Journeyman425

I have a '13 Crew FWD with the Touring setup. The overall on-road performance of the suspension is quite good. I've been driving a 300M with Performance Handling Group for 13 years and that car is highly capable in ride, cornering, steering and brake feel. The Journey's purpose and mission is somewhat different than that of a 300M, but considering its primary role as a people mover, it is tuned more toward the driver than a minivan, which is one of the reasons why we selected it over a van. Cornering is excellent, body roll is there but I don't feel like it is excessive. Braking power and pedal feel are very impressive - noticeably better than my 300M. Steering feel is a bit numb but the gear has zero friction and the ratio is quick, making it fun to drive anyway. The ride is pretty well sorted out. It can be a little jiggly over irregular pavement due to its higher center of gravity, but its highway manners are outstanding. The body structure is very stiff and rigid, which allows the suspension to concentrate on doing its job rather than compensating for structural weaknesses. There is definitely some torque steer - much more noticeable than in the 300M, and the 3.6 liter engine is only slightly torquier than the 3.5 (260 lb-ft vs. 255). The AWD setup eliminates the torque steer, but it automatically comes with Performance Suspension which might have a bit more ride harshness, plus the weight gain and fuel economy penalty. The R/T comes with an even higher performance suspension than what would be found on a SXT or Crew/Limited with AWD.

Debra - I am, quite frankly, shocked that the problem still exists and that the vehicle has been returned to you unrepaired. Permanently sealing the roof means you lose the use of it which is not what you paid for and is entirely unacceptable. Please contact Chrysler directly at this number if you have not already: Chrysler Group LLC Customer Center P.O. Box 21–8004 Auburn Hills, MI 48321–8004 Phone: (800) 423–6343

I love reading stories like these. Our 2000 300M is going to be a very tough act to follow - it still runs flawlessly on its original engine and transmission after more than 13 years and 287.000 miles. I remember when it had 31,000 miles - it was a year old - and not a single problem with it. We were still 40,000 miles away from our first set of tires and front brakes. To this day, it has never seen a tow truck and only failed to start once due to a shorted battery. I bought a 7 year/100K Maximum Care warranty on it (longest that was offered at the time) thinking I'd surely have to put a tranny in it before 100K miles. Maybe that was a good omen. Bought a lifetime Max Care warranty with the Journey - let history repeat!

What year is your Journey?

The message is basically in response to the consequences of the design. In a conventional key-ignition system, short of theft, it is not possible to operate the car without the key. In a keyless system, you can start the car without the fob physically in the vehicle. If you forget to take it with you or it is lost, the system reminds you as such because if the car is shut off, you won't be able to restart it unless the key is nearby. If the system were programmed to not run without the key present, you a greater risk of being stranded should something happen to your fob once you leave. At least the car can be used to get you home or to get help as long as it is not shut off.

Wishing all of our friends here on the board a Merry Christmas on this Christmas Eve. This is my favorite time of the season - our dealership is closed today and tomorrow, all the shopping and wrapping is done, my kids are on the edge as the big day nears, and of course we await the celebration of the birth of Jesus. I realize that some of you may not celebrate Christmas, but I just wanted to take a moment to wish you all the best (political correctness be darned!). I enjoy being a part of this community of fine people!

Screeching sounds of any kind are not characteristic and should be looked at. It would be a good idea to stop by your dealership in weather conditions where you can duplicate the sound for them. Take the tech or service advisor for a brief road test so they can hear your noise, then schedule an appointment to have it repaired if they cannot attend to it while you are there.

Debra - how have you made out with the sunroof replacement on your Journey? Has the work been done yet, and if so, is the problem resolved?

The only reason why I did not suggest a fuse is that there is no dedicated fuse for the washer pump per se. Its operation is controlled by the Body Control Module. European market Journeys have a separate headlamp washer pump which has its own fuse. If a fuse is blown, there will be other features not working as well. If that is the case, then yes, look there for sure.

With the engine off, ignition in run position, operate the washers. Can you hear the pump running? If not, then try the rear washer and see if you can hear the pump running that way (the motor runs in reverse for the rear washer). If you can hear it running, check under the car for dripping. That means a hose is off somewhere if there is a leak. If nothing leaks and you hear the pump running, either the system is clogged or frozen.

Amen to that!

Not finding anything on DealerConnect that exactly matches your issue, but please make sure your radio software is at its latest release. This bulletin may apply to you: Radio Locks Up OVERVIEW: REN and REZ Radio Lock Up. Flash Radio with DVD Update Disc MODELS: 2010 (D1) Ram Truck (3500 Pick Up) 2010 (DJ) Ram Truck (2500 Pick Up) 2009 - 2010 (DS) Ram Truck (1500) 2008 - 2009 (HB) Durango 2008 - 2009 (HG) Aspen 2008 - 2010 (JC) Journey 2007 - 2010 (JK) Wrangler 2007 - 2010 (JS) Sebring/Avenger/Sebring Convertible 2007 - 2010 (KA) Nitro 2008 - 2010 (KK) Liberty 2008 - 2010 (LC) Challenger 2008 - 2010 (LX) 300/ 300C, Charger 2009 - 2010 (MK) Patriot 2008 - 2010 (ND) Dakota 2008 - 2010 (PM) Caliber 2008 - 2010 (RT) Town & Country/Grand Caravan 2008 - 2010 (WK) Grand Cherokee 2008 - 2010 (XK) Commander NOTE: This bulletin applies to vehicles equipped with a Hard Drive Radio (sales code REN, REZ). SYMPTOM/CONDITION: The customer may complain that the radio will not change stations or frequency intermittently. The only function that will be available is volume control. NUMBER: 08-014-10 GROUP: Electrical DATE: June 29, 2010 DIAGNOSIS: This condition may only happen on one radio station. If condition can not be duplicated, perform the repair as described below only if the customer has this complaint. PARTS REQUIRED: Qty. Part No. Description (1) 68069569AA Update Disc NOTE: 1 Disc will flash all radios requiring the update. REPAIR PROCEDURE: 1. Insert the key and turn the ignition to the ON position. TURN THE RADIO ON. 2. Insert the update disc into the radio. 3. The radio will read the contents of the disc and will prompt the user to select "Yes" or "No". This may take a few minutes. 4. If the current radio software number is the same as the update software number, no further action is required. Go to step 7. 5. If the current radio software number is lower than the update software number, select ''Yes''. The radio will perform the update without any further user input. NOTE: ONCE THE UPDATE HAS BEGUN, DO NOT TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND DO NOT TOUCH THE RADIO! 6. Several different screens will appear during the update process which may take about 5-12 minutes. Once the update is complete, the radio will return to the normal user screens. NOTE: Wait for the radio to re-read the disc 7. The current radio software number should now match the update CD software number. If this is correct, select ''No'' to return the radio to the normal user screens. 8. Eject the disc, close the radio screen and remove the key from the ignition. POLICY: Reimbursable within the provisions of the warranty. TIME ALLOWANCE: Labor Operation No: Description Amount 08-60-02-A4 Check Software Level© 0.2Hrs. 08-60-02-A5 Check and Update Software © 0.3Hrs. FAILURE CODE: FM Flash Module 08-014-10 -2-

Wow - two major collisions inside of a year. Naturally, the best part of this whole scenario is no one was injured in both instances, correct? And now you'll be getting a new one! What year, model and color? Post pictures when you do get it. Merry Christmas!

Webslave is also entirely correct. Dino based oils formulations are indeed vastly improved over their bretheren from a decade ago. Engine manufacturing techniques are also leagues ahead of what they used to be, resulting in tolerances which could not have been imagined in mass-produced engines and once were solely the province of only the finest machine shops. This is one reason why there is no longer "break-in oil" , which used to accumulate microns of debris left behind in the manufacturing process. I regularly see customers at my shop who have simply forgotten to change their oil and have driven the vehicles for 15-20,000 miles between services. While I don't condone this kind of maintenance, the lack of oil sludge as a result of it is remarkably low, which is a testament to the examples that webslave and I have posted here. Go ahead and follow the intervals posted by the maintenance reminder system built into your vehicle. The manufacturer stands behind it. I am still somewhat of the old school myself, simply because my last new car before the Journey is my 2000 300M which required more frequent maintenance for the reasons listed above, and still runs perfectly with 287,000 miles. But my Journey will see longer intervals because I know it is engineered to handle it.

The maintenance reminder is interactive and does not call for an oil change strictly by mileage. Several other criteria come into play to determine when the light comes on. 5800 km = approx 3600 miles. Mine did not come on until 9500 miles or about 15000 km. I had already changed the oil once at 4400 miles and again at 8800. The second time around, I switched to synthetic. 5W-20 is the required oil viscosity for a 2013 Journey with a 3.6. Synthetic is not required; it is a matter of preference.

On my last fill-up, I slowly topped the tank off several clicks after the initial click-off. I hesitated to do this because on some other Chrysler products, we have seen where topping off the tank forces fuel into the evap canister and causes hesitation and/or stalling until it is driven a few miles. Nevertheless, I experimented with it and sure enough, the car took at least a half-gallon or maybe more, and after start-up the needle read beyond the full mark. It also took noticeably more miles of driving before the needle began to move, which makes sense. The bottom line for me is that this is more of a convenience issue than any other. In other words, I might get one more day of driving on a tank of fuel by spending the extra time to top it off. It's not worth the effort for me. I'll just fill up until the pump clicks off and maybe add one more click to it, and be done. I suspect that this issue is more of a consequence of the fuel system's design as opposed to an all-out defect, since most folks are reporting that the repair as outlined in the TSB changes little or nothing. My biggest concern right now is that the car is covered in road salt after the most recent pseudo-snowstorm which caused widespread panic yet yielded zilch in accumulation!

You're right, I just tried the center belt in my 2013 and it does not have ALR either, yet the 2013 manual says the same thing - that it is available in all passenger seating positions with a combination lap/shoulder belt.

You are correct in your observation that the vehicle behaved as if it were FWD only. If a fault is detected in the Drivetrain Control Module (which is responsible for governing the AWD system) then it will disable the clutches in the power transfer unit and revert to FWD only. When you cycled the key, it cleared the active fault and allowed the PTU to engage the rear wheels again until the fault code returned. When you return it to the dealer, it should have some stored fault code(s) which will aid in diagnosis. The easiest thing you can do is to check the tire pressures and condition. Always start with the basics. The low tire light should be on if one or more tires are significantly low on pressure, but check them anyway. If the tires have significant wear relative to one another (as if one were nearly worn and the other new, for example) the difference in circumference can make a large enough differential in wheel speeds relative to one another, which will cause the DCM to disable the AWD system to protect the clutches for damage. Regarding the clock issue - your dealer will have this software update. It just came out in October of this year. STAR Case This document does not authorize warranty repairs. This communication documents a record of past experiences. STAR Center Online does not provide any conclusions about what is wrong with the vehicle. Rather, it captures all previous cases known that appear to be similar or related to the vehicle symptom / condition. You are the expert, and you are responsible for deciding on the appropriate course of action. Chrysler Group LLC Contact the STAR Center for assistance if no solution is found Version 5/23/13 Case Number: S1308000363 Release Date: 10/11/2013 Symptom/Vehicle Issue: REB, RHA Radio, Clock Gains Time Discussion: Clock appears to gain time, use the following software update disc to complete. Note: Some radios have a display indicating the radio is at the correct software level as displayed below. Use the disc update to overwrite and reset the radio to correct the clock gain complaints. ...and for your radio volume issue: SUBJECT: RHA And REB Radio Software Enhancements OVERVIEW: This bulletin involves upgrading the software on the RHA or REB Radio. MODELS: 2011 - 2012 (LX) 300 2011 - 2012 (JC) Journey 2011 - 2012 (LD) Charger NOTE: This bulletin applies to JC vehicles built between May 1, 2011 (MDH 0501XX) and March 22, 2012 (MDH 0322XX). LD/LX vehicles built between May 1, 2011 (MDH 0501XX) and March 27, 2012 (MDH 0327XX) that are equipped with UCONNECT TOUCH 4.3 CD/MP3 (sales code RHA) or UCONNECT TOUCH 4.3S CD/MP3/SAT (sales code REB). SYMPTOM/CONDITION: · USB/CD skips while playing. · Radio changes stations on it's own. · Radio locks up intermittently or fully inoperative. · Radio cuts in and out, resets on it's own or completely inoperative. · Diagnostic trouble code (DTC) U0147 - Lost Communication With Telematics Gateway. · Radio mutes or Intermittently mutes. · Radio Display goes blank. NUMBER: 08-030-12 REV. B GROUP: Electrical DATE: July 12, 2012 · When the ignition is first turned on, the audio volume is very high. · CD audio glitch and/or audio drop out for 0.2 seconds. · The driver's heated seat soft key is grayed out on the radio display. · CD skips repeatedly while playing. · CD jumps tracks after cranking the engine, turning the radio off and then on, and/or after depressing the stop and then play soft key. · In USB playback mode a blank screen, or the last displayed screen, is displayed when the ABC soft key is pressed. · An iPod Nano connected in USB mode may fail to play and/or the Pause and Play keys are reversed on the radio display. · Multiple instances of the same Sirius Game Zone entry may be displayed. · Intermittently, the back-up chime sounds continuously once vehicle is put into forward gear, instead of shutting off. DIAGNOSIS: Using a Scan Tool (wiTECH) with the appropriate Diagnostic Procedures available in TechCONNECT. If DTC's other then the ones listed above are present record them on the repair order and repair as necessary before proceeding further with this bulletin. If a customer’s VIN is listed in VIP or your RRT VIN list, perform the repair. For all other customers that describe the symptom/condition, perform the Repair Procedure. PARTS REQUIRED: Qty. Part No. Description AR (1) 68147629AC REB Update Disc (version 12.6.13) for JC AR (1) 68147630AC RHA Update Disc (version 12.6.13) for JC AR (1) 68169945AB REB Update Disc (version 12.7.12) for LD AR (1) 68169943AB RHA Update Disc (version 12.7.12) for LD AR (1) 68191370AA RHA Update Disc (version 12.7.2) for LX AR (1) 68191371AA REB Update Disc (version 12.7.2) for LX NOTE: Dealer will order the update disc via Exchange Order Process. The core charge will not apply. Only one update disc is required for each radio (RHA and REB) and vehicle (JC, LX and LD) combination. Each disc may be used to service multiple vehicles. NOTE: ** International dealer will order the update disc via the ERES order process. The core charge will not apply. Only one update disc is required for each radio (RHA and REB) and vehicle (JC, LX and LD) combination. Each disc may be used to service multiple vehicles. ** Regarding the noise when braking - does the banging sound repeat as the vehicle slows down, or does it make a one-time sound when the brakes applied? I have seen instances in other vehicles where an out-of-round rotor will cause a knocking sound under certain braking conditions but not necessarily a vibration when the brakes are applied.

Very nice car...and rest assured, the love grows!

From the manual: Automatic Locking Retractors (ALR) Mode — If EquippedIn this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically pre-locked. The belt will still retract to remove any slack in the shoulder belt. The Automatic Locking Mode is available on all passenger-seating positions with a combination lap/shoulder belt. When To Use The Automatic Locking ModeUse the Automatic Locking Mode anytime a child safety seat is installed in a seating position that has a belt with this feature. Children 12 years old and under should always be properly restrained in the rear seat. How To Engage The Automatic Locking Mode Buckle the combination lap and shoulder belt. Grasp the shoulder portion and pull downward until the entire belt is extracted. Allow the belt to retract. As the belt retracts, you will hear a clicking sound. This indicates the safety belt is now in the Automatic Locking Mode. How To Disengage The Automatic Locking ModeUnbuckle the combination lap/shoulder belt and allow it to retract completely to disengage the Automatic Locking Mode and activate the vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode.

Do you mean that the retractor does not lock or that the latch plate will not lock in the belt catch?

toneloc1148: I assume your SXT is equipped with a 3.5 V6. I've seen this problem before. We have had good luck with the following repair procedure. All Dodge dealers have the following information: (Trying to post a STAR case from Chrysler but it comes out garbled) Please have the Dodge dealer refer to STAR Case # S1121000006. The repair involves inspecting the Transmission Range Sensor (TRS) and either replacing it and /or adding a redundant ground between the negative battery cable terminal end and the transmission bell housing. The TRS is similar to a Neutral Safety Switch.

I recall your earlier posts about water coming in with normal rainfall. This is why I feel confident that your issue will be resolved with the replacement roof assembly. I remember a Pacifica with a stubborn water leak. The right front drain had a crack in it where the drain hose connected to the roof tub. No one could see it until the headliner was removed. Since this car was well out of warranty, we simply repaired the crack in the tub and reinstalled the drain hose. Problem solved. Member lanc747 was told by his dealer that the manual states they will leak in car washes. That's how we got going on that subject. Can't find that anywhere in my literature; I think that was a line of BS being fed to him. But truthfully, my customers with water leaks don't complaint about car washes, but of leaks after normal rainfall. They should not leak. When they do, we fix them! I'm looking forward to good news from you.

Not to go off-topic, but we bought out 2000 300M new and special-ordered it from the factory exactly how we wanted it, just as we did with our Journey. Like you, I still absolutely love this car and it continues to run flawlessly with 286,000 miles on it - with original engine, transmission, etc. I have no plans to sell it or stop driving it. My other 300M is a 1999 which awaits my oldest son's driver license, due (hopefully for him) sometime in the summer of 2014 - in the back lot of my shop. I took that one off the road when we bought the Journey.

Sorry I didn't get to chime in sooner. Your questions have all been answered here. The information you have been given by the dealer is incorrect. Speak directly to the service manager there first before doing any more business with them, or simply find another dealership. A fee to program your tire sensors to this car is fraudulent at best - the car learns the sensor position automatically, as has been stated by the other members.