John/Horace

Thermostat constantly opens and closes to regulate engine temp. Worn out or cheap stat could stick, but yeah cause high temp swings, but not add extra air to system. A sealed system usually bleeds out pretty quickly, heat needs to be run to bleed trapped air in heater core. Some cars can be finicky to bleed, take a few tries like Journey often does. Pressure test of system might show where air is getting in. Confirm it’s not holding pressure. Combustion gas analysis of glycol will show if it’s possibly cracked head (test kit is sold,by parts stores). Although fresh glycol could interfere with test. Water pump seal, pinched thermostat housing seal, cracked plastic part, bad rad seal, etc can also allow air in system.

Thermostats are one of those critical items that paying extra for the dealer oem one can’t really be criticized.

The first version of Journey had I think Avenger suspension and brakes. Mega complaints on premature wear, rattles etc. Journey is a fair amount heavier than Caliber ( which had lots of suspension issues according to a friend who had one) and the Avenger and the 200. Try it if they will bolt up, but I doubt you will be happy with results, especially in the front. If you lowering I would have a shop fabricate something heavy duty. So you can….drive it hard always. ?

Sounds like air in cooling system. If 2.4 use the rad cap , to top up after it’s cooled down a few times. If 3.6 use the bleeder screw on thermostat housing when the engine is cold. Just crack screw a bit, tighten after air stops coming out. Keep reservoir topped up. Bleed it a few times if needed. Fan coming on is saving aluminum engine from getting damage from over heating. If air keeps coming back, get system pressure tested.

Press the radio player button and select Bluetooth as an option. It takes 20 seconds sometimes to sync. Turn your car volume way up, phone output as well. Sometimes you have to press play button on the phone app as well to start music. Using phone cable and car usb input jack is also an option. It’s not a great system really. Need to be a little stubborn to make it work.

I agree with tsteve5 post. Drop of blue loctite is often a good idea, bigger bolt and same torque spec. When I changed my oil cooler I used a fairly new inch pound torque wrench that I knew was accurate. Don’t go to full 84 inch pounds in one step. It’s better to do it in two or three steps. Torque wrenches should be recalibrated some times. Go to a fastener company for bolts and ask them to match the grade up in the bigger size (bring the smaller bolt). Up here we have Fastenal, Brofasco. I doubt they are a grade 8 hardened bolt, so should be cheap. Your old bolts at 84 inch pounds shouldn’t be stretched or stripped. But it is a pain to change the cooler out, and using larger bolts means buying new ones any way.

Wow, what a pain this sounds like. How about a cold pressure test for leaks with one of those hand held testers to pressurize system without car running. Something has to be allowing in air somewhere. With the engine this clean, a small drip should be easier to spot. When I replaced my 3.6 water pump a few years ago because I had a drip around the front of the engine close to drive pulley, the gasket turned out to be a 25 thou aluminum shim. My leak was from a tiny missing section of one part of the alum gasket. Not from the pump bearing seal like is normal. The pump is very solid and oversized, probably will go 250k miles. Installed new pump anyway, being in that deep. I actually bought the very expensive $40dealer alum shim gasket to replace the bad one. The one that came with new pump was ratty and bent a bit. Didn’t want to take a chance. Aftermarket was only pump I could get at the time. I have even seen a bad spring clamp allow air into a cooling system on a Taurus I had. Took a very long time to figure it out. Start with pressure testing system.

I agree tires make a heck of difference on the Journeys. My wife’s 2014 awd has expensive Dunlop grand trek snows on steel rims. Daughter in laws 2012 with 4 cylinder 2 whl drive also has dedicated winter tires. We are in snow belt area, not much of an option. My pick up has Cooper all weather tires, snow flake symbol tire that be used in summer as well. Not as good as dedicated snows, but better than a regular all season tire. Having awd makes that an ok cheaper option. Having owned numerous awd/ 4 wheel drive vehicles; the Journey in general is not that bad in winter. If you have deep pockets and live in very hilly area I’m sure a Subaru or other pricy suvs would do a little better. But complex awd systems will probably cost more to run over the life of the vehicle, imo. The longer wheel base makes the journey better in snow in 2 wheel drive than a Cherokee Sport Jeep I had being driven in 2 wheel drive. With out using the part time 4 wheel drive on the Jeep it was almost undriveable in winter. Even with snow tires. Had a friend who always said…4 wheel drive allows you to have your accidents at higher speed. The extra weight makes vehicle harder to stop once it’s moving. As already pointed out, going slower, staying in control, taking more time is always the better option. Merry Xmas to everyone on the site!!

And with chip shortages , not even available. Other car companies having similar issues. ABS is nice to have in the snow and ice weather. Doesn’t help you stop, but keeps you in control more.

Good brand of bearing, and price. Should probably write your user name on a piece of paper, place it on bearing and post a picture here.

Welcome to the site. People seem to never post back their final solution for fix. Confirm there is 12 volts at plug leading to motor when it’s not working. If 12 volts at high speed, unbolt motor and try moving linkages with it removed, should move easily. If not, free up linkage assembly or replace it. Might be a partly plugged drain in cowl assembly allowing moisture to build up and freeze the linkages. Hair dryer to melt and dry things out. Clean out the drain port at the same time.

What’s the back story. They handed you a box to get rid of you. Assuming you would come back later to pay for updates and install. Odd.

Most key people could even make a copy of the fob hidden key. It goes back in place and new spare key can go in magnetic box hidden under car. Temporarily before expensive Xmas time fix. Ram truck fobs can be reprogrammed yourself using the truck ignition and a few repeat steps. Journey like you know, not that easy. If you have factory remote start, be carful what new fob you get.

Was the proper orange coolant in there when the problems started. I think some people mix regular or universal ethylene glycol with the factory stuff. Jell can form in heater core and seems to block heat to passenger side. There are pics on line of a jelled core that was cut open to show problem. Sand from block coating was another possibility. With a new core and a well flushed system , then rinsing with a special flush additive before switching to different coolant, it should have fixed problem. You may have a bad actuator still causing the problem, Rockauto sells them fairly cheap if that’s the issue. If the actuator by the air hvac filter gets stuck, your passenger side will fog up and there will be very little heat. With filter out you can see if it opens and closes. My wife’s 2014 just had hers get stuck closed. Poked at it to free it up, then silicone spray on pivot point; working again for now.

https://www.theautopian.com/the-dodge-spirit-r-t-was-the-fastest-sedan-built-in-america-and-nearly-as-quick-as-a-bmw-m5-holy-grails/

Common Journey issue. Heat shields are important for preventing possible fires if car parked in grassy area. Best to add gear clamps or stainless screws to keep them intact.

Q. I think it’s Q who is in charge of the crazy gadgets and toys in mi-5. ?

I don’t know man, those European model cars. Could be linked to an ejection seat or something else…..mmm DEF fluid level container. Just shows green all the time on his flex fuel model. Look for the tiny low DEF fluid is verboten sticker.☺️

It’s the same with a lot of the nanny safety systems. Imbed it in the cars controls so you have to fix it. I think any check engine light what so ever and cruise control is disabled. There is also a relay under hood in main panel for abs. But fuse and/or relay to disable and it’s probably same result, no cruise and idiot light on dash. 2late4u had his disabled by the dealership. They would know the better way so car is driveable and not in limp mode. But if disabled, there will always be a light.

Welcome to the forum. Is this an aftermarket remote start, or factory. If aftermarket, start by unhooking it. Doesn’t sound like TIPM module issue, it was first few model years of Journey that had that issue, although you could clean up contacts with isopropyl alcohol and reseat the module under the hood. It’s more likely a slightly green low power electrical connection some where. Start unhooking plugs and look for green corrosion, clean up contacts/connections along the way. If you can get a Mitchel log in,; a drawing of what relays factory remote start uses would be useful.

Ignore the hard pedal. Vacuum boost from running engine is what gives you normal soft power brake feel. No running engine….no power boost….hard pedal feel.

No I haven’t yet. Light came on two weeks ago and was due for winter no sensor tires to go on. But on a warm day I will throw the offending summer tire with flaky sensor back on in different spot and see what happens. Have a bead breaker, so even if I have to pull through a new sensor I’m not worried. Its nice on dodge with winter no sensor tires. System shuts itself off more or less with out flashing disco warning lights every time car started. Other car manufacturers could learn from that.

Another option. Canadian shipping can add up. Where was it mounted in car.? I have one non communicating sensor right now. Will have to trouble shoot. https://www.moparpartscanada.ca/oem-parts/mopar-control-module-56029542ad https://parts.motorcitychrysler.ca/p/49458852/56029542AD.html

Normal. So stick to 5w20 not 5w30 and synthetic. The torque spec for the oil filter cap, is printed on the top , 25 N/m I believe. Careful when buying filter element. There is two versions, yours is the older original design. Welcome to site.