Before anyone goes near that battery
Getting to it can mean raising the car. Never work on a car held up only by a jack. If the battery is swollen, leaking or smells of rotten egg, don't jump-start it, and call a mechanic or roadside assistance.
Where the Journey battery is
The owner's manual says it's "between the left front headlight assembly and the left front wheel splash shield". On our right-hand-drive cars, that's the front passenger side. CarsGuide says the same for a 2013 Journey: behind the corner of the front bumper, reached from inside the wheel arch.
Sources differ on how much comes apart. CarsGuide says to raise the car, take off the front passenger-side wheel and pull back the plastic inner guard. A 2010 manual says the wheel can stay on: turn the steering fully right and take off an access panel in the inner guard. That's a good reason to let the mechanic sort it out for your year.
Jump-starting a Journey
You don't touch the battery itself. The manuals put remote battery posts on the left side of the engine bay. CarsGuide places them near the front-left suspension tower, with the positive under a small red plastic cap with a plus on it.
Follow the jump-start steps in your manual, in order. If the car's on a busy road, get everyone away from the traffic with hazard lights on, and call roadside assistance if you have it. If anyone's hurt or in danger, call 000.
Getting the right battery fitted
Tell the mechanic your Journey's year and engine, and have them test the battery and charging system first. A flat battery doesn't always mean a dead one, and a weak alternator will flatten a new one quickly.
Ask what's being fitted and what the warranty on it is, and have it written on the invoice. A mobile mechanic may be able to do it where the car's parked, but ask first, given how it's reached. More on the job itself in car battery replacement.
Dodge in Australia, and dealer service
Dodge came back to Australia in 2006 with the Caliber, then the Nitro, Avenger and Journey, and the brand was discontinued here after 2016. So a Dodge dealer service isn't a given any more. Ring ahead if you want a dealer, or use an independent mechanic who knows the model.
A Ram isn't a Dodge any more: Ram split off as its own brand in 2011. And the Fiat Freemont is the Journey under another badge, so its owners can start with the same questions.
Worldwide, the Journey came with a 2.4-litre four, a 2.7-litre or 3.6-litre V6, or a 2.0-litre Volkswagen-sourced diesel, depending on market and year. Check which one's in yours, because it decides the parts.
Servicing a Dodge and any warranty left
Follow the schedule in your owner's manual. RACV's general rule is a minor service every 10,000 km to 15,000 km or 12 months, but it points to your maker's schedule first.
If any new car warranty is left on yours, servicing by a qualified independent mechanic, to Dodge's schedule and specifications, doesn't by itself void it. Tell us the model, year and engine. A local mechanic who specialises in your car.
What you can do on your Journey
You can
- Find the battery and jump-starting pages in your owner's manual.
- Check for lights left on or a door not fully shut.
- Lift the red cap and check the remote post is clean.
Leave to the mechanic
- Raising the car and getting to the battery.
- Testing the battery and alternator.
- Fitting the right battery and checking it charges.
If it were our Journey
We'd jump it from the engine bay posts, drive straight to a mechanic, and have the battery and alternator tested before buying a new one. We wouldn't take the wheel arch apart at home. We'd ask for the battery type and warranty on the invoice, and check the service history while the car's there.