Press Kit: 2009 Dodge Journey Launch

All-new 2009 Dodge Journey Provides High Level of Safety and Security

  • More than 30 advanced safety and security technologies are available on the all-new 2009 Dodge Journey 
  • First mid-size crossover vehicle to offer integrated child booster seats 
  • Standard all-row supplemental side-curtain air bags with added rollover protection 
  • Electronic Stability Program, Electronic Roll Mitigation and Brake Assist All Standard Equipment 
  • Trailer Sway Control included in Trailer Tow Group
Auburn Hills, Mich. January 31, 2008 - The all-new 2009 Dodge Journey delivers the latest safety and security features to transport passengers and gear.

In addition to being the first vehicle in the mid-size crossover segment to offer integrated child booster seats, Dodge Journey also provides customers with dozens more standard safety and security features, including advanced multi-stage front driver and passenger air bags, front-seat-mounted thorax air bags, all-row supplemental side-curtain air bags, four-wheel disc anti-lock brakes (ABS), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), and Electronic Roll Mitigation and Sentry Key® Engine Immobilizer.

Chrysler LLC employs a two-fold safety approach: conventional features such as pretensioning and load-limiting seat belt retractors and supplemental side air bags, combined with accident-avoidance features, such as responsive steering, handling and braking. The Journey also offers customers a high level of security technology, featuring Sentry Key Engine Immobilizer, an available security alarm and HomeLink® Universal Home Security System Transceiver.

The following combination of safety and security features reinforces the Dodge Journey’s commitment to safety and security: 

  • Advanced Multi-stage Air Bags: Inflate with a force appropriate to the severity of the impact and meet FMVSS 208 advanced air bag requirements for smaller and out-of-position occupants 
  • Anti-lock Brake System (ABS): Senses and prevents wheel lockup, offering improved steering control under extreme braking and/or slippery conditions. Advanced ABS modulates the four brakes individually for optimum control and stopping performance 
  • All-speed Traction Control: Senses drive-wheel slip and applies individual brakes to the slipping wheel(s). Can reduce excess engine power until traction is regained 
  • Auto-reverse Sun Roof: Advanced sensing system that automatically engages and reverses the sun roof to the open position 
  • Auto-reverse Windows: Advanced sensing system automatically engages and reverses the window to the down position 
  • BeltAlert™: Periodically activates a chime and illuminates an icon in the instrument cluster to remind the driver to buckle up if a vehicle is driven without the driver being properly belted 
  • Brake Assist: In a panic brake condition, the system applies maximum braking power, providing the shortest possible stopping distance 
  • Brake/Park Interlock: Prevents Journey’s automatic transaxle from being shifted out of Park unless the brake pedal is applied 
  • Child Observation Mirror: Features convex glass for a wide field of view that allows the driver and front passenger to conveniently view the rear occupants 
  • Child Seat Anchor System: Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH) makes installation of compatible aftermarket child seats easier 
  • Child-protection Rear Door Locks: Disables the rear doors’ inside-release handles via a small lever on the door-shut face 
  • Crumple Zones: Designed to compress during an accident to absorb energy from an impact, decreasing transfer of that energy to Dodge Journey occupants 
  • Digressive Load-limiting Retractors: A two-stage load-limiting feature that limits the maximum force on the belt webbing to help absorb the energy of the occupant’s upper torso during an impact 
  • Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM): An extension of the Electronic Stability Program (ESP). Uses input from the ESP sensors to anticipate if the vehicle is at risk of entering a potential roll situation, then reacts immediately, applying the brakes individually and modulating throttle position as needed to attempt to avoid the roll situation
  • Electronic Stability Program (ESP): Enhances driver control and helps maintain directional stability under all conditions. Provides the greatest benefit in critical driving situations, such as turns, and is especially valuable when driving on mixed surface conditions, such as snow, ice or gravel. If there’s a discernible difference between what the driver asks through the steering wheel and the vehicle’s path, ESP applies selective braking and throttle input to put the vehicle back onto the driver’s intended path 
  • Energy-absorbing Steering Column: The manual-adjust steering column utilizes two hydroformed coaxial tubes that can move relative to each other to allow the column to move forward for enhanced energy-absorption during a crash 
  • Enhanced Accident Response System (EARS): Makes it easier for emergency personnel to see and reach occupants in the event of an accident by turning on the exterior hazard flashers, interior lighting and unlocking the doors after air-bag deployment. Also shuts off the flow of fuel to the engine 
  • Height-adjustable Front Seat Belts: Allows the driver and front passenger to raise and lower the shoulder belt. Encourages seat belt usage by offering a more comfortable fit 
  • HomeLink® Universal Home Security System Transceiver: Stores three separate transmitter radio-frequency codes to operate garage-door openers, security gates, security lighting or other radio-controlled devices 
  • Integrated Child Booster Seats: For children up to 4 feet 9 inches tall and between 48 lbs. and 85 lbs., the booster raises the child into the adult belted zone 
  • Interior Head-impact Protection: Interior pillars above the belt line and instrument panel including areas around windshield and rear window headers, roof and side-rail structures and shoulder-belt turning loops specifically designed to limit head-impact force 
  • Knee Bolsters: The lower instrument panel and the glove-box door are designed to properly position the occupant, enabling the air bags to work effectively 
  • ParkView® Rear Back-up Camera: Provides a wide-angle view of the area immediately behind the vehicle, giving the driver greater peace of mind before backing up. Also aids in lining up a trailer to the vehicle’s trailer hitch, when so equipped. The image automatically displays on the navigation screen when the transaxle is shifted into Reverse 
  • Remote Keyless Entry: Locks and unlocks doors and turns on interior lamps. If the vehicle is equipped with a vehicle-theft security alarm, the remote also arms and disarms that system 
  • Remote Start: Conveniently starts the engine from outside the vehicle by using the Remote Keyless Entry fob while maintaining security 
  • Safety Cage Body Structure: Protects occupants by managing and controlling energy in the event of an impact 
  • Seat belt Pretensioners (both front seat belts): During a collision, the impact sensors initiate the front seat belt pretensioners to immediately remove slack from the seat belts, thereby reducing the forward movement of the occupants’ heads and torsos 
  • Sentry Key® Engine Immobilizer: Utilizes an engine key that has an embedded transponder with a preprogrammed security code to discourage vehicle theft. When the key is inserted into the ignition, the controller sends a random number to the transponder and the engine is allowed to start. If an incorrect key is used, the engine will shut off after only a few seconds 
  • Side Guard Door Beams: Located in front and rear doors, provide occupant protection during a side impact 
  • Side Occupant Protection System: Includes side-curtain air bags with roll detection system that deploy in certain rollover situations and side-impact events. Utilizes information from multiple sensors to determine the severity of the impact 
  • Supplemental Side-curtain Air Bags: Extend protection to all outboard front- and rear-seat passengers. Each side air bag has an impact sensor(s) in order to autonomously trigger the air bag on the side where the impact occurs 
  • Supplemental Side Seat-mounted Thorax Air Bags: Housed in the outboard side of each front seat, offer enhanced protection of the driver and front outboard passenger in certain impacts. Each side air bag has an impact sensor(s) in order to autonomously trigger the air bag on the side where the side impact occurs 
  • Tire-pressure Monitoring (TPM): Pressure-sensor modules within the valve stems of all four road wheels send continuous radio-frequency signals to a receiver and to inform occupants when the pressure is too low 
  • Trailer Sway Control System: Reduces trailer sway and improves handling in adverse towing conditions caused by crosswinds and traffic. Software monitors the Journey’s movement relative to the driver’s intended path, then applies brake pressure to slow the vehicle and then increases the pressure on one front wheel to counteract sway induced by the trailer 
  • UConnect® Hands-free Communication: Uses Bluetooth® technology to provide voice-controlled wireless communication between the occupant’s compatible mobile phone and the vehicle’s onboard receiver. The hands-free option promotes safety 
  • Vehicle Theft Security Alarm: Protects the vehicle from theft by monitoring door- and liftgate-ajar switches and the ignition circuit for unauthorized entry

Download Video Embed