Jerry in TX

Sorry, accidentally saved those screenshots as PDFs. They should be JPGs. Try again... DOH!!!

The order is for a USB stick that they mail to you. Shipping is $3.95USD. Here are a couple of screenshots (attached). Coverage is for North America (incl Canada and Mexico). BTW, I used this when I drove our Journey across Mexico for 6 weeks to Puerto Vallarta and back with wife and dog. Great trip, but the point here is the nav system was awesome! A real lifesaver! Map Update from Dodge - Website screenshot1 2019-08-28.pdf Map Update from Dodge - Website screenshot2 2019-08-28.pdf

I hope this may be useful to others. I recently received in the mail an offer from FCA (or Dodge) to update my maps for $99USD. From the fine print on the back this applies to Dodge Journeys 2013-18 and is valid thru Sep 30, 2019 (see attached PDF). The link to apply for the update is fcagroup.navigation.com/update. You enter your unit ID and I guess it will tell you if you are eligible and then start the payment and download process. IMO, if you haven't had a problem with your unit, and you don't navigate with it much (you use a separate GPS or phone) I don't know why you would bother. But if you have had problems, or maybe your unit has had a map failure and you have just lived with it, this might be valuable to you. If for no other reason someday you will go to sell your Journey and your prospective buyer will want that feature. For me, I live around Houston, which is a BFC ('big city" in the superlative) and I use my navigation a lot. One of the things that really sold me on the Journey was the fact that the Journey/Dodge systems use the Garmin interface and I have been using Garmin GPSs for many, many years. Very simple and easy to use. Well worth it to me to have updated maps. YMMV. Hope this helps someone... Map Update from Dodge 2019-08-28.pdf

Bramfrank, I recently had my unit replaced. I believe it is the second unit from maintenance records I got (I am the second owner). I am concerned about a future failure, especially now that I see they have a recall campaign but it apparently is only for 2014 and 2015 (mine is a 2013). I got this unit replace barely inside the original warranty but the next one will be covered by my extended warranty but that has a $100 deductible. I will attempt to attach a pic but if it doesn't work the unit I got is a CTP16 with software version 6.22. On second thought lets see if a link will work... https://goo.gl/photos/7DMR3sPgGGVb2TcP6

That's interesting. The link in my bookmarks works but if I click the link above in my post I get an error - and the links are exactly the same. If you Google the title of the page "New Updates / Firmwares for Freemont" (include the quote marks) you may be able to find and load the website. I would be interested to know if anyone has tried this. I may try it since I really don't have anything to lose at this point.

Hi all, new to the thread here and recently had my first nav failure (2013 Journey Crew). Same symptoms - "Can't unlock maps". Dealer tested it and has a unit on order. I did get an extended warranty but they said I am still under the original warranty now. I am wondering why I wouldn't experiment now with some other mapping software or attempt to update the maps myself, if they are going to replace the unit anyway. If I screw it up what's the worst that can happen. @bramfrank - I read someplace here that you wanted to "get your hands on one" to attempt some kind of update. Can you recommend a resource, URL, or website where I can get an open source map or aftermarket mapping product? I found someplace a few weeks ago and can't find it again. Actually I just found it! The reference I saw was for Fiat - https://sites.google.com/a/pantad.com/freemont-firmwares/ (fixed the link!) Has anybody tried this?

I just love it! Everybody loves THEIR Journey, whatever the color, year, model - THEIRs is the BEST!! It's like Lake Wobegon where are the children are above average!

@Journeyman - Your post is timely! Tomorrow morning (Monday) I was going to call about an R/T that has everything - but about 4 hours from me. I decided to go to an R/T because other vehicles didn't have all the features and I figured an R/T would guarantee that. But with your post I see that a Crew could have everything I want plus a not-as-firm suspension. That is the first I have heard of that! And your thoughts about the upgraded chrome trim and softer suspension are just what I am thinking. So then I did another search on a bunch of websites and I find a 2013 Crew that appears to have everything and it is right here in town at a local dealership! So you may have saved me a lot of hassle dealing long distance on a purchase! Can I send you a beer??

Some questions before I start negotiating on a specific vehicle. There are some reliability concerns regarding brakes, engine, transmission and others that lead me to consider an extended warranty for any DJ I buy. Somewhere else here I read that a factory extended warranty is better than a third party for the speed of service with few questions asked and better parts. So my questions are: - Can you only get a factory extended warranty at a dealership? - Can you only get a factory extended warranty at the time of purchase? - Can I get a factory extended warranty on a 2013 DJ with 34k miles? I can look up the costs but I think I might just negotiate the FEW into the purchase and not have to deal with it separately. Thoughts about that?

I saw a reference on another thread about the value of a specific vehicle, so I hope this is an acceptable request for some impressions this vehicle. I am looking at a 2013 DJ R/T that has 33,298 miles and the dealership has a listing price of $20,950 USD. When I look up the VIN (3C4PDCEG8DT642825) I see that it has everything possible installed, including a towing package, leather interior, backup camera, what else...??? I am tempted to go for it, but it is about 4 hours from me so it would be a bit of an ordeal to get it done. If I knew it was a good deal I could get motivated. So what do you experienced DJ owners think about that price and value proposition?

Great point, Rolly, and keeping good records is about to pay off for me! I am about to sell my 2003 Trailblazer LTZ and I have all my receipts, including oil changes, and a journal I have kept over the years with a timeline of every incident or maintenance issue. The vehicle may not be perfect but I can give some future buyer confidence that they will know the history instead of hoping for the best. And the thing is it is so effortless to keep good records and organize receipts and paperwork. Just amazing...

Good idea about going to Fuelly to research it more. Thanks!

So if I understand flex-fuel vehicles can burn e-85 gas, which is 15% ethanol and is cheaper than regular 10% ethanol gas. But ethanol has less energy so it takes a little more gas to go the same distance - very generally speaking. So has anyone done a real-world analysis or data logging of their flex fuel vehicle to see what the difference is between burning the two different gasolines? In other words, should I care about flex fuel when searching for a Journey to buy?

Thanks for your replies, it all helps to understand. I am finding lots of R/T's available all over the US. Even quite a few in Texas. They are loaded with everything so I wouldn't have to search thru and check which options each vehicle has. It looks like I could pick up a 2013 R/T with 20k or 30k miles for $20k to $21k USD. There are some reliability issues discussed on various websites so I would look carefully at the vehicle history. Our 2003 Trailblazer LTZ had a somewhat poor reputation as well but we have had great luck with it, so it really depends on the specific vehicle you get. Generally the DJ provides good value for your dollar.

Can anyone describe their experiences or knowledge of the upper scale models of Journeys? The Crew and R/T models have lots more bells and whistles, which while quite interesting, I'm not sure of the utility of them. For context we are in the market for a new vehicle and have decided on a Journey for their value. I would prefer to buy one a year or 2 old to let someone else pay for the initial depreciation. We also have the advantage of being able to take our time so we can pick and choose whatever we want. Trying to stay around $20k USD I can get a 2014 SXT with 15k to 30k miles or I can get a 2013 Crew or even an R/T with 20k to 40k miles for the same price. So the upper end features are the V6 engine (must have!), 8.4 UConnect screen (highly desirable), Bluetooth (would be nice), backup camera (would be nice), 19 inch wheels, and navigation (don't really care). Can anyone comment on their experiences with these? If you have a higher end model what do you enjoy most about it?

Being new here I'm not sure if you guys know each other and are having some fun or maybe you don't and are just poking each other. Your comments are cute but bordering on maybe too serious. Let's keep it light for the benefit of others who may find this thread in a Google search years from now. I have some other questions but not just about Uconnect so I need to start another thread. I hope you will contribute there.

I just saw the link to www.driveuconnect.com that dhh3 posted in another topic. Very useful information there, answers a lot of questions.

Thank you all for your responses. We will probably not use the XM subscription, nor the TravelLink. I have read over the years that the automotive branded, built-in, proprietary GPS systems are expensive and challenging to update. And you have to pay for the traffic service. My preference is to purchase a personal navigator (for me Garmin Nuvis) to mount on the dashboard or windshield. You can pick them up usually for less than $200 (many times less than $100) with lifetime updates and traffic. After a couple of years when the technology improves I sell the old unit and upgrade to a new unit for a net cost of a hundred bucks or so. One of the things that draws me to the Journey over their competitors is the general praise for the UConnect interface and features. We drove one for the first time yesterday and were quite impressed - not only with the 8.4 display but the overall feel of the ride, quiet cabin, powerful V6, and look of the interior. Most of what I am reading talks about the value of the Journey as far as features for the price. Another question is the wifi / email service. I saw a YouTube video that showed you can get email on the big screen. I'm not understanding where that service comes from. Do you have to have a separate cell phone connection or service for the vehicle to use, or do you set your cell phone up as a hot spot for the vehicle to use?

We are a retired couple looking at purchasing a Journey, probably a year or two old, primarily because of the value they offer for the features. One question I have is about the UConnect system. How much does it cost to use it? IOW, what subscription(s) do we need? XM Radio subscription? Cell phone service subscription? Garmin nav traffic subscription? And finally, if we don't commute or travel very much and don't need subscriptions for these services what is the value or use of the Uconnect? Is it still valuable to have, or should we look at Journey's that may have just the basic system? Is the UConnect worth looking for in a vehicle for us if we don't intend to subscribe to whatever services are required? Thanks for your responses! Jerry M Cypress (NW Houston), TX