not moving, just by chance. It blew up.
The passenger active head rest deployed while parked in the driveway. The metal clip inside the head rest broke the plastic holding it. I contacted Dodge and they had a guy come and take pictures and then a few weeks after that I received a letter stating they would not cover the cost of the head rest. It's a defective head rest, there should have been no reason as to why it deployed and broke.
I was driving on a very hot day (107 degrees), and the passenger headrest exploded. The car was in motion on a city street. No one was sitting in the seat, so I assume it was due to driving in high heat. It sounded like a gunshot went off in my car and I almost got in an accident. The headrest is completely broken.
Head rests both are popped out. They have something to do with the air bag system. They hit my head on the driver side the last week hit my cousin in the head. It hurt a lot. It's my understanding from research this happens across many years and makes of Dodge Journey.
NHTSA investigations
Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19014 on September 9, 2019, to investigate 128 consumer complaints alleging that the Active Head Rest (AHR) inadvertently deployed without the occurrence of a crash or other rear impact event in model year (MY) 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles.When ODI opened the investigation, ODI was aware of thirteen alleged injuries.A small number of Early…
Seat complaints in other Journey years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat problems on the 2010 Dodge Journey?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the seats of the 2010 Dodge Journey, 2% of the model year's 1,085 complaints. The component named most often is front assembly › head restraint (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2010 Dodge Journey seat problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seats 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 seat problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 89,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 5 injuries to seats 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.