“We extend our deepest sympathies to the friends and families of this customer and will cooperate fully with the NHTSA,” a North American spokesman for Stellantis told Automotive News.
The vehicle was equipped with both automatic and manual locks, according to the owner’s manual. The 2009 Dodge Journey has been the subject of eight recalls, three investigations and more than 1,500 complaints, including 10 complaints for issues with latches and locks. Several complaints mention electrical problems affecting doors or windows, including one in which the complainant was unable to use the manual lock and unlock function and could only open the doors with their key.
The NHTSA report does not identify the driver, but Newsweek reported in January that a 73-year-old woman died in December 2022 after becoming trapped in her burning 2009 Dodge Journey in Dunn, Wis.
