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That number (68080973AA) comes up as "body reinforcement - front"...not the wiring harness which is "P68080976AC" which is taken directly from the bag that is still in my trunk. Haven't gotten around to putting the hitch on yet, so, it is still in the storage area in the back end. The chassis - rear trailer wiring harness is 68080976AC for the 2013 DJ and AFAIK, hasn't been superseded by another part number.

You misunderstand... You state towing between 2000 and 3500 lbs could be an issue. It isn't an issue if your vehicle is rated to 3500 lbs. We are discussing a 2500 lb rated vehicle towing 3500 lbs. and more (if your trailer weighs 3500 lbs. and you have 4 passengers plus cargo, I can guarantee you that you are exceeding not only the tow rating if the car is rated at 2500 lbs, but, the GVWR of the car). Your maintaining that towing 3500 lbs plus cargo in a vehicle rated for 2500 lbs is OK. It certainly isn't. You are exceeding your vehicle's rating by nearly 30%. If a ladder is rated for 250 lbs. and you weigh 330 lbs; are you really going to climb that ladder, not only once, but, multiple times? If a bridge is rated for 2000 lbs, are you going to drive your 3500 lb car across it? Nobody here stated that "you would blow up your engine in a block". Quite, honestly, that engine should easily haul 3500 lbs, even 8,000 lbs, but, the rest of the vehicle is the limiting factor and something in that vehicle has the safety engineers with MOPAR concerned enough to lower the rating from 3500 lbs. to 2500 lbs. There is a reason, if you choose to ignore it...I guess you know more about engineering (my wife is an Opthalmic Specialist (Masters, Bachelor RN) retired and engineering wasn't in either of her curricula) than those folks do. I'm not a guru, but, compared to someone that will wantonly ignore safety ratings by the range that you are espousing, I would guess that I'm pretty darn close. It is possible to do it and just like I do with folks pulling a trailer at 75 mph on 65 mph rated ST tires, I'll let you go by and get far enough ahead that you aren't a hazard to me and will be off the road with the dust settling by the time I pass you, you can't plan for every eventuality, the safety engineers try and I do my best to follow their advice as accidents happen and I'd like to be well within the capabilities engineered in to my vehicle for my safety as well as those traveling in the vehicle with me and those other folks on the road. Again, I'm pleased that your engineering analysis of your DJ is so much better than MOPAR's; good luck to you and I hope you never have the misfortune to encounter the reason why the rating was lowered if it was for safety reasons.

I've towed equipment and RVs for a lot of years. Particularly right now, with "towing wars" going on (who can tow the most) between the manufacturers, for one to reduce the tow capacity of one of its vehicles means that they've discovered a problem with the old weights that leads to a "long term" issue (not probable in my mind since they haven't sent warnings out to previous purchasers to lower the weights they tow) or they've redesigned some element in the new ones that they know won't support the higher weight. You can monitor temperatures all you want...will oil temp or trans temp tell you that you are shredding the disc packs on the axles? Will temps tell you that you are reducing the frame integrity of a newly designed crash cage that gives the DJ its high crash rating? There are many, many things that are taken into the equations when determining safe tow ratings and not all of them are engine oil and transmission fluid related. You can chip transmission gears with stone cold transmission fluid. Exceed the manufaturer's ratings if you like, it is your vehicle, but, unfortunately there are others on the road that may suffer your consequences as well. I currently tow a bit over 11,000 lbs, but, I do it with a truck that is built specifically and rated for well over that. I don't tow it with a RAM 1500 even though that truck is quite capable of getting it down the road; at least for awhile. Just because you can get away with it, at least for a while, doesn't mean that it is a good idea to do it. The owner's manual doesn't say "it would be a good idea for you stay at 2500 lbs or less, but, go ahead and tow what you want" is says the tow rating is 2500 lbs for this vehicle; no other qualifiers, just 2500 lbs.

I have a MyGig in my truck and had one in my Jeep Commander, and wish I had one in my Journey as opposed to this Garmin thing... That being said, I would get the dealer to do the updates to the OS. I'm retired IT (Systems Integrator) and looked into doing it myself also. Any of the updates that you apply will also affect the firmware and that's the catch...the firmware will not take a "cold flash", i.e., if you corrupt the firmware, the whole unit is toast and becomes a boat anchor. New firmware cannot be reloaded cold; it has to have an operating firmware base to update, that's the way it is manufactured. You won't find the files available because of that, nobody wants to take the responsibility of selling you the update and having you toast the unit because your battery went dead (it takes quite awhile to do the update, I watched my service tech at the dealer do one) or your disk is faulty. That being said, if you have deep pockets, i.e., you can afford the $800-$1200 dollars to replace the whole unit, you may be able to find the files on eBay or BitTorrent, but, again, it is a very risky proposition. The map updates for the Nav are available through NavTeq and I think that update is around $150 and, again, I would stick to very reliable sources for even that if you want to avoid that cost...the last thing you want to do is to introduce malware or a virus to your unit's hard drive since, aside from the StarScan tool, there is no alternate access to the OS with other input/output devices that you could use to rebuild the system.

The "unit" I was talking about is the DJ that I own... "Unit" in this context just means a car produced at a factory, a unit of that factory's production. As for "resetting" a unit or component, it just means "refreshing" the software; kind of like a "system restore" in Windows. It clears the settings and resets them to the factory defaults. If you "reset" your UConnect unit (CPU), you will lose your stored radio stations or anything else that is stored on "temporary" memory. It won't delete your songs on a USB stick or memory card, but, you will lose your equalizer settings or any other custom settings; door lock preference, headlight "on" time, etc. Easily reset. If they reset the PCM, you will lose "stored" driving style habits, etc. Your DJ will have to go through the "learning" curve again; still not a big issue. The same things will happen when you put a new battery in unless you take care to have a "jumped" alternate power source hooked up to keep power on the individual CPUs in the car. In fact, one of the first things that most dealers will do if you report "strange" behaviour attributable to one of the logic systems is to disconnect the battery, wait a minimum of 30 seconds, better a couple of minutes, and then hook the system back up. That "resets" all of the systems in the car and they re-establish communications with each other ("handshakes" in the industry) and will quite often correct any errors that are communication issues and not hardware failures. I made the final fix on the display of the compass in my DJ by doing it. I didn't have the direction letters in the 8.4 system even though the dealer got them to display in the EVIC (they were absent, too, when I first picked it up). I pulled the power (disconnected the battery) for 5 minutes and reconnected the cable. The EVIC and the 8.4 UConnect restored fresh communications and in the process the UConnect realized that it was receiving directional information and promptly displayed that information on the bottom of the screen, instead of a blank, empty icon, it now had the directional letters inside it. When they "reset" the units (computer - PCM and BCM) on my Commander, after going to "Canadian" for "Home", to enable the DRLs, it was to get the units to display units in English units and not metric. They could have left in Canadian, but, then my speedo would have been in KPH and my fuel gauges would have been in liters. "Resetting" the "unit" (the Jeep) to US, put all the reporting back to US units of measurement. I lost all of my settings; radio stations, equalizer settings, etc. but, not the information (music) stored on the MyGig hard drive. A nuisance to go back in and reset my "preferences", but, it only takes a couple of minutes and was worth the effort. In fact, I (with the dealership) did so much messing around with the software, via the StarScan tool, that resetting my preferences became almost a habit! The systems in the car are just little "computers", nothing magical, most aren't any more sophisticated than your smart phone. It is a shame that the StarScan tool is so expensive...I'd buy one just to be able to "poke around" Of course, I'd need the full set of backup software CDs in case I did an "oops"...

redtomatoman, Can't attest to your 2011, but, my guess is that the "equipment" is there. The Cannucks have required DRLs for eons and I don't see them making a special version for Canada. Now, having said that, I can say that my 1996 Grand Caravan didn't have DRLs and I was told that it never could. I got a parts listing and it turned out that all I needed for it was to order a Canadian turn signal relay. The DRL is built into the turnsignal relay for the Canadian Grand Caravans (1996). I got the relay and unplugged the US relay and plugged in the Canadian relay and had DRLs. Near as I know, probably the only 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan with DRLs in the US. (on the Caravan the DRLs were the turnsignals on bright) On my 2008 Jeep Hemi Commander, it turned out that I had to have my CANBUS set from US to Canada. Once that was done the "switch" (software switch) became visible to the diagnostic tool at the dealership. They enabled the DRLs and then changed the code back to the US so that I wouldn't have metric readings. Again, the hardware for the 2008 was there, it just took some software "massaging" to get them to be "on". So... If the Canadian DJs have DRLs (and they are required to), then there is a path to getting the US versions to work. They don't build a completely different car for each country. The wiring harness is there, the sockets for relays would be there, even if the relays themselves weren't, and the Canadian version of the software would be set to enable them (as I discovered with my Commander). It just takes some "creative" investigation (what's different between the US and Canadian units?) and time at the dealer with a competent technician that is willing to experiment. Fortunately, I have such a dealer and they respect my "savvy" enough to be willing to "tinker". Initially they were hesitant to mess with the software, but, I finally managed to convince them that it is just like any other software...you can wreck it, but, you can also always reload a fresh copy and you'll be back to square 1. If you corrupt your Windows OS, you haven't ruined the computer, you just need to reload the OS. Fortunately, the CANBUS software pack is very robust and reasonably bullet-proof; very hard to screw it up if you are just "poking around" in it. Again, if the Canadian DJs have DRLs, then there is a way, a path, to get the US version to also have them; it is just a matter of finding the path and a lot dealerships don't have the time or are willing to invest the time to find that path. My dealership was told initially, by the Mopar main engineering unit in Pittsburg (east coast troubleshooters), that there was no way to have the DRLs on a 2013 DJ activated. It couldn't be done. Well, my DRLs work just fine. I was told the same thing with my Grand Caravan; I had that vehicle for 12 years and my son another 4 and it had DRLs. My Commander was also deemed "not DRL capable" by Mopar. When I traded it in on my DJ, it had working DRLs. Perseverance, a good "insider" with the company willing to invest the time and put up with some "hounding" and a dealership willing to experiment is all that it takes. The DJ, any car, is just a machine and they are mass produced, they aren't "one offs" that have different hardware and software for the basics and most of the world requires DRLs to be operational, so the ability is inherent to the design, not the country. GM took the most logical step and since the rest of the world requires them, they enabled the US versions as well. I don't understand why Ford and Mopar don't follow suit. The cost is minimal; on the 2013 DJs at least, it was just a matter of adding a three letter code to the VIN reference.

In New Mexico, I agree, it would probably be worth more than "trick" status! Our daughter-in-law is from Albuqurque and it does get powerful hot there. We RV in that area frequently and can attest to the heat, but, in South Central PA, it is less of a problem. With the mountains and the "hollers" there is always a breeze and we don't get a lot of hot days. One of the reasons we live here.

Yep... Don't know exactly when it was "discontinued", but, they won't go down on the 2013s either. Never had it, so I don't really miss it. On really hot days, we just open both doors for a minute, then start the engine and open the windows and the sunroof to blow the rest of the heat out. Don't know that lowering the windows would give us much of a headstart on venting the heat...but, it would be a neat "trick" if it worked that way.

I shop a grocery chain in my area that also has "gas rewards", but, they, too, are limited to a max of 20 gallons. When I have a fair number of points built up, I wait until my tank is down to 1/4 full and I head to the fuel pumps with my 5 gallon can for the lawn mowers / generator / farm use and I always get the 20 gallons. Usually (the pump cuts off automatically at 20 gallons) the pump cuts off and when I restart it, at full price, I may get another gallon into the car, but, near as I can tell, my fuel gauge is fairly accurate. Even the calculations on the EVIC are fairly accurate. The EVIC usually indicates that I am getting around 1 mpg (actually about .8 mpg) better than my hand calculated average, but, even that is fairly accurate as those things go. My EVIC is sitting at 24.3 mpg right now (that's for the DJ since purchase in December 2012) and my hand calculations are at 23.8 mpg (10.01L/100km) for the last couple of tanks. Fortunately, I live out in the boonies (middle of a state forest) and town is 17 miles away. Most of my driving is in the 45-55 mph range and "town" consists of two stoplights; not much stop and go for me.

Check the thread for DRLs in this forum. My unit was made in Mexico as are all of them, for the most part, for sale in the US and Canada. All the dealer needs to do is get the LMK code added to your VIN and then flash that new VIN into the BCM. You will then have DRLs. Worked for my made in Mexico, bought in PA, 2013 DJ R/T, just as it has for others. Don't really call BS on the Dealership, they probably don't know any better and have not had a great deal of experience with the CANBUS system aside from "stock" usage. There is a post in the other thread detailing exactly what I had my dealership do (they are very used to me now; I'm retired high-level IT (Systems Integrator, FDA) and have done a lot of "not quite by the book" computer changes for me on several vehicles. If your dealership flat out refuses to even try, then find another dealership that has a higher competency level of technician working for them; it is easy to get the DRLs lit. There is a member in New Zealand that has had zero luck in getting his done, but, according to what he's been told, the CANBUS there is different...I find that hard to believe, but, can't really say since we're half a world away. However, the North American DJ's just need the code (which is automatically added for those shipped to Canada) and the BCM flashed. Not a big deal. Once the code LMK is added to your VIN and the BCM is flashed with the new "build" information, the DRL On / Off control in the UConnect system will turn them on and off based on your choice (the Canadian's software switch is disabled by the CANBUS being set for "Canada" as its "home turf"). The car is built with all the appropriate software and hardware needed to have DRLs, it just needs the LMK code attached to the VIN to let the CANBUS know about it. Once that happens, your DRLs will work just fine and since your DJ is set for United States, the software switch will even allow you to turn them off if, for some reason, you decide that you don't want them on.

Haven't done my Journey yet, but, have done plenty of jobs on other MOPARs with the ABS system. Unless you dismantle, for repair, the ABS system, there is no need to bleed it unless you've used it a lot (not likely for most of us) and you have a boatload of air in the fluid (also not likely). Just ignore the ABS bleeding and do the "normal" manual brake bleeding as there is a very small likelihoood of you having introduced any air into its system. The ABS system only cycles brake fluid when it is used and usually doesn't take up air unless you've run the brake system virtually dry or you've dismantled for an ABS system type repair. No need for the scan tool if you use the bleeders on the calipers and a suction device or the "pedal pushing" system.

Flatlanders living in the city, will fair just as well with the 4 and reap the benefits of better fuel economy in urban stop and go driving. The Journey is heavy though (surprised me how heavy it is) and if you encounter a lot of hilly / mountainous terrain or do a lot driving on roads at 55 mph or better, then the 3.6 would be the better choice. The 4 will handle hills and mountains and sustained highway speeds, but, will have to work to do it, while the 6 will be well within its "comfort zone" with those kinds of loads.

We live in the mountainous area of South Central PA and we get a fair amount of snow. Being rural, very rural (my nearest neighbor is almost 2 miles away), snow removal is sometimes spotty at best. Most folks in my area, as a consequence, have 4 wheel drive or AWD. I have a 4 wheel drive truck that I use for pulling our 5th wheel, but, most of the time it stays parked. We used to use a Jeep Hemi Commander for our winter excursions, but, swapped that vehicle for the AWD Journey ('13 3.6 Pentastar). I was initially concerned about giving up the 4x4 for the AWD, but, was pleasantly surprised at the performance in the snow. Several slushy days and I was convinced that it works as well for us as the full time 4 wheel drive of the Commander. Front wheel drive (we've had a boatload of them) will let you know it is slick and you'll know the drive wheel is searching for purchase, but, with care will get you where you need to go. The AWD will seamlessly switch to the tire with traction so that you never feel the wheel spin or slip...if one of the 4 has traction, you just keep going. Do you need AWD? Absolutely not. FWD will do fine in most weather that a sane person will normally encounter and AWD is not a substitute for 4 wheel drive, but, in those "in between" times or if you have to go out in a lot slushy snow that hasn't been plowed for awhile, then the AWD will definitely be more "sure footed" than FWD. As mentioned, there is a penalty for hauling around the extra mechanicals required, but, IMHO, those "penalties" are much over-rated. Cost in mpg is a definite minus, but, the cost is probably measured in tenths and would likely get lost in the statistical analysis; my AWD is setting right now on an average, since purchase, of 24.3 mpg according to the EVIC and 24.1 according to my records of hand calculations from each fill-up (the EVIC in the Journey is much more accurate than the one in the Jeep we got rid of). Cost of repair? The mechanicals are just that and are subject to wear and tear just like the rest of the car? Liklihood of needing repair? Who knows...not very likely for most of us, but, the risk is there; just like all the other mechanicals in the car. I don't worry about the "will it break?" issue. If it breaks, it breaks and I'll get it fixed, just as I would if the power steering pump goes out or a power window motor quits. There is always a "cost" for any device; it is up to the purchaser to decide if the "cost" is worth the advantage. To me it is.

Don't imagine anyone has lifted a DJ AWD. AWD is not 4x4 and lifting the DJ wouldn't achieve any "functional" use, it already has all the ground clearance, IMHO, that an AWD vehicle needs (more than some AWDs out there). That is probably why you'll be hard put to find a "kit" for raising the DJ...no demand. As for getting a one-off done at a specialty shop, I suspect you'll find that the U-joints will give out fairly quickly with more than a 2" lift and a 2" lift will be prohibitively expensive, again IMHO, for what you'd be getting. I'll even go out on a limb and predict that any lift, over stock, will give the axles a fit since the car is CUV and engineered as a CUV and does not have the heavier duty 4x4 equipment (joints, bearings, torsional strength, etc.) that those type of vehicles have. The DJ is a cross-over vehicle, not an off-road vehicle and the engineering isn't there to make it one. You can lift for the "look", but, I think mechanically you'd be making a mistake. Just my take...

It would look just like the R/T front ends... The R/T comes with the body color grill frame and cross-hair. In fact, you may find that the R/T bezel in that color may be cheaper than taking your chrome one off and painting it. Would probably hold up better (stone chips in the paint will show the chrome underlayer), too. Just a thought.

For most of the cargo covers I've ever dealt with, the only difference in having it and not, was a set of brackets installed on each side; one to hold the cargo cover tube and another that the cargo cover hooked onto to. If that is true with the DJ (I'll have to go up to the dealer and look), then, conceivably, the brackets could be ordered/added to a seven passenger version to have the cover. Depending on how far the bracket intruded into the area of the third seats would make the difference in whether it could be added to the 7 passenger version. If the bracket doesn't prevent the third seat from being raised (only intrudes into the 3rd row's space) then it is doable...whoever sits in the third row would have the bracket in the area with them. If the bracket prevents the third row from being raised, then that would be a problem. I'll stop by the dealer and see what the bracketry looks like... I don't miss the under the floor storage (I looked at it on a DJ at the dealer) and decided that it was awkward enough the I wouldn't use it much and I wanted the third row as we do use it every now and then. The DJ with the third row still has more storage in the back than my Jeep Commander had...I'm always amazed when I start loading up the back at just how much that car holds.

Agreed... Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep all have marketing issues. They advertise the heck out of their best sellers and ignore the others. I used to own a Jeep Commander. Marvelous vehicle and only made from '06-10 or '11 and in all those years I never, ever, saw a commercial or even a print add for the vehicle. Stopped making them because they weren't selling...duh! Every place I went, people would look at it and then ask if it was one of those new Hummers... No, sir, not a Hummer, but, a Jeep. Same thing with the Journey. I've had several people ask me what model of Chevrolet it is...based, I guess, on the fact that I have DRLs on and mostly Chevy products are "lit" in the US. I like my Dodge Journey, even if nobody else knows that Dodge even makes a cross-over vehicle that can seat 7, is extremely comfortable, good zip and great mileage for the size and weight of the AWD version.

Just out of idle curiosity... Has anyone with the 3rd row seat tried adding the cargo cover? I haven't gone to look at a DJ with the cover (I've got the 3rd row), but, it would seem to me, that unless the mount brackets block the raising of the 3rd row seats, it should work with the 3rd row version also. I understand it would have to come out to use the 3rd row, but, I, for instance would like to have it since it is "once in a blue moon" that I need the 3rd row (but, I do need it every now and then).

I noticed it... The content is still Journey though. More than likely the host/webmaster of this site has updated the banner for the Caravan Forum, but, added the link for the banner to the coding for the Journey forum instead of the Caravan Forum by mistake. He's probably wondering why the Caravan Forum still has the old banner...

There is another thread in here on towing. The 2012 towing (and the 2013) is 2500 lbs. with the tow package. A 1,000 lb reduction between 2011 and 2012. Don't know the reasons; could be drivetrain, could be chassis changes, could be that they realized that the 3500 lbs was way too much for the DJ and it was leading to mechanical issues so to cover their butts, they reduced the rating. Whatever their reasons, the tow capacity is 2500 lbs. and if you exceed it you void your warranty, become saddled with additional liability in an accident for being over weight and could quite conceivably be a danger to yourself and others sharing the road, not to mention that if it was reduced because 3500 lbs led to drivetrain issues, you could very well be ruining the car. I've been towing RVs for ages and the DJ, despite its looks, is not a tow vehicle. It isn't an SUV, it is a car with some SUV characteristics, thus it is a CUV. Designed to carry people and their luggage. It can tow bicycles on a hitch carrier, a small utility trailer or a small pop-up, a jet ski, even a small boat, but, not an RV in the classical term. Part of the reason the Journey doesn't tow as much as some other makes is the fact that it is bigger and beefier; meaning it is bigger and heavier. That "bigger and heavier" comes right off the towing capability. My 2500 RAM Longhorn is rated to tow less than the ST version of the same truck; why?, because it is optioned out the wazoo and all those options mean I can't carry or tow as much as the same truck without them. Fact of the matter is you can't get something for nothing when talking about towing. The tow package does include the oil cooler, but, not a transmission cooler and with a sealed unit transmission (doesn't even have a dipstick) adding one would be very risky and may, in fact, be why they lowered the tow rating - the transmission can't take towing stress of 3500 lbs. in the dead of summer without additional cooling. The package does include the 4 pin connector which should be sufficient for anything that the DJ can tow...you don't need 7 pin connectors for trailers without brakes and the small trailers that the DJ is rated for don't have brakes. The tow package does not include the receiver or hitch platform, that's why the 4 pin connector isn't installed at the factory; it would just hang down and get damaged, however, the installation, once the receiver is put on is "plug and play" and can be added with a screwdriver to pop off the tail light assembly and plug it in. The instructions are in the bag with the 4 pin connector. To tow the lightweight <2500 lb. trailer it is rated for you shouldn't need anything "extra". I, personally, was surprised when I ordered the tow package (to use my 2 bicycle carrier, not an RV) that the "tow package" didn't include the receiver and hitch, but, then again, I was also surprised that when I ordered the roof rails that they didn't come with the cross bars (come on Chrysler, what gives?). So if you bought your Journey to go RVing, unless you do it in a small popup and don't take a lot with you (remember there is a Combined Gross Vehicle Weight Rating also), you are going to be out of luck... Addendum on the 7 pin connector...if the trailer you are thinking about towing has brakes, it probably is too heavy for the Journey; most states don't require trailer brakes on trailers of 3,000 lbs or less, single axle. If the trailer you want to tow has more than one axle, or trailer brakes, then it is too heavy for the 2012-2013 Journey.

My Pentastar only has ~5800 miles on it right now, but, I have had zero issues with the engine. I was expecting the "Change Oil" to come on at 5K miles for the first change, but, it hasn't lit up yet, so I guess it will go the normal interval before alerting me. The new engines (made in the last decade or so) are so well engineered and manufactured that old guys like me have a hard time getting used to the longer change intervals and the lack of a break-in period. But I digress, to answer your question, no, mine doesn't smoke on heavy accelartion or in using passing gear...surprised me that it hardly "smokes" in the winter at startup.

Ditto... Perfectly happy with my DJ so far. Some things (design points) I don't like, but, I've never owned a "perfect" car, and I need to have the radio TSB done (have some weird things that aren't quite "right", but, it is still very serviceable), but, overall, I'm quite happy with mine. Engine is stable, mechanicals all seem to functioning properly and fit and finish have been superb for the price point of the DJ. To be sure, they (Chrysler) had some initial problems with the engineering in the early models, but, that is "par for the course" for early models from any auto maker. There are problems now showing up in the Ecoboost Fords, the Prius had battery issues, and I remember a brand new Toyota I had in '74 that had to have a new head installed because they made the valve guides too small...that was the first year for the then "new" 2.2 L 4 cylinder. One of the reasons, I personally, wait at least until the third year of production on any new vehicle line or major redesign of an existing line. IMHO, there isn't anything to "sue" for and you would be hard put to show that the entire "class" of DJ owners have been saddled with known defects and that there is a corporate impetus to bury those problems. Dealers not stepping up, sure, but, that isn't a class action for Chrysler. I'm also not a "sue happy" person (not that you are) and I need to have a very good reason to sue a person or company and in my 62 years living, purchasing and using a lot of different stuff and doing a lot of different things, I've never found the need involve a lawyer, who is in business to make money for himself first, client last. There are a few companies I'll never buy from again for various reasons, but, none that I'd ever sue.

If you scroll down the "fitment" column, you find this: DODGE JOURNEY FWD, 2.4L I4 DOHC 16V Dual VVT, 4-Speed Automatic VLP SE 2012, 2013 It (the link) does, in fact, fit the 2012 2.4L 4 cylinder 2012 SE model... I still maintain that the cars, for the US market, come with the brackets. The car has to be "licensable" in all the states, as I mentioned, my 2013 had its bracket in the rear cargo area in a plastic bag with the net cargo holder and the 4 pin plug for the trailer hitch option. Conceivably, they could not include it on cars shipped to a state that doesn't require a front plate, but, with the way the cars are shipped and then "hijacked" by dealer swaps on their way even that doesn't make sense. Years ago, they came from the factory with the front brackets already mounted...it was very recently that they stopped coming "pre-installed" because people like me, didn't want the bracket with no license plate and we didn't want the holes left when taking them off (my '89 Lebaron has those "ugly" holes from when I removed its bracket - ugly!). The dealers "advertising" on the licenses is a frame and not part of the bracket itself; the first thing I remove from new cars along with the name and adress on the paint surface.

Here is a link to the front license plate (factory part) frame: http://www.factorychryslerparts.com/products/LICENSE-PLATE-KIT-MCZ/8670779/68140112AB.html There are several types, even a special model for "export" (I'm guessing it is suitable for the "long" plates used in Europe) and they appear to be fairly "universal" in fit on the all the Journeys....I didn't look at the listings that hard though, so, there may be minor differences in their shape, but, I wouldn't think the curve of the bumper changed much over the years. AFAIK, all MOPAR vehicles come from the factory with the front bracket, they just aren't installed. I live in PA where there is no front license plate, however, every Chrysler product I've bought since we moved here, 22 year ago, came with the bracket. It was never installed, but, was in the back of all the vehicles (including my DJ) in a plastic bag. Chrysler doesn't know where the car will eventually be sold and they ship them "50 States" ready, that means that it should have had the bracket. Whether the dealer lost the original or threw it away, is debatable, but, the car, I'm almost certain, came with one originally.

I've been extremely pleased with the mileage in my '13 R/T also (bear in mind that I went from the Hemi in the Commander to the Pentastar in the DJ). Real average (hand computed) of 21.9 - 22.7 mpg (10.74 - 10.36 L/100 km) "around town" (we live in the boonies - avg speeds on the roads is 40-60 mph, winding, up hill and down hill and "town" consists of a handful of blocks with one stoplight) and as much as 29 mpg (8.11 L/100 km) on the highway to Pittsburgh and back. For the weight of the car, the winding roads and the mountains around here, I certainly can't complain. The EVIC, which I haven't cleared since we bought the car last year (ordered the end of October 2012 and received early December 2012) is showing an "average", to date, of 22.6 mpg (10.41 L/100 km), I'm happy.