RoadVitals

2018 Dodge Journey Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
11
Latest Jul 19, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
5%
of 227 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2018 Dodge Journey submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Steering
Filed Jul 19, 2025

Power steering leak, started in cold weather. Found other 2018 models have had a recall for the same issue - but my vin is not listed. Yes the vehicle can be inspected. No I’ve not had it looked at, I’ve been refilling the power steering fluid regularly and it leaks out. If the leak persists and the power steering goes completely out while operating it could put myself, passengers and others at risk. No warning lamps. I just noticed the steering was difficult.

NHTSA ID
11674717
Incident
Nov 1, 2024
SteeringSuspension
Filed Oct 9, 2024

My Cadillac converter is going bad. I only had my truck for 3yrs now. Also the steering and suspension diag/power steering system flush. Can I get a feed back to what shall I do or what can be done. Feel free and contact me at [XXX] mobile number. Email [XXX] Thank you [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11618873
Incident
Oct 2, 2024
Steering
Filed Aug 21, 2024

1. The power steering system keeps leaking for multiple different locations and is intermittent. The leak is never in the same spot. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. 2. There is a potential for safety problems with this if someone does not realize what the noise is coming from the vehicle. There is a whining noise that starts but not until there is no fluid in the reservoir. There is also no change in steering ability. If the power steering should lock up, that could cause a potential deadly situation. 3. The problem has been reproduced at an independent shop. 4. The vehicle has not been inspected by anyone else but the independent shop. 5. There are no warning lights that come on and no message pop up for low fluid levels. The vehicle makes a whining noise that progressively gets louder but only when there is no fluid in the reservoir. This started about 6 months ago with the intermittent problem. The 2016 Dodge Journey did have a recall for a similar problem like this.

NHTSA ID
11609861
Incident
Apr 4, 2024
Steering
Filed Jan 16, 2024

Hey, The Power Steering Hose Busted for the 2nd Time Last then a Year apart. I believe this is a safety concern because of of no where the car becomes hard to Turn. I also seen that there was a Recall on the Steering hose for 2016 Dodge Journeys. I believe you all should Look into 2017 and 2018 as well. I Live in Minnesota and i Only have this Problem when it gets Extremely cold out.

NHTSA ID
11565686
Incident
Jan 4, 2024
Steering
Filed Jan 31, 2022

I have a leak in my steering line

NHTSA ID
11449554
Incident
Jan 24, 2022
EnginePowertrain (other)Steering
Filed Nov 27, 2020

THE AC AIR COMPRESSOR ARE DEFECTIVE AND CAUSED THE SERPTINE BELT TO BREAK AND CAR STOP IMMEDIATELY IN TRAFFIC TO A DEAD STOP THE DEALERSHIP IS NOT FIXING IT IT'S A FACTORY DEFAULT

NHTSA ID
11376770
Incident
Nov 20, 2020
Mileage
43,000 mi
Steering
Filed Nov 4, 2020

POWER STEERING RUPTURED AND LEAKING, HAPPENS WHEN WEATHER BECAME COLDER. ALREADY A KNOWN ISSUE WITH OTHER MODELS. PLEASE FIND A SOLUTION I'M VERY UPSET THAT I HAVE A 2018, 30,000 MILES THAT HAS BEEN PARKED FOR WEEKS DUE TO A ISSUE THAT HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY FIXED.

NHTSA ID
11373054
Incident
Sep 10, 2020
ElectricalSteering
Filed Oct 4, 2020

WHINING NOISE, LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID FROM THE BOTTOM. ONLY 30,000 MILES. VERY UPSET. WAS DRIVING AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE WHILE TURNING. ALSO UCONNECT DOES NOT WORK, RADIO FREEZES UP. HAVE TO POWER OFF VEHICLE AND RESTART TO FIX ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
11362708
Incident
Sep 24, 2020
Mileage
30,000 mi
EngineSteering
Filed Aug 8, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 DODGE JOURNEY. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION POWER AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND THE FAILURE WENT AWAY. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,100.

NHTSA ID
11242625
Incident
Jun 17, 2019
Mileage
20,100 mi
BrakesEngineSteering
Filed Apr 29, 2019

THE CAR KEPT LOSING POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING AND NO ENGINE LIGHTS WERE POPPING UP TO SHOW THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FIRST 2 TIMES WERE IN REVERSE. THE POWER CUT OFF AND I WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL OR BRAKES. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND GO. THE THIRD TIME I WAS GOING FORWARD ON A HIGHWAY. I SLOWED TO TURN ON AND THE POWER CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TURN. I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL OR BRAKES. LUCKILY I WAS NOT AROUND OTHER VEHICLES AND THE CAR SLOWED TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN GRASS. THIS OCCURRED WITH A YOUNG CHILD IN THE CAR AND IT SCARED BOTH OF US. I WAS ABLE TO THEN START THE CAR AGAIN AND GET IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT THE NEXT DAY. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE WHEN THEY HOOKED IT UP TO THEIR MACHINES. THEY DROVE THE CAR FOR A WEEK AND WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE LAST DAY WHEN THEY TOOK IT FOR ONE MORE DRIVE THE CAR DIED ON THEM IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. THEY HOOKED THE CAR UP AGAIN AND IT SHOWED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. WHEN THEY CONTACTED CHRYSLER CORPORATION THEY TOLD THEM TO LOOK AT THE ENGINE. THAT IS WHEN THEY FOUND METAL SHARDS AND OTHER THINGS WRONG WITH THE ENGINE. THE CORPORATION HAD KNOWN THAT SOME OF THESE ENGINES WERE FAULTY BUT HAD NOT NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP OR THE CONSUMERS THAT THEY COULD BE DRIVING A CAR WITH A FAULTY ENGINE. THIS WAS MOST DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND ESPECIALLY CONCERNING SINCE WE HAD BEEN DRIVING OUR YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE WITH US. I BELIEVE THE CONSUMERS SHOULD KNOW THAT THEY COULD HAVE FAULTY ENGINES AND NOT KNOW BECAUSE THE SERVICE MACHINES DO NOT DETECT THE PROBLEM AND CHRYSLER IS NOT GIVING OUT THE INFORMATION.

NHTSA ID
11204621
Incident
Mar 28, 2019
Mileage
2,700 mi
Steering
Filed Oct 22, 2018

IT'S MAKING A WINNING NOISE.

NHTSA ID
11141773
Incident
Oct 20, 2018

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .