Spotty

The engineering department has just come up with some rubberized strips that will help with this and I just had some special ordered and put on my car. It looks like these strips will stop most of the snow getting in and I will be watching to ensure my filter stays dry on the next snow or heavy rain day. I suggest to all 2009/2010 journey owners to monitor this on their vehicles because this problem is a design problem and not just a problem with mine. I was complaining about my fuel economy for months and it took an extreme storm for me to figure out this problem which is/was the cause of the fuel economy. Next storm you drive in I suggest you lift the hood and check your air filter. Happened in light and fluffy snow as well as the heavier wetter snow.

I am having problems with snow getting into the Air filter Housing and building up ice and freezing the air filter. This always happens when I drive it in snow conditions. It also causes sluggish behaviour and accelarating problems. I am wondering if anyone else is having problems because I can't seem to get anywhere, Dodge says I am the only one having this problem. My dealership has checked the car over to see if some molding is missing or something is broken which might let the snow get in but they say nothing is missing or broken. I am very frustrated because I am certain this cannot be good for the engine. I thought I would post this because I cannot believe I am the only one???

I purchased a 2010 Journey R/T and it arrived August 1, 2010. I have had trouble with it right from the start. I love it when it is running good but so far its a 50/50 chance of that each morning I wake up unless it is at the shop. My first problem was that I purchase the Mopar hitch with a 3500 lb towing capacity but receiver in Canada is only a max of 2000 lbs. After 4 1/2 months the dealership got one from the US from Valley hitch. Then my electrical problems started. Remote start only worked sporatically. Couldn't get the power windows and power locks to always work, dealership put a new module in and that cured the window problem but not the locks. Then they ordered me a new key fob saying it was faulty, seems to have helped but haven't had it long enough to know for sure. One day the car wouldn't start, towed it to the dealer and they said it was the battery. 10 days later my new battery arrived (back order) so I got my car back. Now in bad snow and rain my car runs sluggish and on a real bad snowstorm day it wouldn't go above 35 kms. When we stopped and popped the hood. The air filter intake was severely caked with snow and ice so much it actually lifted the air filter. This has been an ongoing battle now with the dealership because according to Dodge they do not have anyone else having this issue so my advice is if your Journey is sluggish in bad weather pop the hood and see if your air filter is sluggish or even if it isn't acting up when you drive in a good snowfall just for fun check and see if you have snow in your air filter housing. I am sure this can't be just my Journey. The dealership has completely gone over my car to see if something is missing or cracked which would allow the snow to get in and they insist all looks good. I will be getting rid of my Journey as soon as it gets close to the warranty being up because I am sure all this water that's getting in the air filter and further cannot be good for the engine. Unfortunately I cannot afford to get rid of it now because I will take a $12,000 loss for the almost 8 months of driving. Oh yeah and my odometer just turned over the 20,000 and I can feel the brakes starting to be a problem. On a better note, it handles great in the snow and when the road conditions are dry I love driving it. I am so disappointed with my Journey, the dealership and DODGE.

I did get my hitch problem fixed. Valley hitch (which apparently makes the mopar hitch) It is only available in the USA, because I live in Ontario, Canada it was special ordered thru Carquest in Bancroft, Ontario. I decided to go with the adapter that still needs the normal straight out adapter, I tow different ball sizes so this solves changing balls on adapter and I can buy this other adapter now anywhere.

I bought my journey r/t with the tow prep group to tow my ski boat which is over 3000 lbs, because you are not able to get the hitch factory installed my dealer sold me the Mopar receiver which is rated for the 3500 lb towing and when I looked at my ball mount adapter it was stamped 2000 lb max. When the hitch was installed my bumper was cut to accomodate the install. Neither my dealer nor myself knew or that Mopar does not have a 3500 lb adapter to fit this hitch nor have we been able to find an aftermarket adapter with a 3500 lb rating. Mopar has sent this problem to their engineering department and I also called customer service at Dodge since they are the ones pushing Mopar accessories and they have logged my complaint but rep also pretty much told me I am on my own because I chose to have this hitch installed. Luckily my dealership where I purchased the vehicle is standing behind me and will come good for a replacement bumper and new aftermarket hitch if Mopar doesn't get this huge problem fixed.That is amazing customer service which Dodge and Mopar could learn something from. I am looking to hear from anyone that has/is experiencing the same problem and what have you done?