2011 Dodge Journey Steering Problems

Power steering starts leaking in cold climates resulting in tightness and difficulty in steering wheel . recall code s08

NHTSA ID

11739493

Incident

Dec 5, 2025

Stirring wheel fluid hose has burst during cold weather, and will lose control of wheel. My car wasn’t listed in the recall for that said issue for other dodge journey’s. I had it repair ones and now its doing it again.

NHTSA ID

11712828

Incident

May 30, 2025

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE JOURNEY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH, THE CONTACT SAW SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE HOOD WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED TO THE SIDE AND ADDED SOME COOLANT BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER DRIVING 5 MORE MINUTES. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE CONTACT SAW FLAMES FROM THE ENGINE. THE FIRE MOMENTARILY EXTINGUISHED ITSELF. THE STEERING WHEEL THEN COULD NOT TURN AND THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE ALTERNATOR AND WIRING WERE DAMAGED SUE TO THE FAILURE. THERE WAS NO REPORT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENT. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS KNOWN BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 139,000.

NHTSA ID

11209289

Incident

May 1, 2019

Mileage

139,000 mi

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, ABS, BRAKE, AND TRACTION CONTOL LIGHT ILLUMINATE. OCCASIONALLY LIGHT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE. VEHICLE APPEARS TO DRIVE AND STOP NORMALLY, BUT DRIVING WITHOUT ABS AND TRACTION CONTOL DECREASES STOPPING PERFORMANCE AND CAPABILITIES. CERTIFIED MECHANIC DIAGNOSED PROBLEM INDICATING WATER DAMAGE CONSISTANT WITH THE CURRENT RECALL R61 / NHTSA 15V-675 FOR THE 2012-2015 MODELS.

NHTSA ID

11208245

Incident

May 6, 2019

Mileage

135,000 mi

THE CAR FEELS LIKES IT'S PULLING AND SOMETIMES IT WON'T ACCELERATE.

NHTSA ID

11175781

Incident

Jan 22, 2019

Mileage

79,000 mi

ON 1/30/2019 AT 10:15 PM I STARTED MY PARKED 2011 DODGE JOURNEY TO WARM IT UP FOR WORK. IT IMMEDIATELY BLEW THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM BECAUSE IT WAS FRIGID OUTSIDE. THE POWER STEERING COOLER AND RETURN LINE HOSE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED WITH PARTS FROM THE DEALER ORDERED BY THE BUSINESS THAT MADE THE REPAIRS. TOTAL FOR PARTS AND LABOR WAS $814.22. THIS REPORT IS BEING FILED IN REGARDS TO CAMPAIGN 16V273000. I FEEL THIS IS IDENTICAL TO WHAT HAPPENED AND I AM SEEKING A FULL REFUND FOR MY REPAIRS NEEDED.

NHTSA ID

11174827

Incident

Jan 30, 2019

Mileage

75,970 mi

"TAKATA RECALL": LOCAL DODGE DEALER, INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE PART(S), THEN TOLD MY WIFE THE 'ACTUAL STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG' WASN'T WORKING AND DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR. THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR, REPLACE OR FIX UNLESS WE PAID THE COST FOR A NEW AIRBAG,WHY ISN'T THE AIRBAG PART OF THE RECALL? WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY ACCIDENTS IN THIS VEHICLE NOR ANYTHING THAT WOULD, COULD DAMAGE THE AIRBAG.. SINCE THE DEALER IS STATING THE PROBLEM IS ELECTRICAL, IN THE SAFETY SYSTEM, SHOULD THIS BE CLASSED AS A 'SAFETY' ISSUE AND REPAIRED BY THE DEALER..

NHTSA ID

11128813

Incident

Jun 4, 2018

Mileage

92,462 mi

THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING DOWN FORD ROAD IN DEARBORN MI. THE STEERING WOULD NOT MOVE. THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. THE BRAKES LOCKED UP. THE CAR WOULD NOT START TO MOVE OUT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. IT WAS TOWED TO FIRSTONE COMPLETE AUTOCARE AND SERVICED. RECEIVED THE VEHICLE BACK ON SATURDAY THE 4TH OF AUGUST. AGAIN DROVE THE VEHICLE AND ON A BRIDGE ON ECORSE RD IN TAYLOR MI. THE VEHICLE DID THE EXACT THING. IT WAS TOWED BACK TO FIRESTONE. FIRESTONE RETURNED THE VEHICLE ON AUGUST 6TH AND SENT IT TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. FIRESTONE SAID THEY SAW NO PROBLEM. COULDN'T UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM. BOTH INSTANCES OF STALLING I HAD MY 7 YEAR OLD. BOTH INSTANCES WE WERE NEARLY REAR ENDED MULTIPLE TIMES. BOTH TIMES THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN WITH NO STEERING, NO BREAKS, AND WONT RESTART. IT WAS A DEATH TRAP. FIRSTONE CAN VERIFY MY PICK UP LOCATIONS BOTH TIMES. USED GOCH AND SONS TOWING THROUGH FIRESTONE ON 8/5. USED UNITED TOWING IN DEARBORN ON 8/3. FIRESTONE ALSO HAS VEHICLE RECORDS ON FILE.

NHTSA ID

11118070

Incident

Aug 3, 2018

Mileage

156,000 mi

MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING TWICE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE MECHANIC TO GET IT FIXED PRIOR TO DRIVING ANY FURTHER. THE FIRST TIME I WAS TURNING RIGHT, THE 2ND TIME I WAS COMING UP TO A STOP LIGHT. I WAS ABLE TO TURN MY CAR OFF THEN BACK ON AND IT WORKED. TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE

NHTSA ID

11089948

Incident

Apr 23, 2018

Mileage

999,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE JOURNEY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ABILITY WAS LOST DURING COLD TEMPERATURES. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HARRY BROWN'S FAMILY AUTOMOTIVE DEALER (1747 GRANT ST, FARIBAULT, MN 55021) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,327. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

NHTSA ID

11076883

Incident

Feb 13, 2018

Mileage

74,327 mi

WHEN I START MY JOURNEY, THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT AND THERE IS A HUGE PUDDLE OF FLUID UNDER MY CAR. I'VE LOOKED ON LINE AND THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM IS HAPPENING AND BEING RECALLED, YET MY CAR HASN'T BEEN. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT IF THE LEAKING IS A SAFETY PROBLEM, WHY MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED. THE LEAKING OCCURS IN EXTREME COLD WEATHER, WHICH IS WHAT WISCONSIN HAS BEEN HAVING. I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO USE MY CAR FOR A MONTH, OR MORE, UNLESS I FILL IT UP WITH POWER STEERING FLUID EVERY TIME! MY JOURNEY HAS THE BLOCK HEATER THAT IS PART OF THE PROBLEM OF THE LEAKING, I GUESS. EITHER WAY, THE RECALL SHOULD INCLUDE ALL JOURNEYS WITH THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM! WE HAVE USED ALL KINDS OF CLAMPS TO HOLD THE HOSE ON, BUT IT STILL HAPPENS. THIS ISN'T JUST A ONE DATE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED, ITS BEEN 17 TIMES IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS, IF NOT MORE.

NHTSA ID

11071570

Incident

Jan 6, 2018

Mileage

70,000 mi

POWER STEERING HOSE RUPTURED WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND RUNNING IN VERY COLD TEMP

NHTSA ID

11057787

Incident

Dec 30, 2017

Mileage

70,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE JOURNEY. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO TURN LEFT OR RIGHT WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER (HARRY'S TIRE SERVICE; 1604 20TH AVE SE, MINOT, ND 58701; (701) 838-1823) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING RETURN HOSES AND THE STEERING OIL COOLER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE SAME FAILURE RECURRED AFTER A YEAR. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO TURN LEFT OR RIGHT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (MINOT AUTOMOTIVE CENTER; 3615 S BROADWAY ST, MINOT, ND 58701; (701) 852-0151) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V273000 (STEERING); THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000. ..UPDATED 08/22/17 *BF *JS

NHTSA ID

10993706

Incident

Jan 13, 2017

Mileage

103,000 mi

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2011 DODGE JOURNEY TO WORK ON CITY STREETS THE STEERING SUDDENLY BECAME VERY STIFF. HARD TO TURN. LOOKING AT THE POWER STEERING FLUID RESERVOIR IT WAS EMPTY AND FLUID STILL DRIPPING OUT FROM UNDER THE CAR NEAR THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. AFTER TOWING THE CAR TO DEALERSHIP AND A $1000 REPAIR BILL PROBLEM FIXED. I WAS TOLD THE POWER STEERING HOSE HAD RUPTURED AND HAD TO REPLACE THE PUMP AS IT HAD RUN DRY. DODGE SAYS RECALL S08 DOES NOT APPLY AS THIS MODEL DOES NOT HAVE A BLOCK HEATER. (WHAT WOULD THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE POWER STEERING?) I NOTICED LATER ON THE SAME CITY STREET WHERE I HAD TRAVELED A LARGE RAINBOW OIL SLICK. MAY HAVE BEEN WHERE THE LINE RUPTURED.

NHTSA ID

10959609

Incident

Feb 2, 2017

Mileage

35,000 mi

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED (STATIONARY) VEHICLE WAS STARTED, HEARD A POP, PUT CAR IN REVERSE AND REALIZED THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. STARTED TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING SO PLACED VEHICLE BACK IN PARK & TURNED IT OFF. LOOKED UNDER VEHICLE AND SAW LARGE PUDDLE OF POWER STEERING FLUID. THE POWER STEERING LINE BURST THEREBY DISABLING THE POWER STEERING. THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH NUMEROUS JOURNEY POWER STEERING LINES.

NHTSA ID

10825727

Incident

Feb 10, 2016

Mileage

62,500 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY TO WORK AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. I LOST POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKING, ABILITY TO ACCELERATE OR REALLY DRIVE THE CAR AT ALL. ALL I COULD DO WAS TRY TO SAFELY NAVIGATE AN UNCONTROLLABLE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER AND HOPE I WASN'T HIT IN THE PROCESS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, IN ADDITION TO OTHER WARNING LIGHTS (I THINK THEY WERE THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT, THE VEHICLE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND ANOTHER INDICATOR THAT LOOKS LIKE A LIGHTNING BOLT). THE CAR EVENTUALLY RESTARTED, BUT HAD PROBLEMS DRIVING AND WOULD START TO CUT OUT WHEN IT IDLED. WE TOOK IT BACK TO DODGE, THEY RAN DIAGNOSTICS BUT COULDN'T FIND ANY ISSUES. AFTER A LOT OF PRESSURE, THEY REPLACED THE MAIN COMPUTER CHIP IN THE SYSTEM. THIS WAS AFTER REPLACING ANOTHER MINOR PART THAT DIDN'T CHANGE THE ISSUE. THIS SEEMED TO WORK FOR A FEW MONTHS, BUT THEN THE PROBLEM BEGAN HAPPENING AGAIN. THIS TIME THE ENGINE WAS EVEN MORE SLUGGISH AND THE WHOLE CAR WOULD SHAKE WHEN YOU TRIED TO ACCELERATE. THERE WAS NO POWER, EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. THEN, IT WOULD CUT OUT AGAIN AND THE SAME WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. WE ARE TAKING IT BACK TO DODGE AGAIN TODAY TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO.

NHTSA ID

10733381

Incident

Sep 8, 2014

Mileage

75,000 mi

TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ON 91ST AVE. LIGHT CHANGED TO YELLOW. I APPLIED BRAKES AND A HORRIBLE GRINDING SOUND OCCURED. THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK AND I WAS ALARMED. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP REQUESTING INSPECTION. WAS TOLD IT WAS NORMAL ABS ACTION. I DISAGREED. THEY INSISTED ALL IS FINE. SECOND OCCURENCE, HAD TO BRAKE TO AVOID COLLISION AND APPLIED BRAKE, AGAIN VIOLENT SHAKING TO STEERING WHEEL. UPON REGULAR MAINTENANCE WITH DEALER THEY AGAIN SAID IT WAS NORMAL. I HAVE NEVER FELT MORE UNSAFE. THIS STILL OCCURS TODAY 3/2015. HAS BECOME PROGRESSIVLY WORSE OVER TIME. UNKNOWN WHAT COMPONENTS ARE INVOLVED... SELECTED POSSIBLE PARTS REQUIRING FURTHER INVESTIGATION. DEALER INSISTS THERE ARE NO RECALLS IN PLACE FOR ANY PART OF THIS MODEL YEAR. I HAVE ASKED THEM TO CHECK NHTSA WEBSITE. THEY WILL NOT.

NHTSA ID

10701591

Incident

Sep 9, 2011

Mileage

50 mi

NOTICED STRANGE SOUND FROM DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL AREA. TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALERSHIP TO IDENTIFY ISSUE. DEALER CLAIMS POWER STEERING RETURN LINE HAD A LEAK AND THAT THIS LINE WRAPPED AROUND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND WOULD COST APPROX $750.00 TO REPAIR, THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT COLD WEATHER AREAS HAVING MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS LINE FAILING AT THE FACTORY CRIMPED CONNECTION ON THE LINE. THE FAILURE CAUSING THE LINE TO RUPTURE OR CRACK VARYING ON LEAK RATE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10695121

Incident

Mar 16, 2015

Mileage

50,000 mi

METAL SCRAPING SOUND WHEN DRIVING BELOW 20MPH AND STOPS WHEN BRAKES ARE PUSHED. SOUNDS VERY SIMILAR TO MANY ONLINE COMPLAINTS I'VE READ. RECALLS ISSUED FOR SIMILAR MODELS WITH THE SAME YEAR, BUT NOT MINE. VERY FRUSTRATING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10614996

Incident

Jun 30, 2014

Mileage

36,000 mi

MY 2011 DODGE JOURNEY STEERING WHEEL SHAKES QUITE HARD WHEN BRAKING AND PULLS TO THE RIGHT. TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED. THE CAR ONLY HAS 14,000 MILES AND DEALERS SAID BRAKES WERE LIKE NEW. THIS WOULD APPEAR TO BE PREMATURE TO ME AS WELL AS A SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10521025

Incident

Jun 21, 2013

Mileage

14,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE JOURNEY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING 30 MPH OR LOWER, THE VEHICLE WOULD VEER OUT OF LANE WHEN ATETMPTING TO ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCE ONLY WHEN THE ACCELERATION WAS INCREASED. THE DEALER TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE BUT ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING NORMALLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 14,000.

NHTSA ID

10514123

Incident

Dec 1, 2012

Mileage

8,000 mi

HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER 4 TIMES FOR GRINDING SOUND WHEN BRAKING. HAVE BEEN TOLD IT COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. TOLD ROTOR AND PADS ARE GOOD. LOOKING AT PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS, REALIZED DEALER IS PLAYING A GAME ( AFTER 12000MILES) ROTORS NOT COVERED. I PRESENTLY HAVE 11000 MILES. GREAT BUSINESS PRACTICE BY DODGE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10446728

Incident

Feb 1, 2012

Mileage

11,000 mi

THE CAR HAS BEEN SHAKING FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW, WORSE WHEN BRAKING. TWICE NOW, WE HAVE HAD TO STOP ABRUPTLY AND THE FRONT BRAKES DID NOT WORK CORRECTLY. ONCE IT DID CAUSE A MINOR ACCIDENT. THERE IS A LOUD GRINDING SOUND FROM THE FRONT WHEEL AREA AND POOR STOPPING AND THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES NOW FOR THE SAME COMPLAINTS. THEY REPLACED THE REAR ROTORS FOR SOME REASON. NOW THEY ARE REPLACING THE FRONT ROTORS. THE DEALER CLAIMED THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTS OF BRAKING/STEERING PROBLEMS FOR THIS YEAR/MODEL SO THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. THE PROBLEM IS MUCH WORSE AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS OF 60+. THE DEALER SERVICE CENTER ALSO ADVISED US THAT AFTER 12000 MILES, THE ROTORS/BRAKES/ETC WILL NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN A NOTICEABLE ISSUE SINCE WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF PURCHASE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10440124

Incident

Oct 3, 2011

Mileage

5,400 mi