2010 Dodge Journey — Known Issues & Recalls

Your car's ignition system is failing to start reliably — you have to wiggle or move the key fob around in the ignition slot to get it to turn on. This has happened repeatedly, and now the car won't start at all, leaving you stranded. Even though there's an existing recall for the ignition switch module on your model year, your vehicle either wasn't repaired or still has the same problem after prior service attempts. This is dangerous because it can leave you stuck unexpectedly on the road and could cause the ignition to shut off while you're driving.

Your car has completely shut off while driving three times with the key in the on position, causing you to lose power steering, power brakes, and all electrical power. The problem was caused by a defective wireless ignition node module with a faulty internal contact point that broke connection. Replacing and reprogramming the wireless ignition node module should resolve the issue.

Your horn keeps honking on its own while you're driving and even when the car is parked and turned off. You've had the battery and battery terminals replaced at AAA, but the horn still keeps going off. The dealer needs to diagnose what's causing the electrical short or malfunction in the horn circuit.

Your horn honked on its own while your car was parked, with no warning lights showing. The dealer checked it but didn't find or fix the problem. This could happen again and might drain your battery if it occurs repeatedly.

Your car's horn is going off on its own at random times, even though you've tried changing the fuel. This intermittent horn honking could be caused by an electrical problem rather than a fuel issue. A mechanic will need to inspect the horn circuit, steering wheel contacts, or horn relay to find and fix the cause.

Your key fob isn't working properly and won't start the vehicle. The car may shut off when the fob isn't being recognized by the ignition system. This could involve replacing the key fob battery, reprogramming the fob to your vehicle, or repairing the ignition receiver module.

Your car's park/neutral switch may be malfunctioning, causing the engine to shut off while driving without warning. To restart, you need to shift into park, press the brake, shift to neutral, shift back to park, and restart the engine. This creates a safety hazard since the engine can die unexpectedly while you're on the road.

Your driver's seat headrest broke while the car was parked in the driveway. You discovered it was broken and reported it after reading about similar issues on Dodge forums. The headrest will likely need to be replaced or repaired.

Your vehicle shuts off unexpectedly while driving after about 15 minutes and won't restart until it cools down, even though you've had the camshaft, crankshaft, and throttle position sensor replaced. No diagnostic codes appear, but the stalling continues to happen. This could cause an accident or leave you stranded on the road.

Your steering wheel became very difficult to turn while parking, and your engine lost power and wouldn't restart while stopped at a traffic light. These problems have happened on and off over the past two years. The dealer couldn't reproduce the issue when they tested it, so they didn't make any repairs. The fix will likely involve diagnosing the steering and electrical/engine systems to find the intermittent fault.

Both front seat head restraints deployed unexpectedly while you were driving, causing the driver to temporarily lose control of the vehicle. Active head restraints should only deploy during a crash, so unexpected deployment is a safety concern. The fix will likely involve inspecting and replacing the faulty head restraint mechanisms or their control systems.

While driving at 15 mph, your brake pedal didn't respond when pressed, and the brakes then seized up during a left turn. Multiple warning lights appeared on your dashboard. After replacing the brake pads and rotors didn't fix the issue, mechanics found that a brake hose was leaking and another hose had detached. The repair of these hoses resolved the problem.

Your horn is honking on its own, your front windshield wipers won't stop running, and your turn signals have stopped working. A mechanic told you that the clock spring needs to be replaced, and you found a recall listed online, but it's not showing up for your vehicle.

Your passenger seat's active headrest restraint system suddenly deployed while you were sitting idle, with the plastic casing around the metal support bar breaking in the process. You're concerned the driver's side headrest could malfunction the same way while you're driving, potentially causing an accident. This appears to be a known issue affecting multiple Dodge, Jeep, and Chrysler vehicles. The repair will likely involve replacing the headrest assembly or the metal support structure.

Your Journey has experienced ongoing electrical problems starting with starter failure, followed by battery and alternator replacement. Even after replacing the engine control module (ECM), you're still experiencing dashboard lights turning on unexpectedly, the car stalling while driving, battery drain, and a buzzing sound coming from the engine compartment even when the car is off and the key is removed. The underlying electrical issue may require a complete electrical system diagnosis, possibly including wiring harness inspection, fuse/relay replacement, or additional computer module repairs.

When you tried to start your vehicle, the power steering stopped working completely. You discovered that this is a known issue affecting your model year (2007-2016 Dodge Journey), and there's an official recall for it. Fixing this will likely involve having the steering system inspected and repaired or replaced by a dealer as part of the recall service.

Your car repeatedly fails to start despite multiple jump-start attempts, leaving you stranded. You've recently replaced the alternator, starter, and battery four times within 30 days, but the problem persists—the interior lights and radio work, but the engine won't turn over. This suggests an ongoing electrical issue that's draining or preventing proper power delivery to the engine starter motor. The repair will likely require a thorough electrical system diagnosis to identify faulty wiring, a defective alternator or starter, or a parasitic battery drain.

Your fuse box appears to be failing, which is affecting multiple electrical systems in your vehicle. You're experiencing problems with your rear windows and front mirrors not operating, your 12-volt power outlet not working, your horn being inoperative, and your automatic key lock feature not functioning. The fuse box may need to be replaced or repaired to restore these electrical components.

Your car's ABS (anti-lock brake) system randomly locks up at speeds of 20 mph or less, causing your brakes to engage unexpectedly. The problem is caused by a faulty ABS control module that's part of your Electronic Stability Program and Traction Control System, and warning lights for ESP and Traction Control appear after each incident. Dodge acknowledges this is a known issue but has not issued a recall, and replacement parts are not currently available. Fixing this will likely require replacement of the ABS control module once parts become available.

Your front seat headrests have unexpectedly popped open or sprung outward while the vehicle was parked, even though there was no accident or impact. This appears to be a known issue with Dodge vehicles from this model year. The manufacturer previously offered an extended 10-year warranty to cover this problem, but your 2010 Journey is now outside that coverage window. Repairing or replacing the headrest mechanisms will likely require professional service.