Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 Dodge Journey owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Today 8-24-15 my 2011 Dodge Journey shut off as I was driving down a road. There was no prior indication the car all of the sudden would not steer , brake or do anything . The electric was still on but the car completely shut off . I had to use all my strength to maneuver it off the road and wait for it to slow down . My child was in the car . This is the second incident this has happened - 1st being in March 2015. Both have been reported to Chrysler . Both times I have brought to my local mechanic and it was set up for computerized diagnostic testing and both time threw no error codes. My mechanic believes it is an issue with the win module or something that is making the car ignition faulty and turning to accessory mode . It is unsafe to drive and I have contacted Chrysler because they need to stand behind their product . …
I was driving on the freeway to work and the engine shut off. I lost power steering, power braking, ability to accelerate or really drive the car at all. All I could do was try to safely navigate an uncontrollable vehicle to the shoulder and hope I wasn't hit in the process. The check engine light came on, in addition to other warning lights (I think they were the tire pressure light, the vehicle traction control light and another indicator that looks like a lightning bolt). The car eventually restarted, but had problems driving and would start to cut out when it idled. We took it back to Dodge, they ran diagnostics but couldn't find any issues. After a lot of pressure, they replaced the main computer chip in the system. This was after replacing another minor part that didn't change the issue. This seemed to work for a few months, but then the problem began happening again. …
My vehicle has been in the shop twice in 2 weeks. It started with a transmission issue. I was driving to work last Monday when the car would not shift into gear. The engine continued to idle, but it would not go into the next gear. After having it towed to carmax where it was purchased. They sent it to the transmission shop who later confirmed my torque convertor was faulty. So it was replaced. My truck was in the shop from 9/21-9/25. I was finally able to pick it up on Monday 9/28. Well, I picked it up and it was driving fine. Then all of a sudden yesterday 9/30, I go outside on my lunch break and it will not start at all. The lights, clock, radio, seats...etc all work fine. But, the vehicle will not start. No clicking noises or anything. It is not trying to turn over at all. I took it back to the transmission shop who last worked on it and they can not figure out what is wrong. …
I bought it on October 2011 at the south of florida , since then I had keeping and driving the car at the same location, never tried drive in low temperatures. But, in June 2016 I moved to region where the weather is between 20f or -7c during winter. Then the tail light on the lift stopped working, but it was not burned and no problem with the fuses the battery was dying frequently. This winter the rear wiper stopped working too. Now it was time to discover what's going on . Thus, I found broken wires in the sleeve between body and lift gate, where the wires need be flexible. I can confirm and concluding: the wires installed at the car do not support temperatures bellow 20f or -7c , in these condition the wires crack and broke and causing short-circuit. There are defective wires installed in this make car causing lost of power, short-circuit and letting the car instable. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that there was an electrical failure. The functions on the steering wheel failed to intermittently operate properly. The Uconnect function had also been affecting the ability to turn on the radio and the function controls on the display panel. In addition, the display screen near the radio was black with no visibility of the time and other functions each time the failure occurred. The dealer (hendrick Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, 1624 montgomery hwy, hoover, al 35216, [phone]) was notified and stated that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000. The VIN was not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Dodge Journey. While driving 65 MPH, the check engine light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the check engine light illuminated due to a low battery. The vehicle was not repaired and the failure recurred. In addition, while driving 25 MPH, there where a squeaking noise coming from the brakes. When the vehicle was in reverse, it made a knocking/kicking noise and failed to operate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer a second time where it was diagnosed that the transmission and a faulty cylinder head failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000.
MIL illuminates indicating cam shaft position senor and multiple other codes at start up or highway speeds. This also cuts off the stability control and puts the car in ,imp mode. The car will also stall without warning at highway speeds creating an unsafe condition. Dealership currently evaluating issue for cam shaft phaser failure. This occurs at least once a week however the most recent incidence on 6/14/2019 resulted in the car stalling while turning resulting in loss of power steering and braking. The code always resets after a driving cycle is completed but comes back in a day or so. It is my understanding that early 3.6 l engines for 2011 had an issue with cam shaft phaser but no recall has been issued for my vehicle.
It has been about a month since my 2011 Dodge Journey had begun to shut off without warning while I was driving, and with nyc traffic in the city it became dangerous for me to drive. I took it to my own mechanic who said it could only be resolved by the dealership since it May be an electrical issue with the car's computer that only the service shop at the dealership has the tools to fix. I am not driving faster than 30 MPH when it happens, I'm unable to brake and the car shuts off automatically. I have begun to use the emergency brake, but if there is a car that is too close, in front or behind me, I can get into an accident. Thankfully, I have always been by the shoulder on the highway and am able to pull over.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Dodge Journey. While driving approximately 70 MPH, the ABS warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the wheel bearing and brakes were defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that water entered the wiring harness and the ABS module, headlamps, and dash wiring harness needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 15V675000 (service brakes), but the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.
Battery light came on many times over a couple weeks. Then it went into battery saver mode. The radio stopped working, air conditioning, lights and the dash board had every check light come on. It then would not shift and rpms went to 4 and 5 but only would do around 20 MPH. Battery thrn died. After charging battery then replacing it with a new battery and the alternater and all wiring checked out just fine. No other problems could be found but still the battery saver mode is on and my Journey wont hold a charge. This all happened while I was driving with my childern in town going at a speed of 20-30 MPH.
Electrical complaints in other Journey years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2011 Dodge Journey?
NHTSA has 43 complaints about the electrical system of the 2011 Dodge Journey, 25% of the model year's 169 complaints. The component named most often is wiring (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Dodge Journey electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2011 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 2011 Dodge Journey electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 12% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 3 injuries to electrical system 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.