Nearly 1M Dodge Journeys investigated for faulty locks that led to fatality

The NHTSA on Friday stepped up an investigation from a preliminary evaluation to an engineering analysis into faulty door locks and windows on nearly 1 million Dodge Journey crossovers, Reuters reports.

The safety regulator said it was investigating door locks and windows in 992,643 vehicles built between 2009 and 2020, which could fail and prevent occupants from exiting in the event of an emergency. The NHTSA said there were seven known cases of this occurring in Journey models, including one that caused a fatality.

An engineering analysis is a necessary step before the NHTSA can demand that Dodge parent company Stellantis issues a recall, Reuters noted. The regulator has not said that it plans to demand one yet, though.

The NHTSA said it will continue to explore the cause of fire, which was reported in one case, and its potential effect on the functionality of door locks, as well as other potential causes for the fault. It’s also separately investigating potential rearview camera failures in Journeys from model years 2018 to 2020.

“We extend our sincerest sympathies to the family and friends of the customer whose life was lost, and we are providing NHTSA with our full cooperation,” Stellantis said in a statement published by Reuters.

The investigation covers the entire production run of the Journey, which was introduced in 2009 and withdrawn from the market after the 2020 model year without a redesign. It didn’t receive a direct replacement, although Dodge now sells a smaller and more upscale crossover in the form of the Alfa Romeo Tonale-derived Hornet.