What goes wrong, what it costs, and what to check before you buy a used Dodge Journey.
The Dodge Journey occupies a niche position on the UK market.
We track 5 known issues across the Dodge Journey range, including 1 rated as safety-critical. Knowing which variants and configurations to approach with caution can save you from expensive surprises after purchase.
Found a Dodge Journey? Enter the reg to see which of our 5 known issues apply to that exact car, plus full MOT history and mileage checks.
JC49 (2007–2019) — Engine options included the 2.0 CRD. Our database flags 5 known issues on this generation, 1 of which are rated as safety-critical. The most significant concern is Steering ball joint wear (£150–£400 to address).
Steering ball joints show excessive wear at unusually low mileages on the Journey, with MOT failures at 8.2 times the national average. The joints develop excessive play affecting steering precision and potentially causing dangerous steering failure if left unaddressed. This is a safety-critical issue that requires immediate attention when detected.
Excessive ball joint wear causes imprecise steering, tyre wear, and in extreme cases can lead to complete steering failure. This is a safety-critical defect that makes the vehicle dangerous to drive. Typical repair cost is £150-300 per side.
During the test drive, check the steering for excessive play, vibration or pulling to one side. Listen for groaning or whining when turning the wheel at low speed. Power steering fluid level and condition should be checked on hydraulic systems.
The Journey suffers from premature wear of suspension components, particularly lower control arm bushes and ball joints. MOT data shows failure rates over 22 times the national average for suspension pin, bush or joint wear, with consistent failures across the 60,000-150,000 mile range. This appears to be a design weakness in the suspension geometry or component specification rather than normal wear patterns.
Worn suspension bushes cause poor handling, increased tyre wear, and knocking noises. Severely worn ball joints can separate causing loss of steering control. Replace worn components promptly - costs typically £200-400 per side for control arms and bushes.
Listen for knocking, clunking or rattling over bumps during the test drive. Inspect the underside for corroded or cracked suspension components. Check the MOT history for suspension-related advisories, which often predict future failures.
The Journey shows significant handbrake system problems with both efficiency and operation failures. MOT data shows parking brake efficiency below requirements at 6.4 times the national average, and parking brake inoperative on one side at 4.2 times the average. This suggests problems with the cable adjustment mechanism, brake shoe wear, or caliper operation.
Poor handbrake performance is an MOT failure and creates a safety risk on slopes. Complete handbrake failure can allow the vehicle to roll when parked. Repair typically involves cable adjustment, shoe replacement, or caliper servicing, costing £100-400.
Check brake disc condition for lipping or scoring. Test braking at moderate speed for pulling to one side or vibration through the steering wheel. Review MOT advisories for brake-related items.
Wheel bearings on the Journey deteriorate prematurely, showing both excessive roughness (5.1x national average) and excessive play (3.8x national average) in MOT testing. The problem affects multiple mileage bands from 80,000 miles onwards, suggesting inadequate bearing specification or sealing for the vehicle's weight and intended use.
Worn wheel bearings create noise, vibration, and poor handling. Severely worn bearings can cause wheel wobble and in extreme cases wheel detachment. Replace bearings promptly when wear is detected - costs typically £150-300 per wheel.
Listen for knocking, clunking or rattling over bumps during the test drive. Inspect the underside for corroded or cracked suspension components. Check the MOT history for suspension-related advisories, which often predict future failures.
The diesel Journey shows a high rate of engine management light (MIL) illumination during MOT testing, at 8.5 times the national average. This indicates stored fault codes in the engine control system, commonly related to emissions equipment such as the EGR valve, DPF system, or exhaust sensors on these diesel engines.
Engine management light illumination is an automatic MOT failure. Common causes include EGR valve carbon build-up, DPF blockage, or sensor failures. Diagnosis and repair typically costs £100-500 depending on the underlying fault.
Check all electrical functions systematically: windows, mirrors, lights, infotainment, heated seats, air conditioning. Look for any warning lights on the dashboard. A diagnostic scan before purchase can reveal stored fault codes.
For the full breakdown of all 5 tracked issues with repair costs, see the Dodge Journey common problems page.
Based on 4k real DVSA MOT tests, the Dodge Journey fails more often than average on several items. The biggest outlier is cable damaged or knotted at 23x the fleet average, followed by suspension pin, bush or joint worn (22x).
When viewing a specific car, check its MOT history for recurring advisories in these categories. See the full Dodge Journey MOT failure breakdown for data at every mileage point.
Routine servicing (oil and filter change every 10k miles) typically costs £80–£120 at an independent garage.
See the full Dodge Journey service schedule for every interval and cost breakdown.
The Dodge Journey has some well-documented weak points, including 1 safety-critical issue that demand careful checking. The right example, properly maintained, can still be a sound purchase — but cutting corners on the pre-purchase inspection is not advisable.
Before committing, check the car's full MOT history, verify the service record is complete, and if possible arrange a specialist inspection. Enter any registration into our free report to see the complete picture.
Get Car Wise maintains a database of known mechanical issues for every popular car on UK roads, tracking the faults that owners, specialists and DVSA data reveal.
When you run a report on a specific Dodge Journey, we cross-reference the exact variant, engine and age against our database of 5 known issues. Combined with full MOT history analysis, mileage verification and DVLA data, you get a complete picture before viewing.
Enter the registration for MOT history, mileage verification, known faults for that exact variant, and a Get Car Wise Score.
This guide was compiled from independent expert reviews, DVSA MOT data, specialist workshops and our own database of 5 known Dodge Journey issues. We are not affiliated with any source listed.