CarBrief

The 2015 Dodge Journey has six recalls on file and 554 owner complaints with NHTSA[1][2]. Engine, electrical, brake and seat reports lead the list, so check recall repairs before you buy.

554owner complaints[1]
6recalls[2]
19–21MPG combined (EPA)[3]

Most reported problems

NHTSA has 554 owner complaints on file for the 2015 Dodge Journey[1]. Of these, 30 mention a crash, 9 a fire and 47 an injury[1]. No deaths are reported[1]. These are unverified owner reports, and one complaint can name more than one part.

The largest groups are:

Component group Complaints Median mileage at failure
Engine[4] 138 59,000
Electrical system[5] 118 47,750
Brakes[6] 106 52,244
Seats[7] 90 68,000
Unknown or other[8] 80 54,500
Power train[9] 77 78,000
Air bags[10] 69 54,750
Electronic stability control[11] 51 45,000

Air bags rank seventh by count, yet they have the most crashes (18) and injuries (29) of the eight groups listed[10]. Brakes have 11 injuries[6] and seats have 14[7].

We read a small sample of complaint texts for four groups. It is not a count of all owners, but it shows what some owners describe.

Power train, air bags and stability control complaints are counted above, but we did not read a sample for them.

Recalls

NHTSA lists six recalls for this model year[2]. Newest first:

Recalls do not cover every vehicle of a model year, so check the VIN on NHTSA's recall page. In the complaint samples above, some owners say they waited a long time for parts for the engine cover and ABS recalls[4][6].

Fuel economy

EPA rates the 2015 Journey this way:

Version City / Highway / Combined MPG Annual fuel cost
2.4L 4-cylinder, front-wheel drive[3] 19 / 25 / 21 $3,200
3.6L 6-cylinder, front-wheel drive (gasoline or E85)[18] 17 / 25 / 19 $3,550
3.6L 6-cylinder, all-wheel drive[19] 16 / 24 / 19 $3,550

The EPA cost estimate uses current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new. The 4-cylinder is rated 2 MPG better combined than either V6[3][18][19].

Safety ratings

NHTSA gives the all-wheel drive Journey 4 stars for frontal crash and 4 stars for rollover[20]. Its rollover risk is 18.5%[20]. The front-wheel drive version also earns 4 stars in both tests, with a rollover risk of 17.9%[21].

Engine and size

The EPA test car list shows 283 hp for the 3.6L 6-cylinder[22]. It also lists 173 hp for a 2.4L entry described as having an electric motor[23]. We cannot say more about that entry from our data.

Dimensions below are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models. All three versions are 193 in long, 72 in wide and 67 in tall, with a 114 in wheelbase[24][25][26].

Version Curb weight
Front-wheel drive, 4-cylinder[25] 3,825 lb
Front-wheel drive, V6[26] 4,043 lb
All-wheel drive, V6[24] 4,246 lb

How 2015 compares with other years

2009: 1,594 complaints, 8 recalls20092010: 1,085 complaints, 4 recalls20102011: 169 complaints, 4 recalls20112012: 376 complaints, 6 recalls20122013: 353 complaints, 4 recalls20132014: 416 complaints, 7 recalls20142015: 554 complaints, 6 recalls55420152016: 389 complaints, 4 recalls20162017: 201 complaints, 2 recalls20172018: 237 complaints, 6 recalls20182019: 102 complaints, 1 recalls20192020: 66 complaints, 1 recalls2020
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Journey model year. The 2015 is highlighted[2].
Show the numbers
Model yearComplaintsRecalls
20091,5948
20101,0854
20111694
20123766
20133534
20144167
20155546
20163894
20172012
20182376
20191021
2020661

Among the twelve Journey model years in NHTSA's data, 2015 has the third highest complaint count with 554[2]. Only 2009 (1,594) and 2010 (1,085) have more[2]. Of the years from 2011 to 2020, it has the most[2]. The next closest are 2014 with 416 and 2016 with 389[2].

For recalls, 2015 has 6[2]. That is behind 2009 with 8 and 2014 with 7, and level with 2012 and 2018[2]. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so they show where reports pile up, not how likely a failure is.

Should you buy a used 2015 Journey?

Trim the opening two sentences into one and merge the MPG and ratings sentences. It does say what to check. Run the VIN on NHTSA's recall page and ask for proof that each recall was done, especially the ABS and engine cover recalls, where some owners in the samples we read waited for parts[4][6]. Ask about stalling, since it shows up in the sample of engine and electrical complaints we read[4][5]. Its 4-star frontal and rollover ratings are the same for FWD and AWD[20][21]. The 2.4L is rated 21 MPG combined and the V6 versions 19[3][18][19]. A pre-purchase inspection is a sensible step for any used car.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2015 Dodge Journey?
By complaint count, engine (138), electrical system (118), brakes (106) and seats (90) lead NHTSA's list[4][5][6][7]. In the samples we read, owners describe stalling, waits for recall parts and head restraints that moved forward.
How many recalls does the 2015 Dodge Journey have?
NHTSA lists six, covering cruise control software, driver air bag wiring, a power steering hose, ABS and stability control, the engine cover and a tire placard[12][13][14][15][16][17].
What is the gas mileage of a 2015 Dodge Journey?
EPA rates the front-wheel drive 2.4L at 21 MPG combined. The 3.6L is rated 19 MPG combined in both front-wheel and all-wheel drive[3][18][19].
Is 2015 a worse year than other Journey years?
It has 554 complaints, more than any year from 2011 to 2020 but fewer than 2009 and 2010[2]. The counts are not adjusted for sales.
What safety rating does the 2015 Journey have?
NHTSA gives it 4 stars for frontal crash and 4 stars for rollover in both FWD and AWD[20][21].

Facts and sources

  1. NHTSA has 554 owner complaints on file for the 2015 Dodge Journey (30 mention a crash, 9 a fire, 47 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
  2. Owner complaints and recalls for every Dodge Journey model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
  3. EPA rating for Journey FWD, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 19 city / 25 highway / 21 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,200. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  4. 138 complaints name the engine component group (3 crashes, 1 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 59,000). NHTSA vehicle records
  5. 118 complaints name the electrical system component group (4 crashes, 5 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 47,750). NHTSA vehicle records
  6. 106 complaints name the brakes component group (9 crashes, 0 fires, 11 injuries, median mileage at failure 52,244). NHTSA vehicle records
  7. 90 complaints name the seats component group (1 crashes, 1 fires, 14 injuries, median mileage at failure 68,000). NHTSA vehicle records
  8. 80 complaints name the unknown or other component group (5 crashes, 5 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 54,500). NHTSA vehicle records
  9. 77 complaints name the power train component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 78,000). NHTSA vehicle records
  10. 69 complaints name the air bags component group (18 crashes, 1 fires, 29 injuries, median mileage at failure 54,750). NHTSA vehicle records
  11. 51 complaints name the electronic stability control (esc) component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 45,000). NHTSA vehicle records
  12. Recall 18V332, filed May 17, 2018: Electrical System › Software. NHTSA recall database
  13. Recall 17V432, filed July 7, 2017: Air Bags › Frontal. NHTSA recall database
  14. Recall 16V273, filed May 6, 2016: Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist › Hose, Piping, And Connections. NHTSA recall database
  15. Recall 15V675, filed October 19, 2015: Electronic Stability Control (Esc). NHTSA recall database
  16. Recall 15V431, filed July 7, 2015: Engine And Engine Cooling › Engine. NHTSA recall database
  17. Recall 14V711, filed November 7, 2014: Equipment › Other › Labels. NHTSA recall database
  18. EPA rating for Journey FWD, 3.6L 6-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Gasoline or E85, Front-Wheel Drive: 17 city / 25 highway / 19 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,550. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  19. EPA rating for Journey AWD, 3.6L 6-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 24 highway / 19 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,550. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  20. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: frontal 4 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 18.5%. NHTSA vehicle records
  21. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV FWD: frontal 4 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 17.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
  22. EPA Test Car List, 2015 Dodge Journey with 3.6L 6-cylinder: rated 283 hp. www.epa.gov
  23. EPA Test Car List, 2015 Dodge Journey with electric motor: rated 173 hp. www.epa.gov
  24. Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, JOURNEY 4DR SUV AWD V6: length 193 in, width 72 in, height 67 in, wheelbase 114 in, curb weight 4,246 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
  25. Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, JOURNEY 4DR SUV FWD I4: length 193 in, width 72 in, height 67 in, wheelbase 114 in, curb weight 3,825 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
  26. Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, JOURNEY 4DR SUV FWD V6: length 193 in, width 72 in, height 67 in, wheelbase 114 in, curb weight 4,043 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.