The 2012 Dodge Journey is a SUV that came with a choice of 2.4L 4-cyl and 3.6L 6-cyl engines. At 14 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
|---|---|
| Engines | 2.4L 4-cyl, 3.6L 6-cyl |
| Transmissions | Automatic 4-spd, Automatic 6-spd |
| Drive | Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 16–19 city / 24–26 highway / 19–22 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $3,050–$3,550 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 404–468 grams per mile |
| Curb weight (NHTSA test vehicle) | 4,200 lb |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | 5,005–5,600 lb |
| Versions tested by EPA | 3 configurations: Journey FWD, Journey AWD |
| Age | 14 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data; weights from NHTSA crash-test records. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls covering the 2012 Dodge Journey. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
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.
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.
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)…
Risk: If the ABS or ESC is disabled, a loss of vehicle stability could occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2012 Dodge Journey and fiat 500 vehicles manufactured from october 24, 2011, through october 26, 2011. Some vehicles were assembled with contaminated brake fluid and may experience a degradation of the sealing components within the brake system.
Risk: This could lead to loss of braking ability increasing the risk of a crash.
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2012 chrysler vehicles, including 200 and town and country models, Dodge vehicles, including charger, durango, grand caravan and Journey models and jeep grand cherokee vehicles manufactured from august 31, 2011, through september 13, 2011, that are equipped with 3.6l engines. These engines may…
Risk: Connecting rod failure may lead to engine seizure which may increase the risk of a crash.
Owners have filed 376 complaints about the 2012 Dodge Journey with NHTSA. 21 reports involved a crash and 13 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 24 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2012 Dodge Journey, by version tested.
| Version | Overall | Frontal crash | Side crash | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suv, 4WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 17.9% |
| Suv, FWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 18.5% |
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP). Ratings from different model years or rating systems aren't directly comparable.
Manufacturers have filed 224 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 2012 Dodge Journey. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
1 of them is a warranty extension. Warranty extensions mean the manufacturer agreed to cover a specific repair beyond the normal warranty. They rarely still apply to a car this age, but they point to known weak spots.
Emissions Recall U67 - Catalytic Converter Efficiency - Dealer Notification (Revision 11)
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
Lamp - dome
Lamp - dome
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 2 defect investigations covering the 2012 Dodge Journey.
Vehicle entrapment
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
Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment
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 O
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It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. As a heavier vehicle, its scrap weight adds to the offer. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 2012 Journeys that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2012 Dodge Journey; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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