Problems · by component

2011 Dodge Journey electrical system problems

43 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2011 Dodge Journey cite electrical system, 25% of all 169 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
43
25% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“THERE ARE MANY MANY AS IN HUGE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS OF THIS JOURNEY VEHICLE NOT STARTING BECAUSE KEEPING A CHARGE. WE HAVE HAD TO BUY AND HAVE DEALER INSTALL THREE BATTERIES IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS. FOUND ONE PROBLEM, LEAVING A CD IN THE PLAYER CAUSES THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. CANNOT FIND ANY OTHER. PLEASE HELP.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 11, 2020Electrical systemODI 11383066
“THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUTS OFF AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND HAS SIGNIFICANT TROUBLE RESTARTING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED OVER 10 TIMES BY AN ASC CERTIFIED MECHANIC FOR THIS ISSUE AND THERE HASN'T BEEN A CHECK ENGINE CODE PRESENT THAT WOULD CAUSE THIS ISSUE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 1, 2020Electrical system, Air bags, Unknown or otherODI 11377315
“BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON MANY TIMES OVER A COUPLE WEEKS. THEN IT WENT INTO BATTERY SAVER MODE. THE RADIO STOPPED WORKING, AIR CONDITIONING, LIGHTS AND THE DASH BOARD HAD EVERY CHECK LIGHT COME ON. IT THEN WOULD NOT SHIFT AND RPMS WENT TO 4 AND 5 BUT ONLY WOULD DO AROUND 20 MPH. BATTERY THRN DIED. AFTER CHARGING BATTERY THEN REPLACING IT WITH A NEW BATTERY AND THE ALTERNATER AND ALL WIRING CHECKED OUT JUST FINE. NO OTHER PROBLEMS COULD BE FOUND BUT STILL THE BATTERY SAVER MODE IS ON AND MY JOURNEY WONT HOLD A CHARGE. THIS ALL HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING WITH MY CHILDERN IN TOWN GOING AT A SPEED OF 20-30 MPH.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 28, 2020Electrical systemODI 11351886
“RANDOMLY WONT START VEHICLE GOES INTO SOME TYPE OF ANTI THEFT MODE TOLD BAD TIPM BY 3 DIFFERENT DEALERS. AND TOLD TO REMOVE BATTERY TO RESET THE SYSTEM. THIS IS ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX. THIS HAPPENS AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 22, 2020Electrical systemODI 11340827
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE JOURNEY. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE CONSISTENTLY FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS WAS PERFORMED WITH NO FAILURE DETECTED. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN ONLINE SEARCH RESULT SHOWED A POSSIBLE CAUSE BEING RELATED TO THE VEHICLE SECURITY SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 21, 2020Electrical systemODI 11310609
“THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE WITHIN THE LAST 8 MONTHS AND 2 YEARS PRIOR TO THAT. THE DAY PRIOR TO LATEST EPISODE, THE CAR WAS DRIVEN FOR OVER 200 MILES AND THERE WAS NO NOTATION OF PROBLEMS ON THAT DAY. THE NEXT DAY THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. IT HAD BEEN 18 HOURS SINCE CAR WAS DRIVEN. THE LIGHTS, RADIO, AND POWER WORKED, BUT BRAKE WOULD NOT DEPRESS AND DASH STATED KEY FOB COULD NOT BE DETECTED. WITHIN 5 MINUTES TRYING TO START CAR, ALL POWER AND LIGHTS QUIT WORKING. A NEIGHBOR CAME TO JUMP START THE CAR BUT IT WOULD NOT HOLD.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 6, 2020Electrical systemODI 11297496

Showing 6 of 43 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 2011 Journey problem areas