2012 Dodge Journey: engine and transmission complaints
HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
41%
138 of 337 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
41% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2012 Dodge Journey are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Better than 52% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 39 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 37%).
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,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE01/14/2021CRASH3 INJURED
ENGINE LIGHT MULTIPLE TIMES- EMISSIONS CONTROL - FOUND ONLINE BUT DID NOT RECEIVE A RECALL: IN AFFECTED CARS, FCA WILL REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND UPDATE SOFTWARE FOR THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE — THAT IS, YOUR CAR’S PRIMARY DRIVETRAIN COMPUTER. FCA WILL RECYCLE THE OLD CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO REMOVE…
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING07/01/2026
The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was white smoke coming from the vehicle, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 20 MPH while driving. The vehicle was taken to the local de…
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER02/15/2026
My 2012 dodge journey suddenly and violently stalled in the middle of crossing a green light. no check engine lights prior to this only thing that happened a few days before was car wouldn’t start said to press clutch and start button I have an automatic engine, and kept saying keys lefts vehicle even though keys where…
Three of 138 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 (6)
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 2012 Dodge Journey
Ask the seller whether the engine has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many engine faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the engine.
6 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A engine already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
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.
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.
