Journeyman425

These documents never copy and paste well, sorry if it looks a bit cryptic. Looks like your Journey is due in to 495 CJD on or about March 3rd. Please bear in mind that mine was due in at my store on May10th but it did not come until the 15th, and then a couple of days to prep, install the hitch and clean for delivery. I took delivery on the 18th. Mine also moved out of Toluca during the spring so the weather was clear. Given the kind of winter we're having, there may be weather delays but let's hope not! Anyway, here's the info: Vehicle Shipment Status and History Creation Date: 02-12-2014 09:59 PM EST Vehicle Status Vehicle Movement Vehicle Status and Information Vehicle Information Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): 3C4PDCBG1ET226928 Order Number (VON): 30644161 Sold Order: Yes Vehicle Status Current Location: Tracomex Yard Toluca, EM Bay Information: TRAC1 Build Code: Plant Release (KZ), 02/11/2014 Dealer Delivery ETA: 03/03/2014 *ETA is an estimated date for delivery, not a promise or guarantee. Actual delivery may vary. Vehicle Distribution Information Origin Assembly Plant: Toluca Assembly, EM Origin Shipping Location: Toluca Assembly, EM Distribution Center: East Brookfield, MA Vehicle Description Year: 2014 Make: Dodge Model: JOURNEY Color: Pearl White Tri-coat Dealer Information Dealer Code: 60393 Address: 495 Chrysler Jeep Dodge, Inc. 724 Rogers ST Lowell, MA 018524338 Vehicle Movement Information Route Movements Event Date Location Completed .. Adv Shp Notice - Pre-release 01/22/2014 06:48 AM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. Adv Shp Notice - Pre-release 01/22/2014 06:48 AM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. Scheduled for Build (D1) 01/24/2014 07:08 AM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. Bay Location Update 02/10/2014 12:36 PM CST N/A .. Built - Pending Inspection (I) 02/10/2014 12:47 PM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. Vehicle Built (J) 02/10/2014 01:27 PM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. Vehicle Built (J) 02/10/2014 01:27 PM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. Vehicle Built (J) 02/10/2014 01:27 PM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. Vehicle Built (J) 02/10/2014 01:27 PM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. Vehicle Built (J) 02/10/2014 01:27 PM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. Ship To Storage (JS) 02/10/2014 01:35 PM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. Ship To Storage (JS) 02/10/2014 01:35 PM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. Ship To Storage (JS) 02/10/2014 01:35 PM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. Ship To Storage (JS) 02/10/2014 01:35 PM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. Ship To Storage (JS) 02/10/2014 01:35 PM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. Ship To Storage (JS) 02/10/2014 01:35 PM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. Ship To Storage (JS) 02/10/2014 01:35 PM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. In Bay At Facility 02/10/2014 01:36 PM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. Departed Facility 02/10/2014 01:58 PM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. In Bay At Facility 02/10/2014 02:11 PM CST Tracomex Yard Toluca, EM .. Picked Up For Shuttle 02/11/2014 07:01 AM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. Shuttled to Facility 02/11/2014 11:59 AM CST Tracomex Yard Toluca, EM Current .. Plant Release (KZ) 02/11/2014 06:56 PM CST Toluca Assembly, EM Future .. Loaded On Railcar 02/14/2014 04:56 PM CST Toluca Assembly, EM .. Railcar - Interchanged 02/17/2014 10:56 PM CST Laredo, TX .. Railcar - Interchanged 02/20/2014 09:56 AM CST East Saint Louis, IL .. Railcar - Interchanged 02/21/2014 01:56 PM CST East Saint Louis, IL .. Railcar Placed at Destination Facility 02/26/2014 06:56 PM CST East Brookfield, MA .. Unloaded From Railcar 02/26/2014 11:56 PM CST East Brookfield, MA .. Vehicle Delivered to Dealer 03/02/2014 11:01 PM CST 495 Chrysler Jeep Dodge, Inc. Lowell, MA

If you post your VON or the last eight of the VIN, I can give you some detailed status updates.

Mine makes the sound that a power steering pump makes when its very low on fluid - just for a brief 1-2 seconds and only when it's super cold, like low teens or single digits and on first morning start up. I consider that to be normal operation in those kinds of temps. Fluid viscosities are very high when the temps are that cold and it takes longer for things to start flowing. No worries.

iPhone 5 does not work either.

RTman - what kind of phone do you have? I have an iPhone 4S and apparently it does not support "Voice Text Reply over Bluetooth". I will check my son's iPhone 5 and see if it works. I'll let you know. Again, my apologies for misinforming you in my earlier posts.

If one of my customers just bought a 2014 vehicle from us and requested the DRL be activated, we would do so at no charge. It takes 15 minutes to do at best, often less. You might ask your salesperson to intervene on your behalf, or introduce yourself to the service manager and request that it be done as part of the sale. You were likely quoted by the service advisor at the service desk who may not know that you just bought the car from them.

From the Chicao Auto Show: http://www.autoblog.com/2014/02/06/2014-dodge-journey-crossroad-chicago-2014/ I think the tire size is 255/60/19 - can just barely make it out in one of the photos.

8.4A is embedded with Uconnect Access (hence the "A" designation) which is a series of features similar to GM's OnStar - there is a button in the rearview mirror of a 8.4A equipped vehicle which will call 911 or Roadside assistance via the interface with the radio. When you register for Uconnect Access, you receive an app for your smartphone which then allows you to remote start, remote door lock/unlock, receive vehicle theft alarm messages, and voice message dictation via your phone. Other Uconnect access features include the Bing search engine, SRT Performance Pages and the ability to turn your radio into a WiFi hotspot. I made a critical error in my statement about text message support. Nowhere in my dealer literature is there a discussion about text messaging via the radio. It only discusses Voice Texting, which as I mentioned above, is only available with the 8.4A/AN radio. Voice texting allows you to dictate to the VR system in the car, and then it translates that into text messages which are then sent by your phone via the bluetooth system. As air1rfc so eloquently demonstrated (and I thank you for that) you can indeed text with certain phones. I've never seen it work in any of my customers' cars (presumably because nearly all of them have smartphones) and just as he pointed out, it does not work with the iPhones, of which all four of my family members have. I have the Owner's Manual downloaded on my desktop as a PDF - I put it there when I ordered the car and read through it over the six weeks that it took to build it and deliver it to my shop. This version does not discuss the radio functions in detail. The Owner's Guide which is supplied with the car does. I stand corrected by air1rfc and by the book: Voice Text Reply - Uconnect Phone can read or send new text messages on your mobile phone. your mobile phone must support Voice Text Reply over Bluetooth in order to use this feature. If not compatible, the "Messaging" button will be greyed out... I'm truly sorry for the misinformation, guys. As of now, Uconnect access is available on these models: http://www.driveuconnect.com/features/uconnect_access/packages/

It frustrates me, too - and I work for a dealer. Educating the personnel is extremely important, and also extraordinarily time-consuming. Dealer employees at nearly every level have multiple online courses to take every year, and our techs are sent away for training several times per year just to stay current. But the other side of the story is the dizzying array of features and options that today's cars are crammed with. These features and options often change not only with each passing model year, but sometimes in mid-cycle as well. I'm not defending the people who don't spend the time to learn, nor am I making excuses for them, but trust me when I tell you that it is a truly daunting task to keep it all straight and current. One of the reasons why I participate in this forum is that it helps me to learn things by researching your questions. I agree that the "messaging" button should not be there if the feature is not present or even available. Jkeaton - your 4.3 can be upgraded to Uconnect and that's why the message comes up on the welcome screen. But the 8.4 and 8.4N cannot be upgraded to Uconnect Access which supports voice texting, so the grayed out "message" softkey really has not place on this unit at all. My understanding is that Uconnect Access is embedded in the 8.4A and 8.4AN radios which are otherwise identical to the 8.4 and 8.4N and so removing the grayed out key would likely be a large corporate expense in the overall picture.

Here is a discussion of the AWD system from the service manual, which I found to be quite interesting and informative: The all-wheel-drive system requires no driver input or control. Under most driving conditions, it is passive and power is transmitted to the front wheels alone. The system functions to optimize traction and handling under the following conditions: Anticipates slip by responding to pedal position unlike all-wheel drive systems that rely on pumps or viscous fluids to transfer torque, the system requires no front-to-rear slippage for activation. This allows the system to transfer torque in response to accelerator pedal position. If the driver is asking for a lot of power, the system immediately starts clamping the Electronically Controlled Coupling (ECC), transferring a high percentage of power to the rear wheels. This avoids front wheel slippage, as power to propel the car is transmitted through all four tires. This mode of operation is called open-loop operation in that there is no feedback to affect the torque transfer. Modulates torque to optimize traction on slippery surfaces a second, closed loop, operating mode uses feedback from the wheel-speed sensors to determine the appropriate torque transfer. When the front wheels slip, the all-wheel-drive electronic control module tells the ECC to start clamping, sending power to the rear wheels. Attempting the same aggressive launch described above with the front wheels on ice and the rear wheels on dry pavement, the ECC sends even more torque to the rear wheels to minimize slippage and launch the vehicle. Both modes are always active and the maximum of the two is chosen. Power to the rear wheels is modulated during lost of traction while traveling at freeway speeds; for example, hydroplaning on a puddle of water, will send very little power to the rear wheels because the controller knows at those speeds a lot of power is not needed at the rear wheels. Prevents binding during low-speed turns a third condition, which is independent of the others, uses the ESP steering angle sensor to determine when the vehicle is turning in a tight circle. This condition causes the electronic control module to reduce torque to the rear wheels to prevent binding in the driveline. The electronic control module is always checking for this condition as well. Influences handling at moderate speeds. The AWD system is used to influence vehicle dynamics. Other manufacturers limit AWD to aiding traction or providing off-road capability. They concentrate on launching the vehicle or going off road at speeds up to about 25 mph (40 km/hr). Above that speed range, they use it to limit wheel slip for traction. Additional ECM calibration controls torque to the rear wheels for improved handling in the 25-65 mph (40-105 km/hr) range. In this speed range, the system utilizes torque to the rear wheels during cornering with the throttle open to make the car turn more easily – make the handling more neutral. This is more readily accomplished with an electronically controlled system, than with viscous-coupling or gerotor systems that require some degree of front-to-rear slip to transfer torque to the rear wheels. Above 53 mph (113 km/hr), the control strategy provides minimal torque to the rear wheels under normal driving conditions to aid fuel economy. Works with ESP and Traction Control the electronic control module also interfaces with the ESP and traction control systems. The interface allows the ESP system to use the ECC to help gain control of the vehicle. For this purpose, torque transmitted to the rear wheels by the ECC can be reduced. The AWD system is not traction control. It only works on situations where front-torear traction varies, for instance, front wheels on ice, rear wheels on dry pavement or climbing steep grades. AWD does not aid side-to-side traction. ESP does that through brake intervention. 2) Spillage on the seats - Mopar makes a product called "Total Clean" which is very effective on the interior. Not sure if it will hasten removing spillage from the perforations in the seats, but that should not be an issue unless the substance is something like milk which will reek if left unattended! 3) Your best bet is to call Sirius directly and ask if you can renew Travel Link only. I suspect that it is not available separately, but they *should* be able to tell you. It might take a couple of calls; their knowledge varies widely with the person you happen to connect with... 4) I have never had the blind spot mirrors on my car. If possible, park another vehicle alongside your Journey on the passenger side in the driveway and orient it in the blind spot when you park it. Have someone move the mirror about on the glass while you sit in the driver's seat until you have the best view before you permanently adhere it to the glass. 5) I'll get back to you on this one! I *think* you can only play music but honestly, I've not tried a photo card in the slot to see what happens. You can play movies and photo cd's in the CD drive, but only if the gearshift lever is in Park. Congratulations on your purchase. What a great first family car! They borrowed a few pages from the Grand Caravan playbook with the kid-friendly attention to detail for sure. We have two boys and this car is quite perfect for us. The storage and use of space is very well thought out and its utility belies the vehicle's size. Best of luck with yours and welcome to the forum!

Text messaging is not supported by the 8.4 / 8.4N radios in the Journey. Only Chrysler products equipped with the 8.4A / 8.4AN radio supports text messages. Update - this is incorrect - see my post below!

The power steering system in the Journey is still a belt driven hydraulic pump. Electric power steering is standard on the new Cherokee with the 3.2 V6. The gear was substantially revised a couple of years ago and virtually all internal friction was removed, which makes it feel more like an electric setup. I agree about the relative lack of feedback. My 300M provides much more communication to the driver about what the front tires are doing. Makes for more confident snow driving for sure - my wife commented about it also. I love the smoothness of the Journey's steering and the quickness of its response, but it does lack some feedback. In NY, "winter blend" fuels are used to lower cold engine emissions. Are such fuels used in Canada? Between that, the inherent drop in fuel economy from higher friction, thicker oil, richer fuel mixtures and the tendency to remote start and warm the vehicle up, our fuel economy average is off by about 4-5 MPG. Re-evaluate it six months from now for a better overall picture.

Amen to that!

We took a 2010 SXT in on trade yesterday, with only 38000 miles on it. Very tempting...but for now we are a one Journey family. Before the Journey, my wife and I both had 300M's - a '99 and a 2000. Still have them both but the '99 is sitting at my shop, off the road, awaiting a certain 15 year old's driver's license...

Sorry to hear about the troubles with your Journey. Ours is a 2013 with 13,000 miles and has been perfect. Everything works as it should, the fit and finish are first-rate and there's not a rattle or squeak to be heard anywhere. Same story for my 2000 300M. Owned since new, mileage is now 288,000. Engine and tranny are original, as are drive axles, starter, alternator, power steering pump, A/C compressor, wheel bearings, etc. Replaced the radiator 100K miles ago, A/C evaporator, one radiator fan motor (there are two), one brake line, one upstream O2 sensor, and the battery. I replaced the struts at 158K miles because the ride was not as firm and controlled as it used to be. Also replaced inner and outer tie rod ends recently due to wear. The suspension component replacements are commensurate with the mileage on the car. In all of those miles, it has only failed to start once, and that is when the battery shorted out. Everything on the car still works except the driver's seat heater. Maybe look again at Chrysler products before you give up, Robert.

I think I have to agree at this point, Debra, that Lemon Law is the next logical step. No one is resolving your problem. Each repair attempt not only fails, but creates additional problems. I am truly sorry - I know how much you want to love this car but cannot. Make them buy it back and replace it with one that you can. Your case appears to be well-documented and should be upheld by the Lemon Laws in your state.

Good to know! My wife pegged a curb with the driver's side front wheel and gouged the edge a bit.

Sounds like they have opened a STAR case. That is when the tech contacts Chrysler online via our TechConnect website or by telephone and reports their codes and diagnosis to the tech support teams that help us with unconventional issues.

Working for a dealer, I can see that information as well, plus some additional detail. I followed my Journey as it switched from railcar to railcar along the way from Mexico to NY. I could also see that it was unloaded in New Jersey and sat there for a week before it was loaded onto a transport to bring it to my store which really ticked me off! It is a lot of fun tracking the progress of your new car as it goes from paper to pavement.

My father was the same way. He rarely bought off the lot - the car he wanted was never to be found! One of the more memorable ones was his 1976 Mercury Colony Park wagon. He ordered that car specifically to tow our 31' Airstream. The trailer towing package included not only the 460 V8 and heavy duty cooling, but four wheel disc brakes (unheard of in a domestic wagon back then), factory dual exhaust, and air adjustable shocks with a schrader valve built into the rear bumper so you could pump them up to level out the car. Half of my high school class would also fit handily in it as well...

The 3.6 is indeed a more powerful and refined engine than the 3.5. My 300M is equipped with a 3.5 and the 42LE four speed automatic which is a durable, smooth shifting transmission but it is not very efficient at transmiitting power. There are large power losses between the flywheel and the drive wheels. The engine is powerful but a bit coarse. The 3.6/62TE combo in the 300M would make the car a world beater! I have driven the 3.2/948TE Cherokee and it is very impressive. The engine is always in its optimal power band - there is a ratio for any vehicle speed. The extra ratios more than make up for the smaller displacement and reduced power of the 3.2 - which isn't much, by the way. Power is down to 271 HP vs. 283, torque is 239 lb-ft vs 260.

That drives me crazy also. The shift schedule is programmed much like the current Town & Country/Grand Caravan which is equipped with an "econ" switch. Engaging the "econ" mode creates a shift schedule in which the tranny gets into the highest gears as quickly as possible to maximize fuel economy. If you defeat the econ mode, the RPMs are allowed to climb and the lower gears hang a little longer for improved driveability. Grand Cherokees have it too, as well as a Sport mode which really lets the engine wind out. I wish the Journey were equipped with this feature, and given the sportier nature of this vehicle, I'm surprised that it doesn't have it. The only way to get around it is to Autostick.

More info: http://www.autoblog.com/2014/01/31/dodge-journey-crossroad-chicago-auto-show/

Thank you for a factual and informative reply ( as usual from you, Webslave!) Nice to know that the info that I was given about switching to chrome cladding may have more to do with the facts that you presented vs. bean counting. Interesting stuff that I really had no idea about. Thanks! We've owned our Journey for eight months. I have found the wheels very easy to clean, and when they are cleaned and waxed, they draw a lot of praise. I think they look beautiful. Yeah, it sounds cheap when you tap your knuckles on the plastic, but in this case, so what? No one's knockin' on your spokes as you ease on down the road...

http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php/2014/01/journey-crossroad-launched