bfurth

Never buy from CarMax. No price negotation? No sale. They ask top dollar blue book, even though the vehicle in question clearly isn't worth it. As for any kind of "thorough" inspection they may perform? Forget it - clearly quality control is not their thing. That vehicle they tried to sell you must have frame damage - no other reason for the tailgate area to have rust. Why they would even TRY to sell a car with obvious unrepaired collision damage is beyond me. It might even be considered a bad-faith negotiation. There aren't really any major changes from '13 to '15 model year, other than some trim options. The powertrain hasn't changed since 2011 (other than tweaks to the Pentastar after the first production run). The 2.4L is not going to win any drag races, but it's an adequate engine (unless you're towing). We didn't see many used Journeys when we went looking to replace my old car - I took that as a sign that the original owners are keeping them. The used models that were available were all SXT Plus - most likely fleet vehicles. I didn't want the V6 - not enough space under the hood for me to do the maintenance as easily as I can with the 2.4L - and I got a new '15 SE with more or less exactly what I wanted in it for less than a used '13 or '14 with things I don't need.

Pretty self explanatory - will a standard twin mattress and box spring (39x74) fit with the rear seats folded down? I know the floor dimensions of the rear are 42x75, but how's the clearance 8 inches up? I don't have cross bars, so I'm not putting it on the roof. I could take my van, but I'd rather drive the Journey! I could also take my son's mattress and throw it in the back, but that requires hauling a mattress down two flights of stairs, and I really don't feel like doing it (especially if someone else can tell me they have successfully carried a twin mattress set). Edit: measurements are in inches - leave your metric nonsense north of the border where it belongs!

And now we're back to IT troubleshooting basics: is it plugged in? It was? Well... unplug it, plug it back, and try again! At least with computers, that actually works.

Don't you love when "professional" mechanics can't be bothered to use the right quantities for maintenance? Fortunatley you didn't do too much driving since the "oil change." I'd go after them if you could prove it (improper amount of oil, potential that the oil was not actually changed). As for when to do the next change - wait for the light, or 1 year, whichever comes first. Pennzoil Platinum meets MS-6395, and even a conventional with those specs is good for up to 8,000 miles (assuming the '14 and '15 have the same interval).

I don't work for a dealership - I'm not even in the auto industry! I do my own maintenance work because I enjoy the time spent working on something real (I manage an IT help desk for a living, so my of what I have to do is bureaucratic nonsense, but it pays well!) Doing my own maintenance allows me to find problems long before they become an actual issue. A 2010 vehicle could have been built as early as fall of 2009. Chrysler vehicles used HOAT (orange) coolant at that time. The HOAT change interval is 60 months or approximately 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. It is the owner's responsibility to change these things out BEFORE they cause a problem. Failure to do so is your responsibility, and not changing them WILL void parts of your warranty. What coolant did you put back in the radiator? HOAT from a Chrysler dealership, or some "universal" coolant from an auto parts shop? Coolant is a closed system - there is nowhere for it to go. If you are missing coolant (due to something other than volume changes due to temperature), then you have a leaking gasket or radiator. The quickest check is your oil dip stick. If it looks like chocolate milk, you most likely have a leaking/blown head gasket. My last vehicle was a 2003 Chevy Malibu with the 3100 engine. Don't get me started on all the problems THAT POS had. The lower intake manifold gasket material did not react well to the additives found in Dex-Cool. Which would be fine, if that isn't what GM used as their coolant. There was a class action lawsuit regarding that particular issue - which was settled and closed before I even bought the car, and didn't know about it until after I had paid for the repair, and still had no recourse. It SHOULD have been a recall, but it's not a "safety" issue, so it won't be recalled (this is also coming from the same company who covered up ignition cylinder issues for a decade which actually cost people their lives). I got rid of it because I found coolant in the oil (again...) and it failed a coolant system pressure test (performed at home for half the cost of paying a mechanic to diagnose it). The powertrain warranty covers internal components of the engine as well as the block, head, and oil pan. Hoses, radiators, fluid, etc. are not covered. Period. The reservoir bottle does not hold pressure (there is an opening on it that allows overly hot fluid to spill out when pressure inside the radiator gets too high), so it cracking is not necessarily directly related to increased temp from a leaking/cracked head gasket. The radiator replacement cost is not just for the radiator. It's for a coolant flush (required for the head gasket replacement anyway), A/C refrigerant capture/recycle/refill, and possibly a transmission fluid drain/fill as well (depends on whether or not the 2010 used a transmission oil cooler, which would be part of the radiator). It's a lot of labor at $120+ per hour. Buying a used car has inherent risks. Sure, you can save a few thousand dollars on it. It may be all you can afford at the time. Who knows what your situation is. But a used vehicle is more likely to have problems. Most people don't do a particularly good job of maintaining their vehicles (partially because dealerships and mechanics charge ENTIRELY too much for basic service). The end result is there are a lot of junk used cars out there, even though the average model of that vehicle is substantially less costly to keep on the road.

4 of them are on my Journey. 46 of them are sitting in my tool chest. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them. But there's now two of these vehicles in my family (mine and my mother's), and my sister just bought a new vehicle as well (valve stem cap might be the same). If they need them, I have them. And they can pay me what I paid for them (so, about a quarter per cap), or they can watch my kids while I take the Mrs. out. I'm perfectly happy to trade auto work/parts on hand for free babysitting! If you get tires mounted, they should replace the valve stem, or at the very least rebuild the core. Fortunately, this TPMS model seems to have a replaceable stem, unlike the 2008-2010 models of Chrysler TPMS for vehicles of this size). Dorman makes a valve stem for the '11 and up - part 609-155, which matches the valve stem on 56029398AB (the TPMS for at least 850 Chrysler vehicle variations). I still don't understand why Chrysler went with the most expensive method possible of building a pressure sensor.all it does is cost unnecessary amounts of money! At least they made a better model of it starting in 2011 - my '10 T&C has an aluminum stem that is not replaceable without changing out the entire sensor.

You need a new radiator core support. That's the piece of plastic that is cracked. Don't be surprised when they tell you that the lower frame rails are out of alignment. Don't take the vehicle back from the body shop until they have verified it is straight. You most likely have frame damage there. I'm not sure how a diminished value claim works up north, but you need to go after that guy for the loss in value of your vehicle after the repairs are completed. Resale value of the vehicle is lost forever as a result of frame damage that will appear in any reputable history check. If the other driver is at fault (and depending on how the law works where the collision took place), they may be legally obligated to make you "whole" (pay for your repairs, rental reimbursement, and pay for any loss in the value of the vehicle as a result of their negligence). If you haven't done so already - get a new car seat/booster seat/whatever-your-daughter-was-riding-in! Insurance should pay for it. Car seats are only built for one collision.

With that low of mileage, take it back to the dealer. They'll work with you.

Valve stem caps are MASSIVELY overpriced. I needed to replace mine (someone stole them back in April - really, who steals valve stem caps?) The closest dealerships to me didn't even have them in stock (and how that happens is beyond me - you'd think they would just replace them on a vehicle that didn't have them when it was brought in for an oil change, then charge them 10% in shop fees and use that to cover the cost, it's just a piece of molded plastic!) Chrysler wants $22 for a pack of 5. Yes, you read that correctly. I found Dorman part 609-154 on Amazon. I got 50 of them for $12. It's not a "perfect" fit - there is a gap less than 1/8" between the bottom of the cap and the top of the rubber coating on the valve stem. For that price, I don't care (you can really only see it if you are specifically looking for it).

Not sure how insurance works up there (assuming you're not at fault and the other guy has to pay for it) - demand OEM replacement parts! Don't let them put aftermarket anything on that vehicle.

The issue is exacerbated by having relatively heavy weights hanging off of the FOBIK. Sure, I guess it's possible for the FOBIK (if it is in the ignition with nothinn attached to it) could turn from RUN to ACC given a sever enough jolt, but it's MUCH more likely if you had some weight (lots of keys, keychains, etc.) hanging off of it. When I bought my T&C and had problems with the TPMS sensors, the dealership I bought it from advised me to take everything off the keychain except for my other car key and remote. I did, and I never had a problem. It was a little obnoxious at first to have to remember to grab my car keys and grab my house keys every time I needed to go somewhere, but I've gotten used to it.

I've had body work done from two incidents. You can't see where the work was done at all, and I have the Blue Streak Pearl. Find a good body shop, and make sure they'll stand behind their work. The shop I used will guarantee the work as long as I own the vehicle. If there's ever an issue with the parts or paint, they (supposedly, haven't had to make anyone pay up on this yet) will repair it on their dime.

If they replaced the WIN, then they should have replaced the FOBIKs. R03 recall is for the entire WIN AND the FOBIKs. It's not just a stronger detent - they tried that with the first recall and it didn't hold up over time. That's why they had to issue a new recall and replace the entire module. NHTSA 14V373000 (US federal government investigation resulting in Chrysler recall R03) indicates SPECIFICALLY that the WIN and FOBIKs are to be replaced by Chrysler. Being in Europe may change things for you (it shouldn't, but who knows?), so make sure you get the exact recall in writing (Chrysler/Fiat should have mailed you a notice).

Anything short of a massive increase in marketing of the Journey is a travesty. It's got to be the worst advertised vehicle with as much packed in to it for the best price I've ever seen. The "experts" who bash this vehicle have no idea what they're talking about.

The referenced utility is not formatting it in exFAT - a completely different file system. I used to have hard drives as big as 80 GB formatted for FAT32 back in the day under Win98. The 32 GB partition limit of FAT32 is a Microsoft limitation, and nothing else. The maximum addressable size of an 8.4s Uconnect radio is a completely different story.

It shouldn't be more than a 2 hour repair from the dealer. Call them in advance to schedule a time and to make sure they have the right parts in stock. Take any FOBIKs (that can start the vehicle) you have with you - they should replace them all (I have a 2010 T&C under the same recall and got 3 FOBIKs replaced, no charge to me).

Windows Media Player was the only thing that fixed mine (4.3S) to allow it to use everything (pretty sure album artwork does not display on the 4.3). Playlists created in WMP were immediately recognized by my radio, but playlists created by iTunes were not.

That is a Windows XP/7/8 limitation, NOT a FAT32 limitation. The only restriction nearly that low under FAT32 was that individual files can be no larger than 1 byte less than 4 GB. Windows XP and later cannot format a FAT32 drive bigger than 32 GB without additional utilities. Win98 could do 128 GB (the limitation of Windows XP and later is arbitrary, and only seeks to hinder interoperability). Here's a utility to make a bigger FAT32 partition with Windows: http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/windows-and-office/format-fat32-drives-beyond-32gb-limit/ If you have a Mac, you'll have a much larger max capacity (I think the limit is somewhere around 2 TB).

All one needs to do is look at the post count. My guess? Nelsonkn1 over here let the engine run HOT for a while, but it dropped back down and never thought about it again. One day, he got a low coolant light. Put more coolant in, because hey, the car says it's low! No problems for a few months. Then it happened again, and more frequently. All the while, he never changes his own oil (won't notice the frothy milky slop that's building up), and probably used non HOAT in his 2010. Then thought, well, this is the 4th time I've had to put coolant in here, so maybe I should take it to a dealership while I'm under the last little bit of my warranty. Yeah, stick it to the manufacturer and make them fix it! Then gets surprised when they tell him it's a blown head gasket (no kidding - engine temps shouldn't suddenly spike) and oh, btw, there's a cracked radiator. Take care of your stuff and it will take care of you!

It's great that your feature is working now! I don't get the whole "text everyone everything" thing. It's a phone. People (presumably) know you're driving a vehicle with hands free calling. Call, don't text. You can talk on a speakerphone while driving (especially one that keeps your hands on the wheel!), but texting? And supposedly I'm part of the generation that would rather text people (too impersonal for my taste) than actually talk to them!

Welcome aboard! That's the same thing I found about the 4 banger. Sure, it's not going to win any drag races, but it's a strong enough engine to get me from point A to point B and back, and it's got enough seats to bring the family comfortably enough. A vacation car for me it is not (not with the kids anyway), but that's why I have a Town and Country.

Unless you're doing a tire rotation while the oil is draining. I've got my oil change/tire rotation combined time down to about 45 minutes and 3 paper towels. For a minivan.

The front brake components on a 2010 Dodge Journey are exactly the same as a 2010 T&C. The pads for the front (if getting Wagner Thermoquiet ceramic) are QC1327. It's "standard" (straight compression to reset the calipers). Caliper slide pin retaining bolts have a 13mm bolt head, but you'll need an open end wrench (I want to say 15mm) to hold the slide pin while you break the bolt loose. The slide pins sit inside the caliper adapter bracket, the pads rest inside the bracket as well, the caliper fits over the new pads and rotor, and then the two 13mm bolts go into the slide pins (I think it's around 20 ft-lbs for the slide pin bolts). The caliper adapter bracket needs to come off if you are replacing rotors. It should be two bolts (18mm I think) on the back side of the steering knuckle. The T&C/Grand Caravan has those installed to 125 ft-lbs of torque. Get the right specs for the '10 DJ and use a torque wrench - brakes are nothing to play around with and guess if it's tight enough. Get some synthetic brake grease (Permatex makes good stuff!) and clean/re-grease the slide pins during re-assembly. Can't tell you how many people have complained about their 5th generation Chrysler minivans with brake noise and rapid brake wear which is actually caused by a lack of proper lubrication on the slide pins, causing the calipers to seize on the slide pins. Dry brake metal-on-metal contact points = hot/noisy/failed brakes. A good set of pads should include new metal clips for each contact point in the caliper adapter bracket. Replace the old clips with the new ones (and pay attention, they fit in a specifc spot, so only replace on at a time), and put a VERY thin coating of high-temp resistant brake lube on each clip. The pads will float more smoothly and will eliminate any chance of pad seizing. It's probably overkill, but it costs next to nothing (because you already bought anti-sieze to put on the wheel hub, which you spent the time to clean all the rust off of after spending an hour or more trying to remove the old rotor). An ounce of prevention...

So Windows Media Player seems to be the solution to playlists on a "not iPod." Should album art appear on a 4.3S radio? If so, it's all file issues on my end. There's one album I've got that the songs titles keep getting screwed up. Must be something in the metadata for the files that I need to clean up.

Got a Costco membership? They sell Goodyear beam-style blades (same style as the Bosch mentioned earlier) for $9, regardless of size. The larger blades have adapters to fit any style of wiper arm. I've been using them on my T&C for years (replace once or twice a year, as needed) and never had an issue with them. The "airfoil" on those is dead center on the top, whereas the new OEM style has the "airfoil on the trailing edge of the top (while the wipers are off). The OEM design with the "airfoil" appearance is probably Trico Force (assuming Chrysler doesn't actually manufacture it themselves). http://www.amazon.com/Trico-25-240-Force-Performance-Blade/dp/B005WTPC2A/ref=au_as_r?_encoding=UTF8&Make=Dodge%7C40&Model=Journey%7C6800&Year=2015%7C2015&ie=UTF8&n=15684181&s=automotive&vehicleId=6&vehicleType=automotive Supposedly, that design will create additional downforce on the wiper blades at speed. I'm not sure how much use that is, considering the blade would be parallel to the airstream while in use. Any wiper blade will work, so long as it's the right length. Beam style blades work better than older 4-6 attachment point models. The only one I'd stick with OEM specifically would be the rear blade, and only because my 2015 has a blade with molded plastic that matches the arm perfectly. Edit: Also, wiper blades work best on CLEAN glass. A properly cleaned automotive window will sheet water WITHOUT Rain-X or any other additives. It's all the garbage from touchless car washes that have caused my past windshields and windows to stop allowing water to flow freely. No more. This time around, it's "household glass cleaner" and two towels (one to wash, one to dry). The tinted glass has a mirror finish to it when I'm done, the windshield remains crystal clear, and it sheets water better than the car did a week after it's first full wax!