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2014 Dodge Journey Recalls, Issues & Maintenance

The 2014 Dodge Journey carries 7 open NHTSA recalls — most recently covering wiring and frontal. Owners report 6 recurring issue clusters, led by “ABS module failure and warning lights.” Dodge uses Stellantis' Oil Change Indicator — it watches engine load and duty cycle and messages when to change oil, capped at 10,000 miles or 12 months. Know your engine: the 3.6L Pentastar V6 goes 100,000 miles on plugs, while HEMI V8s carry sixteen plugs (two per cylinder) on a roughly 30,000-mile interval — that's a real cost difference at the service counter. HEMI models with MDS cylinder deactivation are especially sensitive to overdue oil.

7 Open Recalls

Source: NHTSA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

Campaign #18V332000 · May 17, 2018

Issue: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.

Risk: If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

Campaign #17V432000 · Jul 7, 2017

Issue: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Dodge Journey vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the driver's frontal air bag may unexpectedly deploy if the air bag wiring harness gets chafed within the steering wheel and short circuits.

Risk: Unexpected deployment of the driver's frontal air bag increases the risk of a crash or driver injury.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bag wiring within the steering wheel, replacing it if necessary. A protective cover will also be installed. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began August 28, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T47.

EQUIPMENT

Campaign #17V824000 · Dec 21, 2017

Issue: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling various Dodge, Chrysler, and RAM vehicles equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. A list of the affected trailer models is available at: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17V824-0103.pdf. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf

Risk: If the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury in the event of a fire.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners instructing them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403 or Kidde customer service service toll-free at 1-855-262-3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information. Chrysler's number for this recall is T82.

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

Campaign #16V273000 · Jun 5, 2016

Issue: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2009-2016 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured July 31, 2007, to November 12, 2016. After exposure to cold temperatures, the power steering return hose may rupture at engine start-up causing a loss of power steering assist.

Risk: A loss of power steering assist may require extra steering effort, especially at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering return hoses, steel tubes, and power steering oil cooler, free of charge. The recall began on May 24, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S08.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Campaign #15V431000 · Jul 7, 2015

Issue: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2015 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured July 19, 2010, to May 26, 2015 and equipped with 2.4L engines. In the affected vehicles, the engine cover may detach from the engine and contact the exhaust manifold.

Risk: If the displaced engine cover contacts the exhaust manifold, there would be an increased risk of a vehicle fire.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install an improved mounting system for the engine cover, free of charge. The recall began on October 15, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R32.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

Campaign #15V675000 · Oct 19, 2015

Issue: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured April 21, 2012, to April 14, 2015. In the affected vehicles, water may enter the wiring harness for the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) module and leak into the module, disabling the ABS and/or the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system.

Risk: If the ABS or ESC is disabled, a loss of vehicle stability could occur, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will seal the ABS wiring harness to prevent water from entering and will replace the ABS module and repair the headlamp and dash wiring harness, as necessary. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on December 21, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R61.

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Campaign #14V711000 · Jul 11, 2014

Issue: Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured October 25, 2013, to August 22, 2014. The affected vehicles may be equipped with tire placard labels which contain inaccurate seating capacity and occupant/cargo combined weight information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."

Risk: With inaccurate information on the tire placard, the operator may overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install a correct tire placard label, free of charge. The recall began April 8, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P70.

Recall data refreshed Sep 6, 2026.

Known issues for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2014 Dodge Journey.

1 active NHTSA investigation

Source: NHTSA

  • Vehicle entrapment

    Action #EA24003 · opened Aug 1, 2024

    The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-008 on May 1, 2023 to investigate an incident involving a 2009 Dodge Journey alleging occupant entrapment during a vehicle fire that resulted in a fatality. During the investigation, ODI collected information from the manufact…

    View on NHTSA →

Reported to NHTSA

ABS module failure and warning lights

SERVICE BRAKES

29 NHTSA complaints · 2019-03 → 2026-06

“The ABS module has failed. There was a recall R61 issued previously for this issue of moisture causing ABS module failures”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11617588
“The contact owns a 2014 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the ABS and Traction Control Systems malfunctioned, causing an uneven wheel spin and making the vehicle extremely difficult to steer or control”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11702923
“The contact owns a 2014 Dodge Journey. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to move downward and remained seized. The contact stated that the ABS warning light was illuminated”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11473510

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Active head restraint deployment without impact

SEATS

37 NHTSA complaints · 2019-05 → 2026-07

“The contact owns a 2014 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and occupied, the contact became aware that the front passenger head restraint was damaged and unhinged”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11753487
“As I was driving on the highway my headrest made a loud bang and smaked the back of my head/ neck with a lot of force. I almost lost control of the vehicle, and it really hurt”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11602081
“ON 5/6/21, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING AND STATIONARY, WAITING TO TURN LEFT THROUGH AN INTERSECTION ON CITY STREETS, THE AHR (ACTIVE HEAD RESTRAINT) RANDOMLY DEPLOYED IN THE DRIVER HEADREST”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11415572

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Engine stall and shutdown while driving

ENGINE

23 NHTSA complaints · 2019-04 → 2026-04

“I was informed that it was the transmission. The vehicle does not advance going 5 mph. The vehicle stopped working in a busy intersection and I had to pull over into a parking lot”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11732858
“The contact owns a 2014 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle failed to restart”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11460140
“SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE, BOUGHT BRAND NEW, EVERY SO OFTEN WHILE DRIVING THE RADIO AND ALL THE LIGHTS WOULD TURN OFF AND THEN COME BACK ON”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11221287

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Air bag warning light illumination and non-deployment

AIR BAGS

13 NHTSA complaints · 2019-02 → 2025-11

“MY DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT STARTED COMING ON. I LOOKED TO SEE IF THERE IS A RECALL. THERE IS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11310944
“AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN TOGGLING ON AND OFF FOR LAST TWO MONTHS. DEALERSHIP HOOKED UP TO COMPUTER AND THE AIRBAG/HARNESS MUST BE REPLACED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11413550
“None of the airbags in the car deployed when I was in a high-impact front-end collision traveling at 45 mph. I was wearing my seatbelt, but the airbags did not deploy”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11698788

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Power steering loss while driving

STEERING

7 NHTSA complaints · 2020-09 → 2025-03

“Hi, my dodge Journey 2014 has been experiencing steering issues(stiff and hard to turn) when driving at lower speeds”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11648761
“The steering wheel locked on me while it was on drive. I could not turn it left or right. It does this at random which is dangerous”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11573815
“Power steering lines rupture in cold weather, causing you to loose power steering when driving”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11493664

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Rear liftgate wiring harness failure

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

11 NHTSA complaints · 2019-01 → 2026-08

“Rearview camera not working. I received a recall notice and 2 days later my rear view camera stopped working, but for some reason my vehicle is not on the list to be repaired?”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11757433
“My reverse lights, rear wiper and plate light have all Stopped working due to severed wires in the liftgate wiring harness at the hinge area”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11707565
“fire risk of wiring breaking at upper right corner at liftgate (rear hatch door) wiring is breaking within rubber boot. this cause a fire risk”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11419611

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Note: NHTSA also opened 1 defect investigation(s) on this vehicle that closed without action.

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 11, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 11, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Engine Oil & Filter (Oil Change Indicator)

Every 10,000 mi

Change when the indicator says so — never beyond 10,000 miles or 12 months. Pentastar 3.6L: 0W-20. HEMI 5.7L: 5W-20 (0W-40 for 6.4L SRT). MDS-equipped HEMIs punish stretched oil intervals with lifter and cam wear.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Tire Rotation

Every 8,000 mi

Rotate every 8,000 miles. Charger/Challenger R/T and Scat Pack: staggered-width setups can't rotate front-to-rear — budget rear tires accordingly.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

Brake Inspection

Every 10,000 mi

Inspect pads and rotors at every oil change. Heavy Durangos used for towing and hard-driven Chargers both run through rear pads faster than the front-pad-first rule of thumb suggests.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Spark Plugs

Every 30,000 mi

HEMI 5.7L: sixteen plugs roughly every 30,000 miles — check your year's manual. Pentastar 3.6L (Charger/Challenger V6, Durango V6, Journey, Grand Caravan): 100,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Automatic Transmission Fluid

Every 60,000 mi

Grand Caravan/Journey (62TE): ATF+4 service every 60,000 miles in family duty. Charger/Challenger/Durango with the TorqueFlite 8-speed: no published normal interval, but specialists recommend service around 60,000-100,000 miles — sooner with towing.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$330–$500

Shop

~$235–$355

DIY

~$60–$180

Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.

Rear Differential Fluid

Every 60,000 mi

RWD Charger/Challenger and AWD Durango: replace rear diff fluid around 60,000 miles, sooner with towing or drag-strip duty. Limited-slip units need the friction-modifier additive.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$150–$195

Shop

~$105–$135

DIY

~$20–$50

Drain plug + fill plug — straightforward DIY. AWD vehicles have two; budget for both.

Engine Air Filter

Every 30,000 mi

Replace every 30,000 miles. HEMIs pull serious airflow — a clogged filter costs measurable power before it throws a code.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Serpentine Belt

Every 60,000 mi

Inspect from 60,000 miles, replace on cracking or glazing. On the HEMI, a shredded belt can take the cooling drive with it mid-drive.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$195–$235

Shop

~$135–$165

DIY

~$20–$50

DIY-friendly if you can reach the tensioner. Inspect for cracks rather than swap on a strict mileage interval.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Cabin Air Filter

Every 20,000 mi

Replace every 20,000 miles where equipped (behind the glovebox on most models). Some earlier Journeys and Avengers shipped without one — check before buying a filter.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Coolant Replacement (OAT)

Every 100,000 mi

Stellantis OAT coolant is scheduled for 10 years / 150,000 miles; shops commonly refresh by 100,000. OAT-compatible coolant only — mixing chemistries gels the system.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Battery Test & Service

Every 25,000 mi

Test annually after year 3. Big-audio Chargers and tow-package Durangos lean on the battery hard; weak batteries surface as gremlins in the electronics before they fail to crank.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$225–$390

Shop

~$160–$280

DIY

~$130–$250

Most auto-parts stores test and install batteries free with purchase. Skip the dealer markup.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

44 crashes 2010–2024

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

26

complaints mentioning a crash

8

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle·Open recalls for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2014 Dodge Journey reflects Dodge's published service intervals and the Oil Change Indicator System system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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