Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
The 2013 Dodge Journey has 353 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most for the electrical system (73), then engine (72). Combined EPA mpg is 19 to 21 across its gasoline and E85 flex fuel versions, with a 5-year fuel cost of $15,470 to $17,100 at U.S. average prices. It earns 4 overall NHTSA stars. It has 4 recall campaigns that may apply: air bags, steering, stability control, and others.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
19–21 mpgcombined; city 16–19, highway 24–26; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$15,470–$17,100U.S. average; Ohio $13,820–$15,280 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2013 Journey. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 353 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Journey. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Electrical system
73
3
4
5
Engine
72
0
5
1
Service brakes
61
7
0
3
Seats
58
0
0
8
Air bags
44
12
1
14
Electronic stability control (ESC)
44
2
0
1
Unknown or other
31
0
1
1
Power train
29
1
1
0
Steering
20
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
11
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
10
0
1
0
Vehicle speed control
10
1
1
0
13 more parts
Structure
8
2
0
3
Suspension
7
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
5
0
2
0
Exterior lighting
5
0
0
3
Seat belts
5
2
0
2
Tires
3
1
0
0
Visibility
3
0
0
1
Visibility/wiper
3
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
2
0
0
0
Service brakes, air
2
0
0
0
Wheels
2
0
0
0
Back over prevention
1
0
0
0
Traction control system
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2013 Journey over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
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 bag wiring harness gets chafed within the steering wheel and short circuits.
Risk: Unexpected deployment of the driver's frontal air bag increases the risk of a crash or driver injury.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bag wiring within the steering wheel, replacing it if necessary. A protective cover will also be installed. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began August 28, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T47.
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 temperatures, the power steering return hose may rupture at engine start-up causing a loss of power steering assist.
Risk: A loss of power steering assist may require extra steering effort, especially at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering return hoses, steel tubes, and power steering oil cooler, free of charge. The recall began on May 24, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S08.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured April 21, 2012, to April 14, 2015. In the affected vehicles, water may enter the wiring harness for the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) module and leak into the module, disabling the ABS and/or the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system.
Risk: If the ABS or ESC is disabled, a loss of vehicle stability could occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will seal the ABS wiring harness to prevent water from entering and will replace the ABS module and repair the headlamp and dash wiring harness, as necessary. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on December 21, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R61.
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 affected vehicles, the engine cover may detach from the engine and contact the exhaust manifold.
Risk: If the displaced engine cover contacts the exhaust manifold, there would be an increased risk of a vehicle fire.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install an improved mounting system for the engine cover, free of charge. The recall began on October 15, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R32.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 248 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2013 Journey, the latest on Jun 18, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (82), equipment (75), power train (42), engine and engine cooling (35), structure (31).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2013 Journey.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: small sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 4–5 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Journey Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 4-spd
Regular Gasoline
19 / 26 / 21
Journey Front-Wheel Drive
3.6 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline or E85
17 / 25 / 20
Journey All-Wheel Drive
3.6 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
16 / 24 / 19
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data