2016 Dodge Journey
The 2016 Dodge Journey is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Journey, is EPA-rated at 21 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 389 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Journey | Gas | FWD | 2.4L 4-cyl | 19 | 25 | 21 | $3,200 |
| Journey | Gas | FWD | 3.6L 6-cyl | 17 | 25 | 19 | $3,550 |
| Journey AWD | Gas | AWD | 3.6L 6-cyl | 16 | 24 | 19 | $3,550 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 36494, 36495, 36507.
Emissions & certification
Source: EPA emission certificates| Configuration | Smog rating | Emission standard | Where it can be sold new | SmartWay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Journey | 6 / 10 | Bin 4 / Federal Tier 3 Transitional Bin 110 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | — |
| Journey, Journey AWD | 6 / 10 | Bin 4 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | — |
Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.
The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.
Specifications filed with NHTSA
Source: NHTSA vPICDimensions Exterior
| Body style | Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV] |
| Doors | 4 |
| GVWR class | Class 1D: 5,001 - 6,000 lb (2,268 - 2,722 kg) |
Engine Basics
| Cylinders | 4 |
| Displacement | 2.4 L |
Fuel Economy
| Fuel | Gasoline |
Transmission
| Drivetrain | FWD/Front-Wheel Drive |
Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Crossword, R/T Rallye / R/T, SE, SXT). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.
Dimensions & weight
Source: Transport Canada| Length | 192.5 in |
| Width (body, without mirrors) | 72.0 in |
| Height | 66.9 in |
| Wheelbase | 113.8 in |
| Track, front | 61.8 in |
| Track, rear | 62.2 in |
| Curb weight | 3,825–4,246 lb |
| Weight distribution, front/rear | 56/44 |
Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 3 configurations: 4-door SUV AWD V6, 4-door SUV FWD V6, 4-door SUV FWD i4. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.
Factory warranty running out?
The 2016 Dodge Journey is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.
What to check before you buy →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
Recalls (4)
Source: NHTSA recall databaseEngine And Engine Cooling
S89Power Train
S44Steering
S08These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.
NHTSA defect investigations
Latches/Locks/Linkages — Vehicle entrapment open
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-008 on May 1, 2023 to investigate an incident involving a 2009 Dodge Journey alleging occupant entrapment during a vehicle fire that resulted in a fatality. During the investigation, ODI collected information from the manufacturer and involved parties to confirm or refute the defect allegation. ODI has determined that additional reports of vehicle entrapment exist for other model year Dodge Journey vehicles. ODI continues to explore the cause of the thermal event and its potential effect on the actuation of the door locks. ODI also continues to explore other potential causes for door lock malfunction. ODI has determined that an upgrade to
Opened Aug 1, 2024 · action EA24003 · the investigation’s page →
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Crank/Camshaft Position Sensor — Stall from Crankshaft\Camshaft Failure closed
On December 13, 2016, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received recall 16V-907 from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) that identified a safety defect involving crankshaft or camshaft sensor failures on certain 2016 Model Year Dodge Journey, Jeep Compass, and Jeep Patriot vehicles. The failure of the crankshaft or camshaft sensor may lead to a loss of motive power (LOMP) in the recalled vehicles. Following the receipt of recall 16V-907, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received 127 vehicle owner’s questionnaires (VOQ), in which consumers allege experiencing crankshaft or camshaft failures on similar vehicles not included in the recall. On July 22, 2022, this
Opened Jul 22, 2022 · closed Jun 16, 2025 · action RQ22002 · the investigation’s page →
Seats:Front Assembly:Head Restraint — Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment closed
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19014 on September 9, 2019, to investigate 128 consumer complaints alleging that the Active Head Rest (AHR) inadvertently deployed without the occurrence of a crash or other rear impact event in model year (MY) 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles. When ODI opened the investigation, ODI was aware of thirteen alleged injuries. A small number of Early Warning Reports identified driver and/or passenger front seat AHR inadvertent deployments without a rear impact event. Reported safety consequences resulting from the AHR deployments include concussions, headaches, soft tissue injuries, disorientation, nausea, vomiting and/or loss
Opened Sep 9, 2019 · closed Feb 25, 2026 · action PE19014 · the investigation’s page →
Whether any of this applies to one specific Journey
A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2016 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Dodge publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.
Hear about a recall before the letter does
The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2016 Dodge Journey, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
Parts & accessories for the 2016 Dodge Journey
Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.
Find parts for this Journey →Owner complaints
Source: NHTSA complaint database19 involved a crash · 4 a fire · 16 injuries · 0 deaths reported
Filed per year: 2016: 12 · 2017: 26 · 2018: 43 · 2019: 82 · 2020: 57 · 2021: 39 · 2022: 27 · 2023: 30 · 2024: 25 · 2025: 28 · 2026: 20
Most-cited components
In depth: engine problems → · transmission and drivetrain problems → · electrical problems →
In owners' own words
Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.
The truck has always shifted hard since I purchased it january 2016 but I figured it would just work its way out since it was brand new. Friday july 21st 2017 I was driving and started hearing a very loud grinding type of noise coming from the engine and I was just trying to make it home asap.
Engine shut off on 7/7/2017 appox 2:40 pst the vehicle was stopped at a stop light on a busy surface street when the light turned green I pressed the gas to move through the light and there was no power coming from the engine. I was able to pull over, put the car in park and turn the engine off.
The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was able to restart after three attempts. In addition, the failure occurred two more times.
Brakes started to squeak and grind. The front was replaced after 3 visits to the dealership. The truck is delayed when accelerating and slips when accelerating in drive. This issue has not been fixed for the propulsion. This happens in motion on city streets and highway. The lights flicker when in park
Car has 20k miles, while driving the ABS and traction control lights came on. Dealership discovered that, in addition to the ABS and traction control, the airbags were not working. The dealership informed me that water bottles had rolled under the front passenger seat and broken the wires for the airbags.
When turning the steering wheel right or left while trying to park it makes a whining noise
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Reported by Dodge itself: 92 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 2 killed, 117 injured, as claimed, not verified. Every Journey model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.
When owners reported it
miles, typically
Half the 233 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 32,000 and 80,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.
Median mileage by component
| Component | Reports | Median miles | Vs same age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 85 | 67,000 | 1.08× |
| Electrical System | 49 | 62,000 | 1.38× |
| Power Train | 48 | 66,000 | 1.27× |
| Unspecified | 34 | 42,000 | — |
| Service Brakes | 34 | 35,000 | 0.88× |
| Steering | 26 | 36,000 | 0.75× |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 20 | 56,237 | 1.87× |
| Seats | 14 | 70,000 | 1.84× |
Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2016-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported later: vehicle speed control (1.87×), seats (1.84×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.
Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.
Crash ratings
Source: NHTSA NCAP| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV AWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 18% |
| SUV FWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 18% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.
Service bulletins & campaigns
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications- Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Dodge warranty extension 113940NORTH AMERICA Catalytic Converter Efficiency Z98 SYMPTOM DESCRIPTION About 68,312 of the above vehicles may exceed emission standards for Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) because of a loss of catalytic…
- Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Stellantis warranty extension U67 Combo Rev11U67 - Catalytic Converter Efficiency - Dealer Notification (Revision 11)
The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Stellantis warranty extension (117) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →
Most often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Engine, Power Train, Structure.
- Z98 Combo Warranty extension2026-08-06 · Unknown Or Other
- EMISSION RECALL NORTH AMERICA Catalytic Converter Efficiency Z98 SYMPTOM DESCRIPTION About 68,312 of the above vehicles may exceed emission standards for Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) because of a loss of catalytic converter efficiency.
- U67 Combo Rev11 Warranty extension2026-06-18 · Engine
- Emissions Recall U67 - Catalytic Converter Efficiency - Dealer Notification (Revision 11)
- 9100653 Service bulletin2025-08-15 · Unknown Or Other
- Verify Reman part number availability. Order the "R" part number for all orders: Warranty, Mopar, customer pay and service contract. Order "68" part number for New unsold units only.
- 106241 Service bulletin2025-07-28 · Electrical System
- LAMP - DOME
- 104974 Service bulletin2025-06-12 · Electrical System
- LAMP - DOME
- 103774 Service bulletin2025-05-01 · Electrical System
- LAMP - DOME
- 103954 Service bulletin2025-04-02 · Unknown Or Other
- ACTUATOR - A/C AND HEATER
- 104087 Service bulletin2025-04-02 · Unknown Or Other
- ACTUATOR - A/C AND HEATER
A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.
Diagnostic trouble codes on file
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaintsCodes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.
| Code | What it means | Most often filed under | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|---|
| P0740 P0740 on Dodge → | A fault in the torque converter clutch circuit. | Power Train | 9 bulletins |
| P2764 P2764 on Dodge → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Power Train | 9 bulletins |
| P0335 P0335 on Dodge → | A fault in the crankshaft position sensor circuit — the computer has lost track of where the crank is. | Power Train · Crankshaft position sensor → | 2 bulletins · 3 owner reports |
| P0456 P0456 on Dodge → | A very small leak in the evaporative emissions system. | Power Train · Gas cap → | 3 bulletins |
| P2299 P2299 on Dodge → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Vehicle Speed Control | 3 bulletins |
| P06DD P06DD on Dodge → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Engine | 2 bulletins |
| P076A | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Exterior Lighting · Headlight assembly → | 2 bulletins |
| P2122 P2122 on Dodge → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Vehicle Speed Control | 2 bulletins |
| P2127 P2127 on Dodge → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Vehicle Speed Control | 2 bulletins |
Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.
Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
At the New York inspection station
Source: New York State DMVIn New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2016 Dodge Journey failed the emissions check on 7.8% of first inspections — higher than the 4.2% for every 2016 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 3.0% (every 2016 vehicle: 2.2%).
failed emissions
1,337 initial inspections of 1,292 vehicles.
| Measure | The 2016 Journey | Every 2016 vehicle | Behind it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failed the emissions check | 7.8% | 4.2% | 1,334 |
| Failed the safety inspection | 3.0% | 2.2% | 1,337 |
| Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit | 0.60% | 0.27% | 1,337 |
| Miles driven a year | 11,137 | 10,028 | odometer at inspection |
| Average odometer | 114,439 | 103,109 | odometer at inspection |
New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2016 vehicle” is every 2016 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).
Journey by model year
all years, side by side →Common questions about the 2016 Journey
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsDoes the 2016 Dodge Journey have any recalls?
NHTSA has posted 4 recall campaigns for the 2016 Dodge Journey, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 18V332000, covering Electrical System. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.
How safe is the 2016 Dodge Journey?
NHTSA gave the 2016 Dodge Journey 4 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it D (68/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.
What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Dodge Journey?
Across the 3 EPA-rated configurations of the 2016 Dodge Journey, the best EPA combined figure is 21 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What are the dimensions of the 2016 Dodge Journey?
Transport Canada measured it at 192.5 in long, 72.0 in wide (body, without mirrors), 66.9 in tall, on a 113.8 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,825–4,246 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.
What do owners complain about on the 2016 Dodge Journey?
Owners have filed 389 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Dodge Journey, most often about engine, power train, electrical system. Of those, 19 involved a crash, 4 a fire, 16 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.
How clean is the 2016 Dodge Journey?
The EPA smog rating for the 2016 Dodge Journey is 6 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — Bin 4, Federal Tier 3 Transitional Bin 110 — which the table above lists per configuration.
Are there service bulletins for the 2016 Dodge Journey?
The manufacturer has filed 181 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2016 Dodge Journey, most often covering equipment, electrical system, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-08-06. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.
How does the 2016 Dodge Journey do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2016 Dodge Journey failed the emissions check on 7.8% of first inspections — higher than the 4.2% for every 2016 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 3.0% (every 2016 vehicle: 2.2%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.
What we hold, and what an empty row means
Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.
| Data | Held | Source | What it covers — or what empty means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy & configurations | 3 configurations | EPA certification records | Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures. |
| Emission certificates | 3 configurations | EPA emission certificates | Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new. |
| Recalls | 4 | NHTSA recall campaigns | A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags. |
| Owner complaints | 389 | NHTSA complaint database | Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold. |
| Crash ratings | 2 tested | NHTSA NCAP | Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them. |
| Service bulletins | 181 | NHTSA manufacturer communications | Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall. |
| Investigations | 3 | NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation | Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative. |
| Driver-assist crash reports | none | NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01 | No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like. |
| Specifications filed with NHTSA | 7 fields | NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns | What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder. |
| Measured dimensions | 7 fields | Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications | Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions. |
| Trims, pricing & equipment | none | Manufacturer press kit | We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind. |
Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.