Reliable Auto DB

2013 Dodge Journey reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 353 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Dodge Journey over 14 years — 22 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Journey years here — over the median of the other years, which is 20. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Frontal, Hoses and connections, and Electronic stability control (ESC).

2012 Dodge Journey
Photo by Noah Wulf, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

353

Per year

22

Recalls

4

Years on the road

14

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (73 of 353), then Engine (72) and Service brakes (61). Those filings include 19 that report a crash, 9 that report a fire, and 27 that report an injury.

Next to 2012 and 2014

The 2012 Journey has 376 complaints, 20 per year, and the 2014 has 415 complaints, 49 per year. The 2013 has more complaints per year than the 2012. The 2013 has fewer complaints per year than the 2014.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2013 Dodge Journey. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (4)

Recall air bags, frontal 2017-07-07 · NHTSA campaign 17V432000
Summary 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.
Remedy 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.
Recall steering, hydraulic power assist, hoses and connections 2016-05-06 · NHTSA campaign 16V273000
Summary 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.
Remedy 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.
Recall Electronic stability control (ESC) 2015-10-19 · NHTSA campaign 15V675000
Summary 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.
Remedy 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.
Recall Engine 2015-07-07 · NHTSA campaign 15V431000
Summary 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.
Remedy 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.

Complaints by component (353 total)

Electrical system
73
Engine
72
Service brakes
61
Seats
58
Air bags
44
Electronic stability control (ESC)
44
Powertrain
29
Steering
20
Hydraulic brakes
11
Fuel and propulsion system
10
Speed control
10
Structure
8
Suspension
7
Engine and engine cooling
5
Exterior lighting
5
Seat belts
5
Tires
3
Visibility
3
Visibility and wipers
3
Air brakes
2
Forward collision avoidance
2
Wheels
2
Back-over prevention
1
Traction control
1
Show 16 more Show less
Crash-flagged

19

Fire-flagged

9

Injury reports

27

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

320131720144720154420162520173420185720195120202120211420221220231220249202572026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving, the ABS, brake, and traction control warning lights remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was…"
    Hydraulic brakes, Electronic stability control (ESC) · filed 2026-08-27
  • "The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the air bag and ABS warning lights illuminated, and the cruise control feature became inoperable. The…"
    Hydraulic brakes, Air bags · filed 2026-08-12
  • "Incident occurred onJune 29, 2026 approximately around 6 pm. The system in question is the electrical. I was pulling out of the parking space at the Safeway parking lot, my arm was rested on the driver side door, window…"
    Electrical system · filed 2026-06-29
  • "ABS Module failure. Replaced ABS module with brand new Mopar replacement. ABS module still will not communicate with system. No traction control, cruise control, multiple lights in dash."
    Electrical system, Speed control, Service brakes · filed 2026-06-26
  • "The contact owned a 2013 Dodge Journey. The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V432000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that previously, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle would…"
    Air bags, Engine · filed 2026-03-02

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Journey all-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 16 24 19 MPG $3400
Journey front-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 4-speed Front-wheel drive 19 26 21 MPG $3100
Journey front-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 17 25 20 MPG $3250

Specs and fitment

JC generation, 2012–2020
Body styles Crossover
Oil 5W-20 (2.4L four-cylinder; 3.6L V6 uses 5W-20 in US service) , 4.5 qt capacity
Tire size 225/65R17 (most trims)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 18V-396 covers certain 2018 Dodge Journey vehicles: when reverse gear is selected, the rear camera view may not be fully visible within two seconds, so the vehicles fail to meet FMVSS 111 rear visibility timing. Dealers update the radio software. Recall 18V-332 covers certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger, and Durango vehicles and other FCA products: wiring may chafe and cause a short, increasing fire risk; dealers inspect and repair wiring and add protective covering.

Compare

Previous year 2012 Dodge Journey Next year 2014 Dodge Journey See every Dodge Journey model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Dodge Journey reliable?

Owners have filed 353 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Dodge Journey over 14 years — 22 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Journey years here — over the median of the other years, which is 20. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Frontal, Hoses and connections, and Electronic stability control (ESC).

What are common problems with a 2013 Dodge Journey?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (73 of 353), then Engine (72) and Service brakes (61). Those filings include 19 that report a crash, 9 that report a fire, and 27 that report an injury.

Is the 2013 Dodge Journey more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2012 Journey has 376 complaints, 20 per year, and the 2014 has 415 complaints, 49 per year. The 2013 has more complaints per year than the 2012. The 2013 has fewer complaints per year than the 2014.

Has the 2013 Dodge Journey been recalled?

The 2013 Dodge Journey has 4 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2013 Dodge Journey?

Owners have filed 353 complaints about the 2013 Dodge Journey with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2013 Dodge Journey get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2013 Dodge Journey is 20 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What year did Dodge stop selling the Journey in the US?

US sales ended after the 2020 model year.

What engine oil does a Dodge Journey use?

5W-20 (2.4L four-cylinder; 3.6L V6 uses 5W-20 in US service)

What does NHTSA recall 18V-396 cover on the Dodge Journey?

Recall 18V-396 covers certain 2018 Dodge Journey vehicles: when reverse gear is selected, the rear camera view may not be fully visible within two seconds, so the vehicles fail to meet FMVSS 111 rear visibility timing.