Dodge Journey MOT pass rate & common failures
The Dodge Journey appears in 4,822 MOT tests spanning model years 1993–2021, and 70.5% of them passed. Against MPVs of a similar age (25.7% fail rate), the Journey comes out 3.8pp worse. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 18.4% of all tests — 3.1 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, position lamp and rbt (sp) — ball joint alone was recorded 559 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Journey fails 26.8% of the time in the 0-30k band and 30.4% at 150k+, a spread of only 3.6 points.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.0pp more often than petrol ones (29.9% vs 27.9%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 37.1% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Journey model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 241 | 71.8% | 28.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 2,182 | 69.6% | 30.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 2,188 | 70.5% | 29.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 45 | 71.1% | 28.9% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 18.4% | 885 |
| 2 | Suspension | 15.2% | 733 |
| 3 | Brakes | 14.2% | 687 |
| 4 | Steering | 7.1% | 345 |
| 5 | Tyres | 5.1% | 248 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.5% | 218 |
| 7 | Visibility | 4.4% | 211 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.6% | 176 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint | 559 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 418 |
| 3 | Rbt (sp) | 336 |
| 4 | Track rod end | 334 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 293 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 275 |
| 7 | Headlamp aim | 248 |
| 8 | Tread depth | 190 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 37.1% | 1,790 |
| 2 | Brakes | 30.3% | 1,461 |
| 3 | Tyres | 28.7% | 1,384 |
| 4 | Other defects | 13.6% | 657 |
| 5 | Steering | 10.6% | 511 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 9.8% | 474 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 56 | 26.8% |
| 30-60k | 359 | 23.4% |
| 60-90k | 1,379 | 28.2% |
| 90-120k | 1,735 | 30.8% |
| 120-150k | 956 | 31.3% |
| 150k+ | 332 | 30.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 4,022 | 29.9% |
| Petrol | 800 | 27.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,413 | 30.3% |
| 2022 | 1,174 | 28.3% |
| 2023 | 976 | 29.4% |
| 2024 | 745 | 30.3% |
| 2025 | 514 | 29.4% |
What to check before buying a Dodge Journey
- Lighting & signalling (18.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (15.2% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Brakes (14.2% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Dodge Journey?
70.5% of the 4,822 Dodge Journey MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 29.5% fail rate, across model years 1993–2021.
What does the Dodge Journey most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 18.4% of tests, then suspension (15.2%).
How much does mileage affect Journey MOT results?
Fail rates run at 26.8% for cars in the 0-30k band and 30.4% for 150k+, a 3.6-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Journey more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 27.9% of the time against 29.9% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,822 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.