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2011 Dodge Journey: engine and transmission complaints

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
34%
50 of 148 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

34% of relevant owner complaints on the 2011 Dodge Journey are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.

Better than 64% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 21 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 30%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
50
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
169
this model year
Fires reported
4
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
4
7 crashes · 10 injuries

Complaints by component

SERVICE BRAKES55 · 33%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM43 · 25%
ENGINE29 · 17%
STEERING23 · 14%
POWER TRAIN20 · 12%
AIR BAGS14 · 8%

The years either side

2010
26%
246 of 1,085
2011
34%
50 of 169
2012
41%
138 of 376
2013
32%
99 of 353
2014
38%
136 of 413
2015
42%
201 of 553
2016
57%
197 of 386
2017
46%
73 of 197
2018
26%
50 of 232
2019
18%
15 of 100
2020
18%
10 of 64
2021
no data
2022
no data
2023
no data

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

Other midsize SUVs with no elevated signal in 2011

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKES06/23/2016CRASH2 INJURED
TAKATA RECALL.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING05/03/2024FIRE
The contact owned a 2011 Dodge Journey. The contact received notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V431000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was repaired, however, the failure recurred while the vehicle was stopped at a stop sign, and the contact saw flames coming from the hood. The contact exited the veh…
POWER TRAIN04/12/2022
The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that the transmission warning light would illuminate while attempted to change gears. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic and was informed that the torque converter failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufac…

Three of 50 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (4)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
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 ba…
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
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 temperatu…
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
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…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2011 Dodge Journey

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.