Journeyman425

The transmission itself is OK, but the software has undergone a few revisions since its release. While my Journey was in the bodyshop (for the third time ) I rented a 2015 Chrysler 200 with the 948TE nine speed. Shifted smoother than the 62TE overall and there was a ratio for any speed which kept the engine in its powerband. This tranny is well-suited for a four cylinder engine. The 3.2 and 3.6 have so much power that the extra ratios really aren't entirely necessary, IMO. If the Journey had this transmission it would be a rocket from 0-60, but you'd have to have AWD otherwise the front tires would go up in smoke, or the traction control would be constantly engaging to keep that from happening.

Yes, the grease is for the upper strut bearings. So far that has corrected the problem on all that we have repaired.

Let me guess - upper front strut bearings?

A good, reputable bodyshop will match the paint just right. Mine is Copper Pearl and has been hit three times (another story, see thread "Hit this weekend") Anyway, the last hit was major and required lots of paint. Copper Pearl is very difficult to match, but it does match just as it should. I also have a paint defect in the tailgate door, but because of it's location and size I decided to leave it alone as you don't notice it unless the light is just right or when the gate is open. At the rate I'm going, the car will be hit there also and it will get fixed by default. The second hit was just opposite fo where the blotch is.

This is partially related to my above post. The brake booster stores some vacuum when the engine is off, but it does deplete over time. When you push down on the brake pedal and there is little or no vacuum boost, the pedal won't move very far when depressed with normal pressure. Then, the engine starts, and suddenly there is an ample supply of vacuum pressure in the booster which allows the pedal to move further without increasing the force applied to it. Also a normal condition.

There are times during the engine's operation that the amount of manifold vacuum varies and sometimes when that variation coincides with a depletion of stored vacuum in the brake booster, the pedal will sink and rise during certain brake conditions. This is normal and does not indicate a fault with the brake system.

It's the pulley's bearing that makes the sound. It does not affect anything else. I haven't seen one lock up or come apart yet, nor have any of them made any noises in normal operating conditions, only extreme cold. Not all of them do it, either.

Done deal - see post just before yours!

The maximum tow rating for your 2013 Crew is 2500 lbs. Anything over that is not recommended.

So unnecessary on their part. It's a known issue and they will get paid by the factory to replace the part. as long as you're within the provisions of the basic warranty.

Yes, the sales codes can be added ahead of the actual accessory. I did this for dhh3. His VIN now has AHC even though he has not yet installed the hitch and wiring. One you reconfigure the car, the code stays there regardless of future reconfiguration events. Only if someone were to remove the sales code and then reconfigure the vehicle would the feature be lost. So, if I were to add AHC to your VIN now, and you add remote start before you add the hitch and your dealer reconfigures the car to recognize the remote start, it will pick up the remote start code and the hitch wiring code togerther. Later on when you add the hitch and wiring, it will work because it's already been reconfigured.

AHC enables the power to the trailer harness. It tells the vehicle that the harness is present and energizes the fuse or relay in the TIPM so that there is power in the harness for the trailer lights. AHT signifies that the vehicle was built from the factory with Trailer Tow Prep group.

An input speed sensor can certainly cause all of the issues that you mentioned (except the sunroof leak!) If either of the speed sensors fail, then the transmission goes into "limp mode" or "fail safe" mode as it is also known. Limp mode allows the car to be "limped" into a repair facility at reduced power and speed rather than rendering the vehicle undriveable. Did you mention the sunroof leak while it was there, and if so, what was done to correct it?

No. The Options Report is divided into four groups: Standard features, Options, Special Equipment and Dealer-Installed Options. Sales code AHC appears at the bottom under Dealer-Installed Options. This code is always present in this position on a Journey Options Report since they are never built with hitches and wiring from the factory. Trailer Tow Prep Group sales code is AHT, and if the vehicle was built with it at the factory then that code appears in the Options section.

The sub is actually an 8" dual voice coil driver in its own enclosure. It is capable of high bass output, but my personal belief is that the crossover network in the amp is only directing the lowest frequencies to it. In a good home audio setup where the primary speaker system usually has woofers of 10" diameter or greater, that scenario is ideal. But in a moving car where other, ambient low frequency road sounds can cancel out certain frequencies from the audio system, and where the primary speaker system is a 6x9 driver, the sub should have a broader range of the low frequency spectrum assigned to it. Here's a link to the setup which was issued by Alpine when the system debuted in 2011: http://www.experiencealpine.com/dodge/

Panasonic is the manufacturer/supplier of these units. There's an awful lot of these units in the pipeline. Recent replacement units seem to be fairing better. Once most of the bad ones filter out of the initial supplies, then failure incidences should drop. And yes, the warranty expenses to both Panasonic and especially Chrysler are high.

You'll be getting a new radio. It's a common problem with the navigation radios and replacement of the unit is the repair for it.

My hitch had a bracket to the left of the receiver which would only accommodate a seven-way round plug. We whizzed it off in the shop after installing the hitch and painted the weld points black so you don't notice where it was. The bracket made the hitch look uglier than it is already ( I personally dislike the look of the hitch, but I need it). I just tuck the four-way flat under the fascia when it's not in use.

Not a chance! I do all the sales code updates at my home. There is never any time for me to visit this forum during the day while I'm at work.

Unfortunately you cannot check codes on your DJ without a scan tool. Your van would display codes if you cycled the key on and off three times, leaving it on the third time (assuming it was a Chrysler product, of course) Have your DJ checked out at your dealer as soon as possible. It should never surge or idle erratically. Your engine light is on due to this issue, and it will likely occur again. If the light is not flashing and your dealership is reasonably close, you can drive it there. Otherwise, you may call Roadside Assistance and it will be towed to the nearest dealer at no charge to you.

No brake issues with current models. Brakes were significantly upgraded in 2013 and eliminated most premature wear and vibration issues. If it has been sitting awhile in damp conditions then you may be hearing trace corrosion being swept off the rotor when the brake is applied. That would occur on the first few brake applications and then stop altogether until the corrosion has had time to re-form. Have it checked soon if it persists. If it grinds all the time, something is wrong and will be repaired under warranty.

Done deal. Now just return the car to your dealer for the reconfiguration and you'll be all set.

The wiring should be connected to the HVAC module. My understanding is that the harness which connects to the sun sensor on an Auto Headlamp-equipped Journey is there, but simply secured to the steering column behind the dash. I'm not sure if they will work unless connected to a sun sensor. See what happens after the flash. If they don't work then you'll have to add the sun sensor and connect the wiring to it as described in the STAR case I posted on the first page of this thread.

I'll add your code. Reconfiguration takes less than 15 minutes to do, provided the dealership's internet bandwith is sufficient and stable (sometimes, if the connection glitches you have to start over). I think I still have your VIN in a previous PM. Found your VIN and added code AHC. Once your reconfiguration is done then the wiring will be live.

68080976AC is the part number for the wiring which is supplied in the vehicle when Trailer Tow Prep is ordered from the factory. The factory supplies the harness in a bag along with the floor mats, wheel caps, cargo net and the front license plate bracket if your state requires a front plate. Re your last question: Hitch, the above wiring, and sales code/flash and yes you are good to go. That is exactly all that I needed to tow my pop-up camper and it works seamlessly. The car handles the camper very, very well. I'm sorry that you've had so much difficulty getting this sorted out. With the correct information, it's really quite a simple affair. I watched my Journey get prepped while I worked - the tech I assigned the job to has his work station directly across from my office. Took him less time to bolt up the hitch and connect the wiring than it does to replace the spark plugs on a Hemi V8. Hopefully from this point forward you'll have no further issues!