Replacing Rotors

[speedair01]

We have a 2011 Journey. The wife took the kids on Friday to Cape Breton to visit the family while i stayed home as i was on call for work. She got about 2.5-3 hrs into her trip when the truck starting vibrating and shaking badly on the highway...and was way worse when she used the breaks. To the point she could barely hold onto the wheele. Needless to say she was extremily upset and our four kids were in the truck at the time. That crap IS NOT cool. Purchased July of 2011 and the truck is just shy of 28,000 km. The vehicle is stuck in Sydney now at the dealer (still waiting to hear from them) regarding the problem but i know its the discs warpped and possibly sticky calippers. Those two things alone would create the violent shaking if she was on the brakes or not). I already called Chrysler Canada to file a complaint right away and have my case# ready to go. I can foresee the B.S. on the phone now when the dealer calls. Apparently its going to take a family to loose control and go off the road before something is done! The family came home in a rental so now i am out of pocket for that. I wont be out of pocket for new brakes. The longer they sit on it to make a decision, the less likely i will be fourthcomming at sucking up the rental expence myself. Fix my truck so my family is safe! This could have ended very badly not just for my wife and four kids...but for Chrysler Canada as well.

For the mods and people who may be able to communicate info to upper people in Chrysler...i have a few things to pass along!

1.) My wife and kids were on board when this occured and she litterally had to pull over for 20 minutes to collect herself she was so upset. She ALMOST lost control of the vehicle when she went to slow down, not to mention the shudders and shaking while driving. THIS is dangerous and you know it!!! I suggest the problem with the brakes is rectified before someone dies in a serious accident. Knowing of this problem and NOT attempting to fix it is negligence! Are you waiting for someone to be killed? Keep that in mind!

2.)This is my 3rd Dodge since 1999. My first one was a used 97 Neon. NEVER once had any issues with it and had it for 6.5 yrs...just regular maint and cost me about $8k to buy. My second Dodge was a new 2006 SX 2.0 which i still have and has 245,000 km on it. Replaced the brakes twice and im STILL on my original clutch. Other than timing belt, tires and oil changes...thats all i have replaced on her and she runs smooth...STILL! My SX i bought for around $12k or so. Finally my 2011 Journey has just shy of 28,000 km on it and my brakes are SCREWED apparently! I baught this dodge for $34k. So i make a jump to a more expensive vehicle and this happens? Moral of the story...more expensive means less quality which is DANGEROUS! If you want customers to keep buying the $30k and up vehicles, then i suggest the engineering efforst in ALL the parts need to be brought up some.

I will post what happens after i speak to the dealership as to what they plan on doing for me.

[buffy340]

I had my rotors replaced around 20k miles and the dealer supposedly did some kind of caliper "fix" I am now brake pulsing again at 46K miles.

This is the first vehicle Ive owned since my 1974 Dodge Power Wagon and my ex wifes 2008 Caliber (that I didnt drive) that Ive had to replace rotors.

[buffy340]

I am pleased to report as I also did in my radiator thread that my local dealer and Chrysler have stepped up on my braking issue. I just got back from the dealer and all is going to be taken care of.

Bravo Chrysler,

Buffy

[shifa]

Paid over $1000 to replace all rotors + pads at 24k. Currently at 44k and have had pulsing since early 40k. God, why Jouney is such a nice SUV and the brakes suck so bad?

[Journey_SeXT]

You really need to go on youtube and learn how to replace the brakes on your own.

[Mcgusto82]

Woow! 1k$ for a brake job??? That's about 800$ too much!

The day I need to do my rotors, I think I'm going to do the '13+ brake upgrade.

[mberthia]

^{Does anyone know the torque specs for the caliper mounting bolts and the caliper slides on the front? I plan to change the rotors myself.}

^{2011 Journey Crew}

^Thanks

[benny50]

I had a Journey 2011 R/T also , had to replace brakes after only 18,000 km. Then I went and purcheased a 2012 Journey R/T in which they increased the size of the rotors by an 1 inch and made the front calipers, dual calipers . I now have just had to do brake work on it after I had put 90,000 km on it . Big difference , I have had no problems with my brakes what so ever with my new Journey. Just keep one thing in mind , if you have a chance take off your rotors even if they don't need changing because at factory they put no anti sieze what so ever behind them. So you will want to do this as soon as possible because it is a nightmare getting the old rotors off if you don't put some kind of lubricant behind the rotors.

Now the tires on these Journeys are a nightmare , but that's another topic Good luck

P.S. Until you upgrade your entire braking system your problem might never stop. Dodge sure blew this one

[aukfan33]

You have the option of upgrading the brakes. In this same forum check out Successful BIG BRAKE upgrade on 2011 Crew. When I owned a early 2012 (before they changed the brakes to a larger system) I used this to upgrade the fronts to bigger rotors/pads.