FROGBOX

The 255's are only 30mm wider, so 15mm on either side of the centerline. They should not rub or hit anything with only 15mm extra poke. As for rim size, the stock 19"rims are 7.5" wide. As per the chart on tire rack, a 255 tire will fit on rims between 7" and 9" wide. So no issues there either.

The fob batteries usually don't just die. They get low first, which will trigger your vehicle information screen to show a picture of a key fob with a low battery warning. A dead fob battery should not prevent the starting of the vehicle. Take your car to the dealer and get the fob checked out.

Look at it from their point of view. They have a chance to manufacture & sell millions of tires to Chrysler. For that kind of volume, they would be fools not to agree to the specs provided by the customer. Yes, they may loose a lot of potential customers from being disgruntled about the poor mileage, but that pales in comparison to the $$$ they make from supplying the originals. Also don't forget that every manufacturer is probably in the same boat. I had a Pontiac Montana that came new with Good Year tires that were crap and wore out fast. I replaced them with a different brand too at a very early stage. The only car I have ever owned that came with good tires right from the factory was a VW Jetta that had Michelin tires. They lasted forever.

Yep, and they have a low rolling resistance too, which should help get a tiny bit better fuel economy. Those are the tires I am going with this spring when the winters come off. I will be going with the 255/50-19. They are only 1% larger circumference than the stock 225's compared the 235's which are 1.5% larger. They are also cheaper than the 235's by a couple bucks each, so is a better option. Its the stock size for many SUV's like the Mercedes M's and the BMW X's, so a more common size. Stock 225 vs 235's: Stock 225 vs 255's:

FYI, here is a good site to compare tire sizes:

OK. First, lets start by explaining what the numbers mean. The first number is the tread width as measured in millimeters. So a 225 tire has a tread width of 225 millimeters. If you want a wider tire, go with a larger number like 235 or 245. Each size up adds 10mm to the width. The second number is the aspect ratio. What that means is it is the height of the tire in relation to the width. An aspect ratio of 65, means the height is 65% of the width. If you increase the width, but leave the aspect ratio the same, you will get a taller tire. If you decrease the width, but leave the aspect ratio the same, you get a shorter tire. A short or tall tire can affect things like the odometer & speedometer because changing the height also changes the circumference. In order to keep the height (and the circumference) the same, the ratio has to adjust in relation to the width. So a wider tire, with a lower aspect ratio is acceptable as the two cancel each other out and don't change the height. It is difficult to get an exact match, so a variance of 1-2% is usually acceptable. Lastly, the third number refers to the rim size. In your case, a 17" rim. Here are some examples. Stock size = 225-65-17 Alternate size - 235-65-17 = 1.8% larger circumference Alternate size - 235-60-17 = 1.4% smaller circumference. So neither of these are perfect, but are within the 2% margin. For a closer match, a 245-60-17 tire is only 0.2% larger. So it won't throw off your speedo/odo much at all. But that size is much less common, which also means less choice and more expensive. Your best bet is the 235-65-17 as it will be the cheapest option and will have the most choices. As for a tire reccomendation, I have read good things about the Yokohama YK580. It is a very good balance between budget and longevity with a 60,000 mile treadwear warranty. It is also rated as a low rolling resistance tire, so should give you slightly better fuel economy too. Those are the tires I plan to put on this summer.

It is not normal. If it won't hold pressure, it won't stop your car. Very serious safety issue. Usually, a leak of some kind causes this. If they examined the vehicle and no external leaks are found in any of the break lines or calipers, then my guess is an internal leak in the master cylinder. If the internal seals are compromised, fluid will leak past them and cause the pedal to drop to the floor. Pumping brings it back, but as soon as you press down firm, it will just repeat. Since the leak is internal inside the master cylinder, there will not be any external sign of fluid, so may not be obvious. Modern cars are very sensitive to the type of fluids we put in them, so if the wrong type of brake fluid was used, it could certainly cause this issue. It may have deteriorated the seals to the point they don't hold the pressure. Here is a cutaway of a master cylinder: The brake pedal is the large arrow on the right. When it is pressed, it forces fluid out of the outlet hole, through the brake lines and into the caliper applying pressure to the brake pads. If the seal is not holding that pressure, the fluid leaks past the seal into the area where the piston is, and the transfer of fluid allows the pedal to drop. No visible leak will be detected due to the fact the fluid is still inside. My recommendation is to have a third party examine the vehicle, change the master cylinder if necessary, then take the bill to the Hyundai dealer for compensation. You have given them ample opportunity to resolve the issue without satisfactory results. Do you have small claims courts in your country? Usually the threat of litigation will cause a company to pay up.

One kit should cover both sides. I have done front & rear brakes on friends & neighbors Journeys & Grand Caravans with the older style brakes and every time, the pads came with a new set of springs in the box, so its my fault for not including them in the parts list. I am not sure why the newer ones are so expensive compared to the older style at $16?

Synthetic is a lot more expensive, but it will also last longer than conventional oil. At least 3 times the service interval. If it costs 2 x more, but you get 3 x more miles, then its actually cheaper in the long run. Plus, it protects better, especially in cold weather when the cold viscosity is higher in conventional oils. Synthetics maintain their cold viscosity much better and give more cold starting protection.

By what you describe, my guess would be the retaining springs/clips that hold the pads are either not installed properly, or perhaps not installed at all? If the retaining springs are not installed, the pads will certainly rattle around in the carriers and cause the noise you describe. The retaining springs/clips are not on my parts list in the write up. In my experience, almost every set of new aftermarket pads have always come with the springs/clips, so I did not include them in the list. Since I didn't source the parts new, I may have been mistaken about what would be included with new dealer pads? EDIT: I just checked the front parts for a 2013 Journey and see that the spring kit is listed at $48. The spring kit for the older style brakes is only $14, so perhaps that is why the new style are not included with new pads??? I will add the springs/clips to the parts list in my first post. Hopefully that is all that is missing and will be an easy fix for you.

I should also point out that there will probably be a certain degree of corrosion on the brackets that hold the pads due to the winter salt used in our colder climates. You should remove the stainless steel shims, clean the brackets with a file, then apply some antiseize to the area before reinstalling the shims. Also, lube the shims so the pads can slide easily. Proper lubrication of the moving parts will help to prevent the pads from sticking, causing premature break wear and reduced fuel economy.

I am super happy with the upgrade. After going through 2 sets of pads/rotors due to warpage in under 40k km, I was very apprehensive about braking hard and would always be conscious of the brakes and try to go easy on them every time I stopped. Now, I can brake with no worries at all. In fact, I often find myself braking hard on purpose, usually on highway off ramps, to really push them (and to see if any vibrations have returned). The brakes still slow the vehicle down nice and smooth. I highly recommend this upgrade to anyone who has had front brake issues.

Very simple. Remove old parts. Compress caliper piston. Install new parts. No special tools required.

Yes. I did it last September. http://www.dodgejourneyforum.com/topic/4974-successful-big-brake-upgrade-on-2011-crew/

It appears that there are a LOT of choices for factory springs. About 26 different part numbers for the front springs alone. Each one probably has a slightly different spring rate based on the options on the vehicle that can affect the weight, such as engine size, 2WD vs AWD, 3rd row seating, etc. The part numbers can be found here: http://www.factorychryslerparts.com/showAssembly.aspx?ukey_assembly=1122913&ukey_make=1062&ukey_model=15496&modelYear=2013&ukey_category=20317&ukey_driveLine=10064&ukey_trimLevel=18652 I would guess that the sport suspension (aka euro suspension or high performance suspension) would be the lower ones you are looking for? The prices are quite reasonable at around $80 each for the fronts and $60 each for the rears. http://www.factorychryslerparts.com/showAssembly.aspx?ukey_assembly=1122919&ukey_make=1062&ukey_model=15496&modelYear=2013&ukey_category=20317&ukey_driveLine=10064&ukey_trimLevel=18652 Hope that helps.

My apologies for not including it in the original post. You will require the pin kit (slider pins) to mount the caliper to the bracket. The part number is 68144165AA and you will need one kit for each caliper. Included in the kit is the bolt, pin & rubber boot. It may be possible to reuse the old one? But it wouldn't hurt to have the parts on hand in case they don't fit. You should be able to return them if not needed. You MAY also need the spring kit? Its more of a shim or guide than a spring, but thats what Chrysler calls it. Most quality brake parts sellers include them with new pads, but not always.

Most modern cars do not need tune ups like in the old days. Platinum or iridium tipped spark plugs easily last well over 100k miles. No plug wires or distributor rotors/caps to replace anymore. Just change the oil & filters (oil, air, fuel & cabin) at scheduled intervals and drive. As for 15k oil change intervals, that is pushing it a bit, but not the end of the world. Most cars that have the oil monitoring system go up to 10k before alerting the driver to change the oil. My recomendation to you is to switch to synthetic oil. It can easily go 15k between intervals. It is more expensive, but much less hassle. I change the oil in my VW every 6 months (around 10-12k miles or 16-19k km).

Yes. You can source brand new factory parts for around $500 to upgrade to the larger brakes. I did it last year, but was able to find used parts at a wrecker, so saved lots of $$$, but even at $500, it is a very reasonable cost for what you get. Here is the thread: http://www.dodgejourneyforum.com/topic/4974-successful-big-brake-upgrade-on-2011-crew/

It does appear to be plastic. For a few $$$ more, you get one in stainless: http://www.ebay.com/itm/161142113529

Yes, 235's will be fine. They will cause your speedometer to read slightly slower and your odometer will also climb slower by about 1.8%. Other options are: 245/60/17. It has a 0.2% variation in circumference from your original size, so is the closest to your original size and will have a negligible effect on the speedo & odo. Or a 215/70/17 which has a 1.2% variance, so a better option than the 235's as far as speedo variation and as stated, will cut through the snow better than the 235's

Either one will work, but I would recommend the buldge style. It prevents the socket from going too deep over the lug and potentially damaging the finish on the rim by a careless installer.

Step is correct.....The thread pitch is 12 x 1.5mm http://www.wheelsupport.com/dodge-bolt-pattern/

Some insurance companies also offer a discount if you use winter tires. Usually in the range of 5%. That can ad up to some decent savings over the 4-5 years of use you get out of a set. Its worth a call to find out if your company does.

I bought a set of Husky mats when we bought our Journey. Couldn't be happier with them. Like the Aries, they were cheaper than the Weathertech. Custom fit and they catch all the slush & melting snow from shoes in the wintertime. The Aries ones look nicer (carpeted), but also look like they would absorb a lot of salt water which might make them harder to clean? The Husky liners are around $80 per row. http://www.huskyliners.com/product-detail/?category=18

I went on a trip to Peterborough this weekend in the snow and was happy with how they performed. MUCH better than the Kumhos. Last winter was a nightmare. My wife got stuck several times with them, so I promised to put winter tires on her Journey this year. I found the tires & rims on Kijiji. $350 for the tires and $200 for the rims. Add $70 for the TPMS's and $100 for the install & balance, the total came to $720. The tires were only used 1 season and still had about 90% tread left and the rims were 19" alloys, so I was very lucky to find the combination. In your case, since you are so close to the border, just cross over and buy tires in the States. Visit www.discounttiredirect.com for some really good prices. They will ship to an installer in Detroit and you can save hundreds of $$$.