NavalLacrosse

I've driven mine from 32k to 90k and I've not needed anything but a  new battery and brakes.

- replace cylinder heads (TWICE!)
 Sounds like bad luck. There was a gasket recall on early Pentastar engines, which FCA extending a special warranty to fix just the Left-hand gasket (15yr/150k miles?) Hopefully the powertrain has been taking care you you both times anyway?  At what mileage did these occur?

- replace oil filter housing assembly because it is made of plastic and cracks easily
 I've never had an issue with my OEM oil filter plastic-bit. comes off easy, goes on easy.  I've never had an easier car to change the oil on. Are you lubing-up the thread when you put it on? someone else mentioned the wrong filter ... Maybe this is causing it to get stuck? are you reefing down on the cap? from my experience, it really doesn't take much to tighten.
 
- pull fuse on horn so it doesn't beep constantly
- swap batteries due to unknown draining
- turn off radio and the climate control so it doesn't run while parked overnight
- rear wiper only works (partially) when the transmission is in reverse
- the emergency brake indicator comes on while going down the highway
- the airbag indicator comes on intermittantly
is the BCM failing/filled with water? If all these symptoms are grouped together, it seems like a BCM issue.
 
- you can't get out of the car with the fob in your pocket with people in the car because the door chime will never stop.
This is by design. To let you know you've left the key outside the car. Frustrating for anyone who is forced to sit inside the car and listen to it (say, when you're gassing up in the winter an want to keep the occupants warm). There is no way around this other than leaving the key in the car (which is what I do when I leave my wife in the car and I get sometime from inside the store).

I've driven mine from 32k to 90k and I've not needed anything but a  new battery and brakes.

- replace cylinder heads (TWICE!)
 Sounds like bad luck. There was a gasket recall on early Pentastar engines, which FCA extending a special warranty to fix just the Left-hand gasket (15yr/150k miles?) Hopefully the powertrain has been taking care you you both times anyway?  At what mileage did these occur?

- replace oil filter housing assembly because it is made of plastic and cracks easily
 I've never had an issue with my OEM oil filter plastic-bit. comes off easy, goes on easy.  I've never had an easier car to change the oil on. Are you lubing-up the thread when you put it on? someone else mentioned the wrong filter ... Maybe this is causing it to get stuck? are you reefing down on the cap? from my experience, it really doesn't take much to tighten.
 
- pull fuse on horn so it doesn't beep constantly
- swap batteries due to unknown draining
- turn off radio and the climate control so it doesn't run while parked overnight
- rear wiper only works (partially) when the transmission is in reverse
- the emergency brake indicator comes on while going down the highway
- the airbag indicator comes on intermittantly
is the BCM failing/filled with water? If all these symptoms are grouped together, it seems like a BCM issue.
 
- you can't get out of the car with the fob in your pocket with people in the car because the door chime will never stop.
This is by design. To let you know you've left the key outside the car. Frustrating for anyone who is forced to sit inside the car and listen to it (say, when you're gassing up in the winter an want to keep the occupants warm). There is no way around this other than leaving the key in the car (which is what I do when I leave my wife in the car and I get sometime from inside the store).

Disconnecting the battery is a common reset method on the Journey for a variety of problems. Can't say it will work here.
Given you have two of the same phone, has there been a software update lately?

Great advice I’ll watch for that. I’m my records I see that the intake gasket was changed in 2013 and the power train control computer changed as well. Running great today ..... lol

Most likely the 12v battery is dying. Try jump starting the car for a temporary solution. 
 
Later, have the 12v tested, and replaced. (It's in the Left-side wheel wheel).

When the condition of the battery is less than perfect, the electrical components tend to give issues. I'll repost this response in your other thread. Goodluck!

Most likely the 12v battery is dying. Try jump starting the car for a temporary solution. 
 
Later, have the 12v tested, and replaced. (It's in the Left-side wheel wheel).

When the condition of the battery is less than perfect, the electrical components tend to give issues. I'll repost this response in your other thread. Goodluck!

Legend has it he is still there; ''jimmying' the key in the lock....

I test a 2012 v6 mustang convertible, and ultimately wasn't thrilled (There wasn't any joy from the car). The V8's are out of my willingness to pay. (Side note, the mustang convertible weights the same as the Dodge Journey, and only generates 20+ HP. It's nearly the same performance in a straight line...)
 
I could get a decent lease on the new Blazer with the GM employee incentives (230/mo) but I've got a bone to pick with GM about how they screw us on lease deals, so I wont give them my money yet... (maybe for the Journey's replacement in 1 year, though.... )
I mentioned equinox in my original comment, the the price for GM employees on the 2021 MY are really high, so Blazer is the cheaper option for me.

I bought a used Chevrolet Volt, 2013 Base, with 90,000 miles on it. I'm 100% in the honeymoon phase right now, but It's super great not needing to pay for gasoline for my work-home commute. Free chargers at work really made it worth it for me to go with the VOLT. I'm only 11 miles from work, so every day I can still come home from work and get another 28 miles of 'free diving' from charging at work. Yes, it takes 12hrs on 110v(8a) to give full charge (38 miles), but as I said, I only need 11 miles to get to that sweet sweet 240v 20a charger at work, so as long as my car is on the 110v charger for 4 hrs each night, I get a full day's worth of electric goodness.
 
My wife will drive the journey when I'm at work. She'll ultimately want to sell it off to buy a more fuel efficient SUV... But for now, I get to see my DJ parked in the rear-spots of the condo every day I drive my volt to work. :p

I test a 2012 v6 mustang convertible, and ultimately wasn't thrilled (There wasn't any joy from the car). The V8's are out of my willingness to pay. (Side note, the mustang convertible weights the same as the Dodge Journey, and only generates 20+ HP. It's nearly the same performance in a straight line...)
 
I could get a decent lease on the new Blazer with the GM employee incentives (230/mo) but I've got a bone to pick with GM about how they screw us on lease deals, so I wont give them my money yet... (maybe for the Journey's replacement in 1 year, though.... )
I mentioned equinox in my original comment, the the price for GM employees on the 2021 MY are really high, so Blazer is the cheaper option for me.

I bought a used Chevrolet Volt, 2013 Base, with 90,000 miles on it. I'm 100% in the honeymoon phase right now, but It's super great not needing to pay for gasoline for my work-home commute. Free chargers at work really made it worth it for me to go with the VOLT. I'm only 11 miles from work, so every day I can still come home from work and get another 28 miles of 'free diving' from charging at work. Yes, it takes 12hrs on 110v(8a) to give full charge (38 miles), but as I said, I only need 11 miles to get to that sweet sweet 240v 20a charger at work, so as long as my car is on the 110v charger for 4 hrs each night, I get a full day's worth of electric goodness.
 
My wife will drive the journey when I'm at work. She'll ultimately want to sell it off to buy a more fuel efficient SUV... But for now, I get to see my DJ parked in the rear-spots of the condo every day I drive my volt to work. :p

I test a 2012 v6 mustang convertible, and ultimately wasn't thrilled (There wasn't any joy from the car). The V8's are out of my willingness to pay. (Side note, the mustang convertible weights the same as the Dodge Journey, and only generates 20+ HP. It's nearly the same performance in a straight line...)
 
I could get a decent lease on the new Blazer with the GM employee incentives (230/mo) but I've got a bone to pick with GM about how they screw us on lease deals, so I wont give them my money yet... (maybe for the Journey's replacement in 1 year, though.... )
I mentioned equinox in my original comment, the the price for GM employees on the 2021 MY are really high, so Blazer is the cheaper option for me.

I bought a used Chevrolet Volt, 2013 Base, with 90,000 miles on it. I'm 100% in the honeymoon phase right now, but It's super great not needing to pay for gasoline for my work-home commute. Free chargers at work really made it worth it for me to go with the VOLT. I'm only 11 miles from work, so every day I can still come home from work and get another 28 miles of 'free diving' from charging at work. Yes, it takes 12hrs on 110v(8a) to give full charge (38 miles), but as I said, I only need 11 miles to get to that sweet sweet 240v 20a charger at work, so as long as my car is on the 110v charger for 4 hrs each night, I get a full day's worth of electric goodness.
 
My wife will drive the journey when I'm at work. She'll ultimately want to sell it off to buy a more fuel efficient SUV... But for now, I get to see my DJ parked in the rear-spots of the condo every day I drive my volt to work. :p

I have a Toro Lawn Mower and Snow Blower.

I have a 2013 Dodge Charger SRT in Billet Silver. Love this car!

Mustang. 

Trailblazer looks decent

Navallacrosse needed to include a few mates in the Canuckistan translation; he was originally from New Zealand. But the Royal hiway was a nice touch.
 
I have family  who live in the prairies close to kiwiinsask’s location.  My favourite Canadian joke is about how flat the prairie landscape is.
You may have heard it.  Only part of Canada you can watch your dog runaway.....for half an hour.
 
Cheers welcome to the forum. I still have my  gas pig pickup.

WELCOME, Eh! 
I'll do my best to translate to canadian:

Dont'cha worry now 'boot ya gas consumption, friend. Sorry it isn't better, but you'll get 10.2 km/litre on the royal highway, and 6.8 km/litre on the roads in tha city. 
Welcome to the fourm, buddy. 

In all seriousness, the journey is a great car in the sense that (in true FCA fashion) it is a modern car, with old style mechanical bits. I've had no issues with basic maintenance, and the bits you cant do won't cost a ton because corner mechanics can easily handle even the most complex mechanical journey problem.

Legend has it he is still there; ''jimmying' the key in the lock....

Legend has it he is still there; ''jimmying' the key in the lock....

Welcome. Like doing my own car repair too. Kids like me doing theirs too, unfortunately 

Wow that is a great review of the DJ !!!! Thank you NavalLacrosse for sharing with us !!!!  I have been reading about the brakes being undersized but as I understand the 2013 and up dual piston set up can be retrofitted to the 2012 as long as you have 17 inch plus size wheels. I live in the mountains so brake wear us common I’ll upgrade this summer. I’m used to driving a large diesel pickup so the  DJ seems like a fast  nimble sports car by comparison lol .  I too average about 18 mpg but it’s always stop and go in the mountains so I never get great mpg in any vehicle. The DJ laughs at the mountain grades as I zoom by little fuel miser cars I feel great about my decision everyday!!!! My 2012 has 122k on it but has been meticulously maintained by the previous owner. I have all service records. I plan to reach 300k in her someday !!!!! What is the high water mark on a DJ ??? 

2011 here, 89k and climbing. 
No issues (other than needing to change the battery when the gremlins came out that one time...)

2012 might be susceptible to the undersized brake 'issue', which means check your brakes for excessive wear around 30k mile intervals.
You got her the V6? I hope so, the I4 is less 100 hp, and gets the same fuel economy.

My wife like driving the Journey a lot, and even more now that she's drove an old 'jeep clone' (Ford Troller) off road for 30 miles, and has been driving global econoboxes the past three months(Chevy Onix, Fiat Uno, VW Gol), she always tells me she wishes she had the journey in Brazil, because it handles turns in the long mountains climbs better than the 90hp econo-hatches she rents.

Wife's complaints are:
The blind spots are massive (she's used to small sub-compacts; the DJ blind spots are normal if you're used to big/modern cars)
The fuel economy is poop in the city (16 mpg city, is our average), and 18 for mixed is pretty much on par for minivans and SUVs.
Turning radius is too big. (again, she like sub-compacts)
Difficult to estimate rear bumper distance when in revered because:
No rear camera, makes backing up difficult for her.
Automatic transmissions "Feel Slow" although, my wife drives manual all the time, the journey's V6's 6sp slush box is objectively slow, but hella smooth.
It's the same car her step-uncle drives, and she has a negative predisposition, as it's "a car my uncle would drive" 

She likes:
hella comfy front seat, seating position, and automatic HVAC
Boston Speakers are not loud, but fairly clear.
super well laid out control scheme  of HVAC, radio (stack, and on steering wheel), Cruise control, and U connect (4.2) is really intuitive, and easy to use while driving.
V6 can do (normal by american standard) hard pulls on the freeway (although she hates the slow downshifts) it can easily overtake semis.
Car's never given her a single problem at all EVER,
Finally, The Dodge Journey is a strong reputation in Brazil; The Fiat Fremont is the main fair for I4 and diesel, but the Journey is the V6 Pentastar powered "well-off respectable person's car"; In the US it's like "meh- can't afford a compass"; in brazil it's "Que Legal"

 

I still have my 09. Has only 97k miles. Had it’s share of issues, but I have a lifetime extended warranty so don’t worry about it...
 
I did just replace the factory radio & Uconnect system with an aftermarket Kenwood system, which was a breeze, sounds and works great.

welcome to the group and congrats on buying a used journey 9 yrs old and not having something to wrong,as you know you always here from the complainers and hardly ever from a happy owner. i had a 2011 traded it in with 70 k no real problems and my 2014 has 100 k on it with only 1 or 2  real problem but was covered under my warranty. plan on running this one into the ground as i bought the lifetime warranty on it.

My daughter wanted a Jeep Wrangler so we bought her a Dodge Journey .... lol. That  went over ok as the Journey seems to be a great car. But she longed for a Jeep still and we were blessed to find a good deal on one. So now I’m driving the Journey and I could not be happier. I don’t understand all the negative reviews .... mine runs well and is very comfortable. What can I say I like it just fine !!!!

Assumption: It's the radio requesting the anti-theift code
 
If the radio is the original:
Check the glovebox for a sticker that might say the radio code.
otherwise,
You'll need to take the car to a dealership, and provide them with the VIN of the car, and the S/N of the radio.
 
IF the radio is from another car, you'll need 1) original car VIN, 2)current car VIN, 3) radio S/N, and 4) written consent from the original owner of the original car the radio came from stating that you legally own the radio (it wasn't stolen)