5rebel9

Do you have the "big screen" audio with nav/bluetooth/ and all that stuff? I've heard many cases of such not shutting down properly and killing batteries in short (2-3 days). Also you really should have the batteries properly load tested with meter that shops and parts stores use to properly determine battery health. Most will do this for FREE.

They should have but you don't say who the "they" were that did the work. to have checked the ball joints properly(it's not just a visual check). And because of the way they are mounted are a bit more of a difficulty level to replace. I'd go back to the "they" people and ASK if they did properly check them for a start to finish getting rid of the clunking.

Front end? For all that(and for age probably needed them all), But the Ball Joint mounts into the steering knuckle pointing ball stud down(opposite of most other vehicles) and are tricky to diagnose for wear. Not stated by you, so I'll suggest they be checked (and properly).

Passenger side FRONT or REAR?

Agreed, but further postings led me to think there was more going on than that and what I had started out with. Spark Plugs are actually EASIER to do than the battery maint on the 2.4 motor, and just as important. Without specific answers to my questions, it's hard to give real help and not just conjecture. I hope people like this don't treat their family doctors with giving health concern/symptoms info to get good health treatment in return. NOTE: This last statement is not meant directly to the OP.....there are a lot of "members" that post similarly.

Yes there is a seal at the pinion shaft for the steering column. Never saw one leak there unless the rack corroded there. Most common is the ends for the inner tie rods. If it was the pinion shaft seal, as it seems the case here. Yes it would shoot under running pressure into the cabin thru the foam cover column plate of the firewall. WHAT A MESS to clean up!

There are a number of different cat converter codes. Some of which can help indicate why the car might be having a hard time "firing up" and running. The code number (P- - - -) would be more help. As with any car, odd things can happen in COLD winter weather...don't know general location you're at for weather, but yes with 130 k miles there is the possibility of a failing fuel pump in the gas tank that could be considered. On a forum and sight unseen hard to give an exact here's your problem and fix for it. Thanks for posting the code. YUP computer is sensing the converter not operating up to par(partly plugging up) This can be from poor fuel injector spray while driving and proper spray to starting. I know this won't give a quick fix to your main concern of hard/ not starting. But when you can get it started go buy a can of SeaFoam and add it to the gas tank with a fill up and then you need to do some good highway speed driving to let it work thru the fuel system and it will also help clean up the cat converter too.

IF the starter cranks the engine at what was normal speed before this happened, then I doubt that even the alternator is the concern. As I asked before, when the car does start and you drive it...is the yellow engine warning light on? Auto Zones and such parts stores can check the computer for codes for free. I suggest once it starts to do that and post back the code numbers they can retrieve if there are any. This will give a clearer picture of what is going on.

Then it does NOT sound like a battery problem if there is plenty of crank from the starter motor. How many miles on the car and if over 60,000 miles have the spark plugs ever been replaced? What size engine in your Journey? the 4 cyl(2.4) or the V6 (3.6)?

Looks like time for a new R&P. Going to be a mess to clean up all that oil. Yeah that is an odd happening that I have not seen in a long time either, good to hear you finally found the last of the leaks as no systems would hold that much fluid.

Told by so many people about what? WHO put the battery in 2 months ago? Did they clean the cable terminal clamps and make sure they fastened tightly to the battery posts? What is the "hard start"? Plenty of engine crank but no run or not wanting to crank at all? When it does run, is the Check Engine light on? Has it ever had codes read from the OBD port under the dashboard?

Even IF there was still another leak, with that amount of fluid you have to see it or check things like coolant level or motor oil levels . I know of NO vehicle that would need that much fluid as you post of. Last thought is to check the R&P end boots that rack seals have not blown out and sending fluid into the subframe, but again you would SEE IT.

LOL...WE are getting that kind of snow today and tomorrow. And your posting is EXACTLY as I've been telling my son of driving his AWD DJ this first winter. Our rural towns and State highway crews do a pretty decent job of keeping the roads clear of deep snow, it's just the packed snow and slush from salt that we have to watch out for. Here in WNY roads crews are very good about plowing in timely manner for normal hours of driving. I don't want him "horsing around with the DJ like he did with his old Neon!

I'm new to the journey, but long time with Dodge/Chry. Could perhaps they have incorporated a P/s cooler into the radiator? A leak there would send P/S fluid there into the radiator. That's one quick place to look as there's NO WAY 10 quarts of P/S oil would be used.

Correction to the total miles of his road trip...they put on 650 miles on their trip Sat. Son forgot to reset trip odo settings before departing on the full fuel fill up. I only said about O2 sensor replacement because I did note a small but distinct difference between bank 1 and bank2 LTFT and STFT readings also but not posted here. Could be some poor spraying injectors or weak sensors due to miles on the Journey. BUT this trip will help figure things out now that it's had a good long run As I posted before, he has not been driving it much and just occasional short runs since getting the car during the COVID "crisis". And this is also part of the reason for the Seafoam dose for this trip that was made, as we had not done this prior. Thank you for your thoughts all the same and will keep them in mind. Be assured that I'll keep all here posted about this Journey's journey!

Well it's a high mileage '11 model (181k) and it had sat a lot before getting it and don't know just how the original Maryland owner drove or maintained it. We will continue to "monitor" for the cat efficiency code and do another treatment to the fuel after another fill up or two. My bet is just worn O2 sensor(s), but costs for now will wait on replacing them.

Well now for the rest of the story (aka Paul Harvey)..... So trans preformed flawlessly thru the 500+ mile trip at an average of 24 mpg according to the EVIC. NO CEL and NO pending codes either (I checked it this am). Drum set was a full load but it fit and had room for the passenger. My son did all the driving and said it was quite an experience going thru such large cities compared with at best his driving in Buffalo. NO snow was encountered but temps were pretty cold. Interior heat was FINE and they ended up turning down temp and fan speeds to not roast them and cause drowsiness. My son safely walked into the house at 11:30pm. Pretty sure he is a confirmed DJ driver/owner now. No complaints of MPG difference to his old Neon.

2/13/21... My son left for Long Island at 7:00am to deliver a drum set with an adult family friend that had sold but could not transport in his car. They safely made the delivery point in 7 hrs. time, with a fuel/food stop in Newark, NJ. Son has made text updates, and they should be past Binghamton, NY on the way home by now. They should be home in about 2-3 hrs. IF Snows don't get too bad. With as much "parked" time the car has had after the trans replacement, he had been getting the dreaded P0420 a couple times with the shorter local runs he's made before this trip. We sent them off on a full tank of fuel treated with a can of Seafoam. He has reported that car is driving fine and no CEL AND happy for fuel mileage on the cross state leg to make the delivery. He just didn't include just what it was in his texts. I'm sure will get that report tomorrow when he wakes up from his 14 hours of driving (I'm not sure if they shared driving duties or he did it all). STAY TUNED for final info about this LONG road test on the replacement trannie and about the P0420

Yup, you can see yourself that your postings are going on the board. Responses may be due to the fact that nobody has the info or experience of dealing with your problem, at any rate I have not dealt with such an issue to any of my many dodge/Chrysler vehicles that I've owned and have that use the same type of illuminated switches to be able to tell you what the bulb's part # would be or how to replace them IF possible.

So how can we assist you? You only stated of having it towed, has anything been diagnosed like the state of the car battery and charging system? Some specifics like how long is recently purchased and miles on the DJ would be helpful for further assistance from fellow Journey owners here.

And greetings back to you! Thanks for posting back, but make sure you report what all it took to getting the {Journey}Fremont up and running again. I hope no internal damage was done.

Well it is NOT a "fluke"....Had another goodly snow event and the back of the Journey is completely snow packed(including the tail lights)! This is my biggest concern, as rear defroster and wiper will clear the rear glass for visibility, but rear lights and license plate "irks" me due to our overzealous State police in cracking down on "proper clearing" of vehicles during the winter months. Last evening my son drove a total of 2 miles and when got home I could not even see but a faint red glow of the tail lights. Looks like this Spring I will definitely be looking into some kind of rear "deflector" to try and reduce this happening! Don't get me wrong in my "concern" about this.....The car is still well liked....just something to "work on" for a beneficial MOD project!

Well depending on where my son(or when) decides to leave the "nest" for "warmer climes" or NOT. I'll look into that idea. They did have them for my 04 era minivans...though rarely seen used. I have only seen ONE on an 03 T&C and the owner said it helped A LOT.

NOT a "gripe", but just an observation..... My son went out with the DJ Thurs. evening during a significant snow event. Journey ran fine. BUT when I looked out on it in the morning....the whole back end was snow packed from aerodynamics of the body. Much worse than my minivans and sedans would do. The only clear area would be from the rear wiper and only if snowpack resistance did not overpower the motor or by use of rear defroster. Any of you long time DJ drivers in snowbelt areas ever notice this or did this happening just be a "fluke" of this particular snow we had ?

I finally got a chance to drive the journey yesterday! First time since getting the car back(son has been out multiple times)! What a difference in shift feel , Now I am envious that the DJ is not for myself! All is going well with it, even in the current very cold weather(10* f) we are getting lately.