2012 Dodge Journey SE - Total shut down while driving

[eneusiis]

Today, my wife was driving her Journey, while driving down the road at 30mph-ish, the dash lost power and engine shut off while transmission was in "D"/Drive.  She was able to get it to the side of the road and thankfully was not at a busy intersection.  I am reading this is a rather "ghost" of a problem from 2010 to current model year.  

 

Specs: 

• Last 4 of vin: 7925
• Year: 2012
• Model: SE
• Mileage: 115,000
• Engine:  2.4L 
• Regular routine maintenance
• 1 owner since new

 

The car has been pretty flawless since owning it.  I was thinking maybe the fuel pump, not supplying the right amount of pressure the engine demanded, but I just put it through its paces and it performed flawlessly.  My concern is that it is actually electrical.  About a year ago, sometimes the radio would not function properly, such as the power button would not turn on the radio.  Also, the climate control, would automatically turn on after a manual shut down from the dash.   I pulled the negative terminal on the battery to reset the system a few times, but wondering if it is somehow linked.  

 

Symptoms: 

• Loss of all power while driving
• Engine shut off
• No power to dash
• Place transmission back in park, press the start key with foot on the brake and car started back up fine
• I cannot duplicate it
• There were NO lights (check engine/malfunction indicator lamp/light)
• There were NO codes to pull

 

I am kind of at a loss, I have a panic stricken wife, that doesn't want to drive it and I don't blame her and she will use this as an excuse to finally sell it and buy a minivan (which I am okay, with but want a few more years out of it). Any pointers?  I can't find a bulletin, recall or anything other than similar scenarios in random forums and web searches.  

 

The dealer will not look at it without conditions existing since they can't trouble shoot it.  Any help would be greatly appreciated, I would love for a dealer to be able to just find the smoking gun to make my wife feel okay, I don't want a car payment lol. 

 

Thanks, 

Eric 

Edited December 9, 2020 by eneusiis

[John/Horace]

My daughter in laws 2012 with the 2.4 engine did the same thing recently.

CPS crank position sensor can do random no starts and make a running vehicle stall

Not expensive or hard to change. Doesn’t always store a code when signal lost.

Use the oem part it’s close to aftermarket price and this is a critical part.

[eneusiis]

Update....this morning my wife ran to the grocery store and the car is sitting dead as a door nail. Absolutely no power no lights if you open the door nothing lights up and key fob is unresponsive as well.  Tow truck on its way..... 

 

battery is two years old,  but it’s like the ECU just fried.

[eneusiis]

Hooked a jumper pack to it, Alternator was ALL over the place, so at a minimum the Alternator is toast, which is about expected given 8 years old and 100K miles. 

 

[John/Horace]

You could have more than one problem. ECU doesn’t run main power feed as far as I know. 
 Battery could be gone again if alternator weak.  There is a large fuse for alternator output as well.

Push button start has a fuse in passenger kick panel, it blows easily. Check if no start after power is back.

[John/Horace]

I would still change the $30 cps sensor after you fix big electrical problem.

[eneusiis]

Well the dealership went to start it and it was dead to the world as it was in the parking lot.  They waited a day due to its place in line and it magically all worked, no codes and ran like a top and told me they couldn’t do anything because it was running fine.  They drove it for a while without issue.

 

so,  I pick it up and decide for good measure I am replacing the crank desire myself and the alternator and drive it home without issue 20 miles.  
 

I replace the crank sensor and take it for a drive.  No issues occur until I pull into the same grocery store and pull into my parking spot, put it in park and hit the start button to stop it and all power goes out....... it now sits in the parking lot dead.  I will be going back to pick it up in the am and get it home to replace the alternator. 
 

I hope to god it’s the alternator 

[eneusiis]

Just before this happened I changed the thermostat housing . I disconnected the battery negative and put it back on but wonder if that is causing a potential issue if it’s not tight.  I will have to verify that when I get it home.  I know I got it right on the nut but wonder if it is getting a poor connection.  That may explain the power  being non existent and then full power all of a sudden days later. If it was the alternator it would kill the battery.

[eneusiis]

Well walked over to the car it sat overnight. Turned right on, key fob worked and drove it home just fine. No codes thrown. I am at a fucking loss...........

[OhareFred]

Perplexing.  I know not much help but your not the only one scratching their head.

 

I’d start at the battery, clean and tighten the connections   I know it’s a bit of a PIA, but not as bad as changing the plugs.  Then check the connections at the power supply box.  Maybe swap the starter relay and see what happens.

[2late4u]

had an old (89) dodge truck that started with problems like you described and i replaced the starter thinking it was the ,solenoid but it didnt help sometimes it would start and others it wouldn't so i took it into the dealership and they said yes its the starter i told them hey thats a new one but they said  no its the starter is bad so i let them install theirs and i also got mine back and got a refund at the part store, got my truck back worked great for a day or so then wouldn't start, they towed it back in and kept it for almost a week so they could try starting it during the had it but it would started every time so they called me to come get it and when i went to start it nothing so i hollered at the mechanic and service manger they looked at it and then a different mech walked by and seen them scratching their heads and talking he reached in  and started messing with a small black box like module and said this is what is bad, they went and got another one hooked it up and it started and they said well that part cost me about $8. of course the starter and other stuff run me about $200, and never had any more trouble with it not starting,,, just a simple small part making a bad connection or starting to go bad

[eneusiis]

Well...coming full circle on this bastard.  The winner is......loose negative battery terminal.  I tightened it just before this started happening when I did some work, but it was not tight in the stud came off with no force. 
 

probably would have caught it earlier if the damn engineers didn’t but the bastard battery in the freaking wheel well. Completely explains why there was no code thrown.