8.2
pretty bad- Typical Repair Cost:
- $400
- Average Mileage:
- 31,800 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 353 complaints
Most common solutions:
- replace pads & rotors (169 reports)
- all brakes and rotors had to be replaced (41 reports)
- not sure (34 reports)
- replaced pads & machined rotors (31 reports)
- replaced brakes (22 reports)
- replace rotors (16 reports)
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Dodge dealer.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
I have never had to replace either front or rear brakes on any vehicle as early or frequently as on this vehicle, I will never again purchase any Chrysler product.
- bad bart, Lake Ariel, PA, US
This was the second time the front rotors and pads had to be changed because of warping. Out of pocket cost to me for this replacement was $0.00 because the mechanic that did the first replacement (at a cost to me of $300.56) said it was still under his warranty. These were replacement parts that conformed to Dodge/Chrysler's specs. The braking system on the Journey is under-designed for a vehicle of this weight.
- bad bart, Lake Ariel, PA, US
Third set of replacement front rotors and pads in 45,000 miles. By comparison, on my 2001 Ford Explorer, which I bought new and which now has well over 100,000 miles on it, I have replaced the front rotors once. It obviously is not my driving, it's the piss-poor Chrysler Corp. engineering and design.
- bad bart, Lake Ariel, PA, US
At 60,000 kms the right rear brake caliper seized. No availibility of rear calipers, all kinds of front calipers. Dont need front, need rear!!! Freed up caliper, replaced rotors and pads. Did it again at 75,000 kms, AGAIN at 90,000 kms. Replaced the rear brakes three times, and the front brakes twice, and the damn thing only has 100,000kms on it. The local Dodge dealer says thats "normal". Bull Crap.
- Robert K., Durham, Ontario, Canada
Ive replaced the front brake pads 2 times now in one year of ownership. The rear pads once and the front rotors once.
- Savery N., Redondo Beach, CA, US
Car was just a year old, They said the brakes were just normal wear and tear, not covered. Six months later I receive a questioneer, that maybe they will cover, What's up with this, Anyone with any sense knows the brakes don't go out on a new car????
Lemon, Lemon, don't buy chrysler they not only don't cover their vehicles, they lie. Same Vechile engine burned up 9 mos later...
- Sharon S., Hollister, CA, US
Was told inferior products used-on the brakes of all things, Dodge must be very concerned with the safety of their customers-right.
- Jeris B., Davenport, FL, US
i have replaced the brake pads three times. I've had dodge cars and trucks all my life. the journey is a nice car but it unsafe to drive. the pads smoke and the wheels get to hot to touch.
- Howard L., Granbury, TX, US
2009 Dodge Journey, have had to replace the rotors and front brakes at 21,000 miles, having to change rear brakes at 31,000 miles, and have to turn the front rotors again at 31,000 miles. have read hundreds of similar complaints and it appears this is a very, very common problem. Dodge should step up and recall the brakes on this model now.
- Russell T., Lafayette, LA, US
2nd time brakes have been needed to be replaced. Search of web indicates this is a chronic problem, no recall for brakes, warranty nearly up, would like to find out about joining and or creating an additional class action suit against dodge.
- Denise C., Mesa, AZ, US
THE FIRST TIME BRAKES NEEDED FIX WAS NO BIG DEAL, NOW WE'RE GETTING READY TO FIX THEM FOR THE 5TH TIME AT 48.000 MILES NOW THIS TIME IS A F@#king PAIN IN THE ASS.DODGE NEEDS TO STEP UP AND RECALL.
- Jeri P., Dittmer, MO, US
AFTER HAVING MY JOURNEY 3 MONTHS I NOTICED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. I BROUGHT IT INTO ADRIAN VEGA ACADIAN DODGE IN LAFAYETTE,LA SEVERAL TIMES-- DON'T BUY A DODGE THERE-- THEY SAID THEY CANT DUPLICATE THE REASON MY CAR WONT START AT TIMES SO THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING-- I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE DODGE OFFICE AND NOTHING I HAS BEEN DONE -- I NOW HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS STILL EXISTING AND VEGA ACADIAN DODGE TOLD ME TO FIND A NEW DEALER AND NOW AFTER LOOKING INTO THE PROBLEMS THEY SAID THEY CHECKED, THEY LIED. NOT ONLY IS THE JOURNEY FULL OF PROBLEMS THE DEALER IS WORSE.
- Susan V., Lafayette, LA, US
I bought the car in January of 2010. The car does not even have 60,000 miles on it yet, and I have only put about 15,000 since I purchased it. I did the front brakes in September and the rear brakes in October. Both sets I did complete with new rotors. Now, It's November and I have to do the front brakes again. This is getting ridiculous.
- John L., Woodstock, GA, US
I received a letter from Dodge dated June 2011, informing me that the warranty period had been extended for the pads and rotors on the FRONT brakes of my 2009 Dodge Journey. If they failed within 24k to 36k there would be a $100 deductable at the dealership. Mine had 29,565 miles. I took the car to the dealership Monday morning. Was told they could not get to it right away so I left the car. After hearing nothing I called them on Wednesday morning. I was informed then that I needed new brakes and rotors all the way around. I questioned that and was told that the brake wear is equal on this car so it was their recommendation to do this. I made a few phone calls, called them back and politely declined all but the front brakes which was covered under this $100 deductable warranty issue. They told me it would be ready the next day. I told them I really needed the car by Friday morning. Supposedly that was no problem. On Friday morning I got a phone call from a service advisor that left a simple message, to call him back. I thought my car was ready. After calling unsuccessfully for hours, I finally got a real person on the line that told me that I was supposd to have been called that morning to ask me where my wheel tool to unlock my wheels was. By this time I am pretty angry as it is now 3pm in the afternoon on a Friday. I am assured they will do their best to get it done by 6pm. I get a call back at 4:30 that the wheel tool key was broken, but they can't tell me if it was that way when they found it (it wasn't) or if they did it, so they told me they would order me another one at no cost. In the meantime I might want to get my car since the wheel key would not be there for 7 to 10 days and they did not have one to fit my car. I decided to go get my car. It did not occur to me until that evening to question how they could tell I needed all this work when they clearly had not even taken the wheels off to view them. After the longest pause in history once I asked that question, I was told, "although taking the wheels off is the best way to determine this, sometimes they can see this without doing so". Uh huh...
Needless to say their credibility is completely disolved with me. When I called another dealership they told me they had to order the rotors because the warranty would only replace the rotors with the ones specified on the warranty...not the stock ones at the dealership. So they want to put the crummy rotors on and still charge me $100 deductible. I got the work done in 3 hours the next day and you guessed it....After taking the wheels off (without a key) they determined there was minimal wear on the back brakes. My next letter will be to Chrystler for reimbursement. You may check back for my update on that one.
- T L., Burleson, TX, US
Second time in a year brakes need to be replaced. Dealer doesn't care. Waiting to hear from Dodge about paying for the repair.
- liafo5312, Boynton Beach, FL, US
This Journey has been nothing except a pain in the rear!!!! We bought this brand new and have had to fix more things on this car in the 30K miles we've had it than any other car we have ever owned. To date we have had to have the front brakes and rotors replaced twice, the rear brakes and rotors replaced, Had it aligned to try to fix the pulling to the right (with no luck) and the paint has peeled off the drivers side mirror, for no reason. Most recently, I was told we are in need of all new tires because of the way they are waring. But the real kicker is that the brakes are making noise again!!!!! That will be set 4!
- 3kids, Fishers, IN, US
http://www.dodgeproblems.com/Journey/brakes.shtml
Please go to this website and report your issues to all three sites listed at the bottom of the page. While it is good to vent on pages like this it is more important to complain where something could potentially be done. I just went to the NHTSB ( National Highway Transportation Safety Board) site which is one of the three and they only have 7 complaints there compared to the 100+ on this site.
- Carrie O., Eagle, WI, US
Purchased our 2009 Journey in the summer of ’09. I live in the country and drive approximately 25 miles to and from work, with only 4 stop lights between. At 27k miles we had to hve the front brakes and rotors replaced. Suddenly one day without any sort of warning it sounded like my front end had fallen off when I came to a stop. The noise was so bad that I pulled to the side and put my hazards on honestly thought it was an enginge issue because the noise and shake was so horrible. Husband came and drove it to the dealership. Found out that we were metal on metal the front brakes and rotors needed to be replaced rear were just fine. Dealership tried to tell us this is normal and that it was in the milage range to need this work done. Told them they were crazy…this was the 9th dodge vehicle we had owned and NEVER had we had an issue like this. They ended up comping the rotors for us but we needed to pay for brakes. Dodge came along in June of 2011 and reimbursed us for the brake repair. Now 15k miles later I suddenly had the same horrible noise but in the rear of the vehicle. Took it to the dealearship and what do you know the rear brakes and rotors need to be replaced. Called Chrysler this morning, waiting to see what comes of it.
- Carrie O., Eagle, WI, US
Brakes had been replaced just 3 months prior to receiving extended warranty letter. Of course, heard horrible noise and had hard braking.
- Angela C., Aurora, CO, US
Very premature wear on tires due to shimmying from warped rotors. Had to replace four 19" tires. On other vehicles I have gotten 50,00 to 90,000 miles on a set of tires, with the highest tire life coming, as expected, on the vehicles when they were new. I am getting rid of this piece of Dodge/Chrysler garbage.
- bad bart, Lake Ariel, PA, US