lmoore1436

That's a pickle of a situation! Definitely ask Carmax to pay, and if they do then great. If not, as bamfrank stated, tell them you are prepared to take it to court. My Dodge dealer sells a tracking device that can be added to the vehicle after it is purchased though, so I would double check with the dealer that it wasn't something installed by the dealer. Every Dodge dealer tries to sell this as an add on, but I think it is an official mopar part, so just double check that isn't what the culprit was because if it is, then carmax won't be paying diddly squat. This is the link: EVTS

Thanks for letting me know what you guys use in Canada! I did buy the max care warranty from Mopar, I called in and they gave me 24 months with no interest so it's definitely true they give you a much better deal than the dealer (who wanted almost 1,000 more for it AND to roll it into my loan so it could accrue interest). I bought my DJ about 6 months ago though, and I guess my question was a bit more specific than that. I was wondering what body panels actually have the galvanized steel, (doors, side sills, quarter panels, etc.) or if it doesn't have it at all. I just wanted to know because if it does have it in some of the more important and rust-prone spots then I was going to wait until the corrosion warranty was up to get it sprayed, if not I would get it done sooner rather than later.

Thanks, I did get the Maximum life care warranty through mopar for that exact reason!

I'm having a hard time finding information on where the Journey uses galvanized steel (if at all), I tried asking the dealer but they are useless. I'm wondering mostly because I plan on keeping the Journey for a LOOOOONG time, and I passed on the dealerships underbody spray (it was a ripoff at 899.00). I do want to get the underbody sprayed, but where they use galvanized steel would let me know if I should do it sooner or later. Thanks!

That's odd, all the journeys that I test drove back in December had one. It was in the instrument cluster between the speedo and the tachometer. It's nothing fancy, it just says "s", "NW", etc. etc.

If you've checked for anything obstructing the tracks below, then it's probably just an alignment issue. Did you have anything heavy sitting on top of the seats when they were folded? Not a whole lot can be diagnosed on here though, you may just have to take it to the dealer.

Thanks! Yeah I loved the color, but around here there are Journeys everywhere! Most of them are the base models though, so mine sticks out a little bit. The only problem I have is confirming whether the "Contusion Blue" has a touch up paint yet. The dealer can't even verify if it's the same as "jazz blue" or not. Oh well, eventually they'll get it together

Welcome to the forums! Congratulations on your new Journey! I bought mine in December and while I did like it, it took some time for me to be able to LOVE it. I say that because in time you find all the nifty little features more and more useful as time goes by. For instance, I didn't really appreciate all the little cubbies until I went to a Jimmy Buffet concert, where I stocked up all the beer and ice for tailgating in the floor coolers under the second row. Also when suddenly a group of 5 became a group of 6 or 7... As time goes by you'll find that it's great at being versatile and adapting to your needs. Plus since yours seems to be within the factory warranty you may be able to purchase an extended warranty (unlimited miles and years) direct from Dodge (well, mopar). I would be sure to check on that as soon as possible because with all the electronics in cars a single repair can easily be the cost of the warranty itself. Other than that just enjoy it, and keep us updated!

You may want to get your seals checked. My last car had the same issue, the problem was water was leaking into the door and causing a short. This caused the alarm to arm and disarm pretty frequently. I'm not entirely positive how common a problem like that could be though.

Just washed and waxed my DJ today too! Drove by the car wash place on my way home from work too and the line was out the wazoo! When the weather is nice I don't get why people pay $30 or more to get a car wash when the same amount can buy supplies that'll get you at least 15 good washes when you do it yourself.

It could definitely cause the behavior. I would go have it looked at, if it is only running the high speed fan that means that it is becoming the sole speed that the engine is relying on to cool everything down. In most cases the low speed fan would engage first, and then in cases of excessive temperatures the high speed would turn on. When it was repaired the work and parts should have come with a warranty so I would bring it up with the repair shop.

Not sure if you solved your problem or not but ask the dealer to check your software and upgrade if necessary. Sometimes emission systems can be a little over active. If they state that it is normal then ask them to put it in writing so that when/if it does cause a problem you have paperwork stating that the excess oil in the throttle body was described as "normal"

Got a ding in my door that scraped off some paint and I'm looking for a touch up pen. I also want to get some body side mouldings, but the sites I look at only offer the jazz blue color. Are they the same? I would try the dealer but whenever I call I seem to get disconnected when I finally reach someone who can MAYBE answer my question. Thanks!

Thanks! Yeah I figured as much. I'll probably just leave half of the third row flat to use for luggage. I have the tow package too so maybe it would be better for me to get a cargo carrier for the tow hitch and package everything up. Thought with 4 girls I'm not sure if the tow capacity will handle all of their stuff haha

Nice new ride! Definitely wish you the best of luck, and enjoy it, you've been a huge help to a lot of us DJ owners and we'll miss your input!

Let us know how much it fits! I was considering one of these myself for long road trips. We have a trip to disney planned this summer and with 6 passengers I'll need all the space I can get!

For $5,000 I would be very cautious of where/who you buy it from. I wouldn't go to a dealer if you don't have to. I would try to find something through a site like craigslist or a private seller on autotrader (if you have the cash). Also I would do everything possible to avoid buying a car that has over 100k, and I hate to say this but especially an American brand car UNLESS it has been meticulously maintained and they have the records to prove it. Otherwise you are putting blind faith in someone who only wants your money. If you can't find something along those lines, I hate to say it but I would get either a Honda or Toyota. You see a ton more of the japanese cars on the road past 150k, or even 200k than you do American brand vehicles. That being said I didn't exactly buy my journey for reliability, I bought it because it has what I need/want in an SUV, however with a small budget you may have to adjust your thinking from what you want to what you actually need. If you are still looking feel free to post some of the cars you are looking at or considering.

I know this is an old thread but in case it could help anyone out: In 2004 when I was young and dumb I took out a car loan with my parents as a cosigner. I knew I could afford the payments but of course I spent more of my money on gas and driving with friends etc. I fell two months behind and I told my parents I didn't think I could afford the car anymore, they basically said tough S***. So I called them myself and asked what options I would have. They were actually really understanding and they agreed to re-finance with the current balance, which lowered my payments pretty significantly. It was a 2000 chevy cavalier, which was worth almost nothing when I called, and I still owed about 6k on the loan. When they re-financed they also gave me a two month grace period and that gave me a chance to save up some money as well. Trust me, they are willing to work with you more than you'd imagine.

Nice, well I'm glad you decided to share! When leaving the gym today I actually stopped and looked at how tight my front bumper was, haha and happy to report no looseness! A lot of people, including myself, turn to forums like these to research cars before they buy too so it's definitely helpful information. I agree about the driving position too, I'm 6'2 and I fit in the drivers seat perfectly, even when I want to sit a bit higher (kind of bus-driver like) I can bring the seat up almost as high as it will go and I'm still comfortable. I went into the dealership to get my first oil change after 9400 miles (the message hadn't popped up yet because I drive like a slug) and the dealer was a nightmare. Waited two hours for the oil change that I scheduled for 9am. Then they come out and ask me who removed or replaced my tires, I said nobody has touched them, I bought the vehicle in december. Then they said the threaded piece that held the tire on was broken, so I asked them to show me what they meant. Well, they took me back and it was broken off with the lug nut still on, so my only assumption from that is that they broke it off themselves. Took another two hours to get the manager to admit they broke it off and get them to cover it. Then when I get my paperwork after finishing up, it says at 9:20am they typed in that they broke it themselves! Believe me, I am going to place a call to Dodge to let them know about this little snafu, I wish there was another Dodge dealer around but I'll suck it up for now. Safe travels!

They look great! I bought the max care lifetime warranty though so I don't think I'll be changing anything from stock. Just in case something electrical happens and they try to blame it on the aftermarket parts. I'm not too happy with their performance at night though so when it comes time to replace the bulbs I may look into alternative options.

This may be a far-fetched idea but my grandparents live on a farm and on occasion they find that a raccoon or something of similar size has gotten into the engine bay and did their business. Not saying this is what it is, but if you keep it parked outside it could be a possibility.

Over time it will get slightly better, however still expect some jerkiness from time to time. Occasionally when I come to a stop, the transmission decides to act like it has no clue what it is doing, that is the only time it really catches me off guard. Other than those instances I have either grown accustomed to it, or it has learned my driving habits. Just give it some time :-)

The only thing from this list I can so far verify after 9k miles is the hesitation from 3rd to 4th, and my Dodge dealer is a nightmare as well. The paint is fine, and I think I may have a phobia of something going wrong from reading a tad bit too many complaints about the journey. I'm sorry that you have so many problems though, every vehicle has a few that cause their owners problems out of the factory (maybe yours was assembled on a Friday at 4:52pm). The issue with Dodge dealers seems to be rather common too, as I have friends who have had similar nightmares with their dealership almost 100 miles away.

So I hit 6 months and have managed to put a whopping 9k on my crossroad plus DJ. The honeymoon phase is over and I have quite a bit more to say about it now. Hopefully if anyone is considering buying one and checks out the site it'll help them out a bit. I spent a few weeks lurking around here myself before making the purchase! 0 problems! Things I'm fond of: Engine: The engine is great, can be a little loud when it's warming up but everyone I know who has a dodge or jeep has the same noise upon startup. Really the only thing that hampers the engine is the trans. 1st, and 2nd gear are great, but when I hit 3rd gear it's like all the power has been sapped away. Something with the gearing is off, it's not a specific problem per se, just an odd shift point that they programmed into the trans. Oil life is great too, the little message telling me to change the oil hasn't come up yet but I'm going to take it in next week to get it done anyways. Drive: Really composed, bumps don't do much to startle it, and on decent surfaces it's really smooth. This is surprising to me because I overinflated the tires by a few psi. When I bought it during the winter the tire pressure monitor kept going off so I just inflated the tires to 38 and all was well. Very quiet inside also, wind noise gets kind of audible over 65-70mph but that's about it. Head Unit: I was kind of scared when I heard how many people on here had problems with theirs, but nothing wrong with mine *fingers crossed*! It's probably the best and easiest system to use. I do kind of wish it came with the UConnect apps like all the other dodge models, but I can't complain at all. Looks: I can't say enough how great I think it looks, especially the crossroad trim. Clean lines, nice wheels, and the blacked out grill are awesome. I finally got a small dent at the grocery store the other day, which you'd think it's a bad thing but after the first dent is usually when I calm down and stop parking in the WAAAY back of the parking lot so I'm not all that upset about it. Space: Tons of space and cool little hiding places. I've used the third row exactly 0 times, but I love that it's there, just waiting. Sometimes I'll even prop it up for a few days! The cubbies under the second row floor are great too. Went to a Kenny Chesney concert and stocked them up with some ice and beers to drink in the parking lot and that's about the only time they've come in handy, again just cool knowing they are there. Things I'm in between about: Gas Mileage: I averaged about 17 for the longest time, with an even mix of city and highway driving and my very light left foot. The saving grace with the mileage though is that the gas tank is huge, a little over 20 gallons if I'm correct, and that allows you to go pretty darn far. Last week after non-stop driving to NC I reset the trip computer for the drive home and average 26.3mpg. I was so excited I rushed over to the gas station to fill up and see if I would get the elusive 500 miles DTE that Dodge advertised and I certainly did! The weirdest things give me joy these days! Reliability: I have no reason to doubt the reliability of my DJ yet, but for peace of mind I went and got the MaxCare warranty from dodge, unlimited miles and years. Between the odd behavior of the transmission, and hearing about random things going awry way before they should kind of leaned me toward this. If you are interested in getting it, call in to purchase it, over the phone they can give you a 0% interest plan for 24 months instead of the 12 you get online. Things I'm not fond of: Electronic features: This is probably me being a little persnickety, but a few weeks ago I started to get a little irritated about the power windows, and seats. The auto-down feature is great, but why isn't there an auto-up? I live in a gated community and so it rolls down automatically then I tap it to go up and have to remind myself it doesn't go back up automatically. The power seats are funny, they move fore and aft via power, up and down via power, and the lumbar is power adjustable. NOT THE RECLINE THOUGH! Again it's just an oddity that I have to remind myself of whenever I go to adjust my seat. You think by now I would have grown accustomed to these little things but I haven't yet. My Dodge Dealer: They are probably the worst people and whenever I talk to another person who owns a chrysler dodge or jeep they say the same thing. When I bought the car I actually refused to work with the first guy that came out to talk to me because he wouldn't listen when I tried to tell him what I want. Him and another sales person got into an argument right in front of me too, very unprofessional.... and it was really awkward. Things I wish I would have done differently: 1. Gotten a sunroof 2. Paid a little less, MSRP was 36k and some change, I ended up paying 31k but I noticed others are getting much better deals. 3. Waited? I bounce around in my head a lot as to whether I should have waited or not. Dodge is going to refresh the DJ sometime soon (hopefully), and if they are smart they'll address the shortcomings of this model. I have this DJ now for as long as the wheels turn so I may have to deal with being envious of next-gen DJ owners!

Total Bullocks! The DJ performs well, and exceptionally well for what it is, a sub 30k 3 row crossover. I for one think it still looks good, handsomely simple I call it @bfurth what plastic pieces have warped? Yours is a 2015 right?