Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Dodge Journey owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that at start-up and and while driving at various speeds, the air bag warning light illuminated followed by a warning chime. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for assistance, but the contact was referred to the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 122,128.
The other day I noticed my air bag warning light was on on my dashboard. I had my car hooked up to run the codes for the dash lights. It came back as the airbags in the drivers and passenger headrests had popped or started to pop. I had the headrests looked at and the black plastic cover on the back of it is partially coming off. There is a gap between the front of the headrest and the back of the headrest, big enough my finger can fit through. I was not in a car accident or anything like that, my car was parked for a few days and when I went to drive it, this is how I found it.
While returning from a shopping trip with my mom the passenger headrest broke/exploded? It caused several small plastic fragments to fly from I guess inside and the headrest hit my mom in the back of the head. There were no lights to indicate a problem, no other vehicles around and we were only traveling 25 mph. No police or anyone else involved Ed. Wasn't sure what to do. I saw a recall for this on similar vehicles but mine is not included.
The driver's headrest in my 2016 Dodge Journey has deployed and will not reset. The plastic pieces that hold the metal bar have broken. I have read about many other owners of Journeys, that are experiencing the same issue, yet there is no official recall. I have not taken it to be inspected.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Dodge Journey. While attempting to park the vehicle, it accelerated independently while the brake pedal was depressed. As a result, the vehicle drove over a concrete bumper and struck a building. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was taken to a body shop (all magic paint and body) and the body damage was repaired. The vehicle was not diagnosed by the dealer. The vehicle was not deemed destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,545. Updated 09/27/17
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Dodge Journey. While driving 35 MPH, the steering wheel was turned to the right to avoid colliding with a truck. However, the vehicle turned to the left and collided with an embankment. The air bags did not deploy. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator illuminated after the failure. A police report was filed. The contact sustained left arm soreness, but no medical attention was required. The vehicle was not towed. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 36,632.
Head on Collison with light pole high speed the no airbags deployed. Vehicle was towed to tow yard is awaiting insurance to estimate damages.
was involved in a major accident and the air bags did not deploy. Was hit on head on and right side.
Airbags didn't deploy in head on collision and break system has a defect in the abs module
Just driving normal down the road on a city streetand the airbag light came on and now stays on. Car was mfg 09/2015 and has 44K on it. Cannot find any recalls but one item from motor 1 dated 07/14/2017 that said faulty wiring on Journey crossover could cause the the driver side airbag to unexpectedly deploy. When I called the dealer they said not true and it's not covered.how can this be? Pleas help
Airbag complaints in other Journey years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2016 Dodge Journey?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the air bags of the 2016 Dodge Journey, 7% of the model year's 389 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2016 Dodge Journey airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2016 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 2016 Dodge Journey airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 72,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 0 fires and 8 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.