Reliable Auto DB

2016 Dodge Journey reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 386 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Dodge Journey over 11 years — 27 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 Wiring, Engine, and Automatic transmission.

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

386

Per year

27

Recalls

4

Years on the road

11

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (113 of 386), then Powertrain (86) and Electrical system (84). Those filings include 19 that report a crash, 4 that report a fire, and 10 that report an injury.

Next to 2015 and 2017

The 2015 Journey has 553 complaints, 44 per year, and the 2017 has 197 complaints, 25 per year. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2017.

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 2016 Dodge Journey. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (4)

Recall electrical system, wiring 2018-05-17 · NHTSA campaign 18V332000
Summary 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.
Remedy 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.
Recall Engine 2016-12-16 · NHTSA campaign 16V907000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2016 Dodge Journey, Jeep Compass, and Jeep Patriot vehicles manufactured May 9, 2016, to July 15, 2016. The crankshaft or camshaft sensor may only work intermittently, causing the engine to stall.
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the crankshaft or camshaft sensor connector, free of charge. The recall began February 8, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S89.
Recall powertrain, automatic transmission 2016-06-24 · NHTSA campaign 16V461000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles manufactured July 31, 2015, to April 18, 2016, 2016 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured August 17, 2015, to January 29, 2016, and 2016 RAM ProMaster vehicles manufactured August 15, 2016, to April 15, 2016. The transmission pump may seize causing a loss of hydraulic pressure.
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transmission pump, free of charge. The recall began on August 18, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S44.
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.

Complaints by component (386 total)

Engine
113
Powertrain
86
Electrical system
84
Service brakes
49
Seats
36
Steering
34
Speed control
32
Air bags
26
Electronic stability control (ESC)
18
Fuel and propulsion system
13
Engine and engine cooling
10
Exterior lighting
9
Seat belts
7
Suspension
7
Back-over prevention
5
Visibility and wipers
5
Structure
4
Wheels
4
Hydraulic brakes
3
Forward collision avoidance
2
Equipment
1
Traction control
1
Show 14 more Show less
Crash-flagged

19

Fire-flagged

4

Injury reports

10

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

122016262017432018822019572020392021272022302023252024282025172026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the driver’s side headrest exploded. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure.…"
    Seats · filed 2026-09-01
  • "An authorized Dodge dealer replaced the original rearview backup camera under warranty in 2021 with Mopar replacement part 56054158AG. The replacement camera later became inoperative, displaying a black or distorted…"
    Back-over prevention · filed 2026-07-29
  • "The rearview camera of my Dodge Journey, without warning, displayed an inverted screen in place of the rearview image. "A rearview image that is blank/black/blue or inverted reduces the driver's view of what is behind…"
    Visibility and wipers · filed 2026-07-23
  • "The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25-30 MPH, the engine made an abnormally loud sound. The check engine and ABS warning lights were illuminated. The contact…"
    Hydraulic brakes, Engine · filed 2026-07-02
  • "The vehicle has experienced multiple sudden and complete losses of power without warning, creating a serious safety hazard. On May 22, 2026, while driving toward a parking lot exit, the engine abruptly shut off and all…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-06-11

Fuel economy

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

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 2015 Dodge Journey Next year 2017 Dodge Journey See every Dodge Journey model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Dodge Journey reliable?

Owners have filed 386 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Dodge Journey over 11 years — 27 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 Wiring, Engine, and Automatic transmission.

What are common problems with a 2016 Dodge Journey?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (113 of 386), then Powertrain (86) and Electrical system (84). Those filings include 19 that report a crash, 4 that report a fire, and 10 that report an injury.

Is the 2016 Dodge Journey more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2015 Journey has 553 complaints, 44 per year, and the 2017 has 197 complaints, 25 per year. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2017.

Has the 2016 Dodge Journey been recalled?

The 2016 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 2016 Dodge Journey?

Owners have filed 386 complaints about the 2016 Dodge Journey with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2016 Dodge Journey get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2016 Dodge Journey is 19.7 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.