2020 DODGE JOURNEY service

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 107
(Continued)
(Continued)
ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM — OBD II
Your vehicle is equipped with a sophisticated
Onboard Diagnostic system called OBD II.
This system monitors the performance of the
e m

issions, engine, and transmission control
systems. When these systems are operating
properly, your vehicle will provide excellent
performance and fuel economy, as well as
engine emissions well within current
government regulations.
If any of these systems require service, the OBD
I I

system will turn on the Malfunction Indicator
Light (MIL). It will also store diagnostic codes
and other information to assist your service
technician in making repairs. Although your
vehicle will usually be drivable and not need
towing, see an authorized dealer for service as
soon as possible.
ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM
(OBD II) C
YBERSECURITY
Your vehicle is required to have an Onboard
Diagnostic system (OBD II) and a connection
port to allow access to information related to
the performance of your emissions controls.
Authorized service technicians may need to
access this information to assist with the
diagnosis and service of your vehicle and
emissions system.
For further information, refer to “Cybersecurity”
in

“Multimedia”.
CAUTION!
Prolonged driving with the MIL on could
cause further damage to the emission
control system. It could also affect fuel
economy and driveability. The vehicle must
be serviced before any emissions tests can
be performed.
If the MIL is flashing while the vehicle is
running, severe catalytic converter damage
and power loss will soon occur. Immediate
service is required.
WARNING!
ONLY an authorized service technician
should connect equipment to the OBD II
connection port in order to read the VIN,
diagnose, or service your vehicle.
CAUTION! (Continued)
If unauthorized equipment is connected to
the OBD II connection port, such as a
driver-behavior tracking device, it may:
Be possible that vehicle systems,
including safety related systems, could
be impaired or a loss of vehicle control
could occur that may result in an acci
-
dent involving serious injury or death.
Access, or allow others to access, infor -
mation stored in your vehicle systems,
i n

cluding personal information.
Be possible that vehicle systems,
including safety related systems, could
be impaired or a loss of vehicle control
could occur that may result in an acci -
dent involving serious injury or death.
Access, or allow others to access, infor -
mation stored in your vehicle systems,
i n

cluding personal information.
WARNING! (Continued)
3

108 GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
EMISSIONS INSPECTION AND
MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS
In some localities, it may be a legal requirement
to pass an inspection of your vehicle's
emissions control system. Failure to pass could
prevent vehicle registration.
For states that require an Inspection
a
nd Maintenance (I/M), this check
v e

rifies the “Malfunction Indicator
Light (MIL)” is functioning and is not
on when the engine is running, and that the
OBD II system is ready for testing.
Normally, the OBD II system will be ready. The
OB
D II system may not be ready if your vehicle
was recently serviced, recently had a depleted
battery or a battery replacement. If the OBD II
system should be determined not ready for the
I/M test, your vehicle may fail the test. Your vehicle has a simple ignition actuated test,
w
h

ich you can use prior to going to the test
station. To check if your vehicle's OBD II system
is ready, you must do the following:

1. Cycle the ignition switch to the ON position, b
ut do not crank or start the engine.

NOTE:
If you crank or start the engine, you will have to
s t

art this test over.
2. A s soon as you cycle the ignition switch to
t
he ON position, you will see the
“Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)” symbol
come on as part of a normal bulb check.
3. Approximately 15 seconds later, one of two t
hings will happen:
The MIL will flash for about 10 seconds
and then return to being fully illuminated
until you turn OFF the ignition or start the
engine. This means that your vehicle's
OBD II system is not ready and you
should not proceed to the I/M station.
The MIL will not flash at all and will
remain fully illuminated until you place
the ignition in the off position or start the
engine. This means that your vehicle's
OBD II system is ready and you can
proceed to the I/M station.
If your OBD II system is not ready, y
ou should
see an authorized dealer or repair facility. If your
vehicle was recently serviced or had a battery
failure or replacement, you may need to do
nothing more than drive your vehicle as you
normally would in order for your OBD II system
to update. A recheck with the above test routine
may then indicate that the system is now ready.

Regardless of whether your vehicle's OBD II
s y

stem is ready or not, if the MIL is illuminated
during normal vehicle operation you should have
your vehicle serviced before going to the I/M
station. The I/M station can fail your vehicle
because the MIL is on with the engine running.

110 SAFETY
ABS is designed to function with the Original
Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) tires.
Modification may result in degraded ABS
performance.
Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light

The yellow “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” will
turn on when the ignition is placed in the ON/RUN
mode and may stay on for as long as four
seconds.

If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” remains
on

or comes on while driving, it indicates that
the anti-lock portion of the brake system is not
functioning and that service is required.
However, the conventional brake system will
continue to operate normally if the “Anti-Lock
Brake Warning Light” is on.
If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light” is on, the
b r

ake system should be serviced as soon as
possible to restore the benefits of anti-lock
brakes. If the “Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light”
does not come on when the ignition is placed in
the ON/RUN mode, have the light repaired as
soon as possible.
ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL (EBC)
S
YSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with an advanced
Electronic Brake Control (EBC) system.
This system includes Electronic Brake Force
D i

stribution (EBD), Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), Brake Assist System (BAS), Hill Start
Assist (HSA), Traction Control System (TCS),
Electronic Stability Control (ESC), and Electronic
Roll Mitigation (ERM). These systems work
together to enhance both vehicle stability and
control in various driving conditions.
Your vehicle may also be equipped with Trailer
S w

ay Control (TSC).
Brake Assist System (BAS)

The Brake Assist System (BAS) is designed to
optimize the vehicle’s braking capability during
emergency braking maneuvers. The system
detects an emergency braking situation by
sensing the rate and amount of brake application
and then applies optimum pressure to the
brakes. This can help reduce braking distances.
The BAS complements the Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS). Applying the brakes very quickly
results in the best BAS assistance. To receive the
benefit of the system, you must apply continuous braking pressure during the stopping sequence
(do not “pump” the brakes). Do not reduce brake
pedal pressure unless braking is no longer
desired. Once the brake pedal is released, the
BAS is deactivated.

Brake System Warning Light
The red “Brake System Warning Light” will turn
on when the ignition is placed in the ON/RUN
mode and may stay on for as long as

four seconds.
WARNING!

The Brake Assist System (BAS) cannot prevent
the natural laws of physics from acting on
the vehicle, nor can it increase the traction
a f

forded by prevailing road conditions.
BAS cannot prevent collisions, including those
r e

sulting from excessive speed in turns, driving
on very slippery surfaces, or hydroplaning.
The capabilities of a BAS-equipped vehicle
m u

st never be exploited in a reckless or
dangerous manner, which could jeopardize
the user's safety or the safety of others.

SAFETY 111
If the “Brake System Warning Light” remains on
or comes on while driving, it indicates that the
brake system is not functioning properly and
that immediate service is required. If the “Brake
System Warning Light” does not come on when
the ignition is placed in the ON/RUN mode,
have the light repaired as soon as possible.
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD)

The Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD)
function manages the distribution of the braking
torque between the front and rear axles by
limiting braking pressure to the rear axle. This is
done to prevent overslip of the rear wheels to
avoid vehicle instability, and to prevent the rear
axle from entering the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS) before the front axle.

Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM)

The Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM) system
anticipates the potential for wheel lift by
monitoring the driver’s steering wheel input and
the speed of the vehicle. When ERM determines
that the rate of change of the steering wheel
angle and vehicle’s speed are sufficient to
potentially cause wheel lift, it then applies the
appropriate brake and may also reduce engine
power to lessen the chance that wheel lift will
occur. ERM can only reduce the chance of wheel lift occurring during severe or evasive driving
maneuvers; it cannot prevent wheel lift due to
other factors, such as road conditions, leaving
the roadway, or striking objects or other vehicles.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system
enhances directional control and stability of the
vehicle under various driving conditions. ESC
corrects for oversteering or understeering of the
vehicle by applying the brake of the appropriate
wheel(s) to assist in counteracting the oversteer
or understeer condition. Engine power may also
be reduced to help the vehicle maintain the
desired path.
ESC uses sensors in the vehicle to determine
t
h

e vehicle path intended by the driver and
compares it to the actual path of the vehicle.
When the actual path does not match the
intended path, ESC applies the brake of the
appropriate wheel to assist in counteracting the
oversteer or understeer condition.

Oversteer — when the vehicle is turning more
than appropriate for the steering wheel position.
Understeer — when the vehicle is turning less
than appropriate for the steering wheel position.

The ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light
l o

cated in the instrument cluster will start to flash
as soon as the ESC system becomes active.
The ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light
a l

so flashes when the TCS is active. If the ESC
Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light begins to
flash during acceleration, ease up on the
accelerator and apply as little throttle as
possible. Be sure to adapt your speed and driving
to the prevailing road conditions.

WARNING!

Many factors, such as vehicle loading, road
conditions and driving conditions, influence
the chance that wheel lift or rollover may occur.
ERM cannot prevent all wheel lift or roll overs,
especially those that involve leaving the
roadway or striking objects or other vehicles.
The capabilities of an ERM-equipped vehicle
must never be exploited in a reckless or
dangerous manner which could jeopardize the
user's safety or the safety of others.

4

118 SAFETY
Tire Pressure Monitoring Low Pressure
Warnings
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Warning Light will illuminate in the
in

strument cluster and a chime will
sound when tire pressure is low in one
or more of the four active road tires. In addition,
the instrument cluster will display a graphic of
each tire with the low tire pressure values in a
different color, an "Inflate to XX" message will
also be displayed.

Tire Pressure Monitoring Display

Should this occur, you should stop as soon as
p o

ssible and inflate the tires with low pressure
(those in a different color in the instrument
cluster display graphic) to the vehicle’s
recommended cold placard pressure value as
shown in the "Inflate to XX" message. Once the system receives the updated tire pressures, the
system will automatically update and the
graphic display in the instrument cluster will
change color back to the original color, and the
Tire Pressure Monitoring System Warning Light
will turn off.
NOTE:

When filling warm tires, the tire pressure may
n e

ed to be increased up to an additional 4 psi
(28 kPa) above the recommended cold placard
pressure in order to turn the Tire Pressure Moni -
toring System Warning Light off.
The vehicle may need to be driven for up to
2 0

minutes above 15 mph (24 km/h) in order
f o

r the TPMS to receive this information.
Service TPMS Warning
When a system fault is detected, the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System Warning Light will
flash on and off for 75 seconds and then remain
on solid. The system fault will also sound a
chime. In addition, the instrument cluster will
display a "SERVICE TPM SYSTEM" message for
a minimum of five seconds and then display
dashes (- -) in place of the pressure value to
indicate which sensor is not being received. If the ignition switch is cycled, this sequence will
r
e

peat, providing the system fault still exists.
If the system fault no longer exists, the Tire
P r

essure Monitoring System Warning Light will
no longer flash, and the "SERVICE TPM
SYSTEM" message will no longer display, and a
pressure value will display in place of the
dashes. A system fault can occur due to any of
the following:
Jamming due to electronic devices or driving
next to facilities emitting the same radio
frequencies as the TPMS sensors.
Installing some form of aftermarket window
tinting that affects radio wave signals.
Lots of snow or ice around the wheels or
wheel housings.
Using tire chains on the vehicle.
Using wheels/tires not equipped with TPMS
sensors.
NOTE:
The compact spare tire does not have a Tire
Pressure Monitoring sensor. Therefore, the
TPMS will not monitor the pressure in the
compact spare tire.

SAFETY 119
If you install the compact spare tire in place
of a road tire that has a pressure below the
low-pressure warning limit, upon the next
ignition switch cycle, the Tire Pressure Moni -
toring System Warning Light will remain on
a n

d a chime will sound. In addition, the
graphic in the instrument cluster will still
display a pressure value in a different color
and an "Inflate to XX" message.
After driving the vehicle for up to 20 minutes
ab
ove 15 mph (24 km/h), the Tire Pressure
M o

nitoring System Warning Light will flash on
and off for 75 seconds and then remain on
solid. In addition, the instrument cluster will
display a "SERVICE TPM SYSTEM" message
for a minimum of five seconds and then
display dashes (- -) in place of the pressure
value.
For each subsequent ignition switch cycle, a
chime will sound, the Tire Pressure Moni -
toring System Warning Light will flash on and
o f

f for 75 seconds and then remain on solid,
and the instrument cluster will display a
"SERVICE TPM SYSTEM" message for a
minimum of five seconds and then display
dashes (- -) in place of the pressure value.
Once you repair or replace the original road
tire and reinstall it on the vehicle in place of
the compact spare, the TPMS will update
automatically. In addition, the Tire Pressure
Monitoring System Warning Light will turn off
and the graphic in the instrument cluster will
display a new pressure value instead of
dashes (- -), as long as no tire pressure is
below the low-pressure warning limit in any of
the four active road tires. The vehicle may
need to be driven for up to 20 minutes above
1 5

mph (24 km/h) in order for the TPMS to
r e

ceive this information.
TPMS Deactivation — If Equipped
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
can be deactivated if replacing all four wheel
and tire assemblies (road tires) with wheel and
tire assemblies that do not have TPMS sensors,
such as when installing winter wheel and tire
assemblies on your vehicle.
To deactivate the TPMS, first replace all four
w h

eel and tire assemblies (road tires) with tires
not equipped with Tire Pressure Monitoring
(TPM) sensors. Then, drive the vehicle for
20 minutes above 15 mph (24 km/h). The
T P

MS will chime, the TPMS Warning Light will flash on and off for 75 seconds and then remain
on. The instrument cluster will display the
“Service Tire Pressure System” message and
then display dashes (--) in place of the pressure
values.
Beginning with the next ignition cycle, the TPMS
wi

ll no longer chime or display the “Service Tire
Pressure System” message in the instrument
cluster but dashes (--) will remain in place of the
pressure values.

To reactivate the TPMS, replace all four wheel
an
d tire assemblies (road tires) with tires
equipped with TPM sensors. Then, drive the
vehicle for up to 20 minutes above 15 mph
( 2

4 km/h). The TPMS will chime, the TPMS
W a

rning Light will flash on and off for 75 seconds
and then turn off. The instrument cluster will
display the “Service Tire Pressure System”
message and then display pressure values in
place of the dashes. On the next ignition cycle the
"Service Tire Pressure System" message will no
longer be displayed as long as no system fault
exists.

4

SAFETY 121
IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Please pay close attention to the information in
this section. It tells you how to use your restraint
system properly, to keep you and your
passengers as safe as possible.

Here are some simple steps you can take to
mi

nimize the risk of harm from a deploying air bag:

1. C hildren 12 years old and under should
a
lways ride buckled up in the rear seat of a
vehicle with a rear seat.

2. A child who is not big enough to wear the
v
ehicle seat belt properly (Refer to “Child
Restraints” in this section for further
information) must be secured in the
appropriate child restraint or belt-positioning
booster seat in a rear seating position.

3. I f a child from 2 to 12 years old (not in a
r
ear-facing child restraint) must ride in the
front passenger seat, move the seat as far
back as possible and use the proper child
restraint (Refer to “Child Restraints” in this
section for further information). 4. N
ever allow children to slide the shoulder
b
elt behind them or under their arm.
5. Y ou should read the instructions provided
w
ith your child restraint to make sure that
you are using it properly.
6. A ll occupants should always wear their lap
a
nd shoulder belts properly.
7. T he driver and front passenger seats should
b
e moved back as far as practical to allow
the front air bags room to inflate.
8. D o not lean against the door or window.
I
f your vehicle has side air bags, and
d e

ployment occurs, the side air bags will
inflate forcefully into the space between
occupants and the door and occupants
could be injured.
9. I f the air bag system in this vehicle needs to
b
e modified to accommodate a disabled
person, refer to the “Customer Assistance”
section for customer service contact
information.
SEAT BELT SYSTEMS
Buckle up even though you are an excellent
driver, even on short trips. Someone on the road
may be a poor driver and could cause a collision
that includes you. This can happen far away
from home or on your own street.
Research has shown that seat belts save lives,
an
d they can reduce the seriousness of injuries
in a collision. Some of the worst injuries happen
when people are thrown from the vehicle. Seat
belts reduce the possibility of ejection and the
risk of injury caused by striking the inside of the
vehicle. Everyone in a motor vehicle should be
belted at all times.
WARNING!

Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front
of an air bag. A deploying passenger front air
bag can cause death or serious injury to a child
12 years or younger, including a child in a
rear-facing child restraint.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint in the
front seat of a vehicle. Only use a rear-facing
child restraint in the rear seat. If the vehicle
does not have a rear seat, do not transport a
rear-facing child restraint in that vehicle.

4

128 SAFETY
If the passenger seating position is equipped
with an ALR and is being used for normal usage,
only pull the seat belt webbing out far enough

to comfortably wrap around the occupant’s
m i

d-section so as to not activate the ALR. If the
ALR is activated, you will hear a clicking sound
as the seat belt retracts. Allow the webbing
to retract completely in this case and then
c a

refully pull out only the amount of webbing
necessary to comfortably wrap around the
occupant’s mid-section. Slide the latch plate
into the buckle until you hear a "click."
In Automatic Locking Mode, the shoulder belt is
au
tomatically pre-locked. The seat belt will still
retract to remove any slack in the shoulder belt.
Use the Automatic Locking Mode anytime a
child restraint is installed in a seating position
that has a seat belt with this feature. Children
12 years old and under should always be
properly restrained in the rear seat of a vehicle
with a rear seat. How To Engage The Automatic Locking Mode

1. B
uckle the combination lap and shoulder
b
elt.

2. G rasp the shoulder portion and pull
d
ownward until the entire seat belt is
extracted.
3. A llow the seat belt to retract. As the seat
b
elt retracts, you will hear a clicking sound.
This indicates the seat belt is now in the
Automatic Locking Mode. How To Disengage The Automatic Locking Mode
Unbuckle the combination lap/shoulder belt
a
n

d allow it to retract completely to disengage
the Automatic Locking Mode and activate the
vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode.WARNING!

Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front
of an air bag. A deploying passenger front air
bag can cause death or serious injury to a child
12 years or younger, including a child in a
rear-facing child restraint.

Never install a rear-facing child restraint
in the front seat of a vehicle. Only use a
r e

ar-facing child restraint in the rear seat.
If the vehicle does not have a rear seat, do
n o

t transport a rear-facing child restraint in
that vehicle.
WARNING!
The seat belt assembly must be replaced if
the switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
(ALR) feature or any other seat belt function
is not working properly when checked
according to the procedures in the Service
Manual.
Failure to replace the seat belt assembly
could increase the risk of injury in colli -
sions.
Do not use the Automatic Locking Mode to
restrain occupants who are wearing the
seat belt or children who are using booster
seats. The locked mode is only used to
install rear-facing or forward-facing child
restraints that have a harness for
restraining the child.