2008 Dodge Caliber Brakes Problems

THE FRONT CALIPERS WILL NOT ENGAGE WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS PRESSED. THE BRAKE PEDAL SINKS TO THE FLOOR AND HAS NO STOPPING POWER. THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED AND CALIPERS ARE NEW REPLACEMENTS. AFTER REPLACING THESE PARTS IT NOW SMELL OF BURNT BRAKE FLUID BUT THERE IS NO LEAK AND THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO WORSEN. THE FIRST TIME I WAS DOING 45-50 ON A COUNTY RD WHEN A ANOTHER CAR PULLED OUT 20 FEET AWAY AND I WAS TRYING TO SLOW DOWN WHEN I LOST THE FRONT BRAKES AS PISHED IN ON THE PUSHED IN ON THE BRAKES THE PEDAL SANK AND THEY DIDN'T ENGAGE. I THEN BOUGHT THE NEW CALIPERS AND IT WAS FINE FOR ABOUT A MONTH. THE SECOND TIME I WAS STUCK IN TRAFFIC ON A BUSY CITY STREET WHEN THE ABS BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN ME RUNNING A RED LIGHT AND ALMOST GETTING HIT. IT HAS CORRODED AND TOOK HUNKS OFF ALUMINUM FROM MY FRONT DRIVER RIM. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM AND KEEP REPLACING PARTS FOR IT TO TEAR UP NEW ONES

NHTSA ID

11386118

Incident

Oct 15, 2020

Mileage

283,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE. THE CONTACT LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS RUSTED THROUGH AND CAUSED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AXLE TO FRACTURE. ALSO, THE TOP OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL WAS TILTED INWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE AXLE, SUBFRAME, ONE OF THE BRAKES, AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LINE WERE REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TRANSFERRED TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,850.

NHTSA ID

11223181

Incident

Jun 19, 2019

Mileage

112,850 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE RADIO AND DOME LIGHT AUTOMATICALLY TURNED ON AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO BE DEPRESSED EXTREMELY HARD FOR THE VEHICLE TO STOP AND MULTIPLE UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM GREENSBORO (3710 W WENDOVER AVE, GREENSBORO, NC 27407, (336) 790-9850), BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11115596

Incident

Aug 3, 2018

THERE ARE CURRENTLY 0 RECALLS ON THE 2008 DODGE CALIBER 2.0. HOWEVER, A SIMPLE YOUTUBE SEARCH WILL BRING UP COMMON ISSUES WITH THE LOWER BALL JOINTS, WHICH CAUSE EXTREME TIRE WEAR AND EVEN SEVERE PULLING TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT WITH VERY LITTLE CONTROL. THE ANTI-LOCK BREAKING SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE THROTTLE BODY ARE HUGE ISSUES AS WELL. HOWEVER, IT WASN'T A YOUTUBE SEARCH THAT BROUGHT THIS TO MY ATTENTION BUT INSTEAD DRIVING ONE AND LOOKING INTO IT. TO MY SURPRISE THERE ARE ZERO RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10991328

Incident

May 25, 2015

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. AFTER THE VEHICLE UNDERWENT A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AND TUNE UP, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE MORE THAN ONCE AND PROVIDED NO SOLUTION. IN ADDITION, WHEN DRIVING OVER UN-LEVELED LAND, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MAKE AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE SUSPENSION WAS UNSTABLE FROM THE FRONT TO THE REAR. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE DEALER WOULD PROVIDE A REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10906195

Incident

Sep 1, 2016

I BOUGHT MY CAR IN 2009, RAN GREAT AT FIRST UNTIL I HIT OVER 100 THOUSAND MILES. I WAS ON MY WAY OUT OF TOWN TO SEE A FAMILY MEMBER IN THE HOSPITAL. IT WAS 80 DEGREES OUT AND MY CAR JUST SLOWED DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY AND CAME TO A STOP. I THOUGHT IT OVERHEATED SO I WAITED ABOUT 30 MINS AND STARTED IT UP AGAIN. TODAY I WAS AT THE DODGE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT, TO FIND OUT WHY THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE WAS MAKING A NOISE(LIKE IT WAS GOING TO FALL OFF). THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE CONTROLL ARM AND THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE IT. APPARENTLY I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING THESE ISSUES. WHERE'S THE RECALL DODGE?

NHTSA ID

10839592

Incident

Mar 2, 2016

I WAS TURNING ONTO A STATE HIGHWAY WHEN MY BRAKES MADE THE MOST AWFUL GRINDING NOISE AND MY ABS BRAKE LIGHT CAME ONE. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC. I WAS TOLD BY MY MECHANIC MY BRAKES WERE BAD AND ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACE AND THERE WAS A SENSOR THAT HAD TO BE ORDERED BEFORE I COULD USE THE CAR AFTER IT WAS REPAIRED. IT HAD 11,000 MILES!! I DOUBT MY BRAKES WERE EVEN BAD AT THAT POINT I THINK IT WAS JUST A SENSOR AFTER ALL. (AFTER IT COST ME $480.00 PLUS I HAD TO RENT A CAR FOR 3 DAYS. MY TRANSMISSION KEPT SURGING AT THE STOP LIGHTS FROM THE DAY I GOT IT AT 1,471 MILES. SO IT WAS PROBABLY BAD FROM DAY ONE. I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN IT RIGHT BACK TO WHERE I BOUGHT IT, AT LEAST IT WOULD HAVE BEEN UNDER WARRANTY. I HAD MY TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 30,000 MILES AT A COST OF $6,000.

NHTSA ID

10824514

Incident

Jul 1, 2015

Mileage

18,000 mi

FOUND THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE IS RUSTING OUT. THIS CRADLE SUPPORTS ALL STEERING FRONT SUSPENSION AND ENGINE/TRANSMISSION. HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM FOR THE 2007 MODELS AND IS STILL A PROBLEM ON 2008 MODELS. ALTHOUGH 2007 MODELS ARE RECALLED AND REPLACED BUT NOT 2008. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY FACTOR AS STATED ALL STEERING AND SUSPENSION ARE CONNECTED TO THIS CRADLE. IF FAILURE TO CRADLE HAPPENS ALL LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE IS INEVITABLE.

NHTSA ID

10765342

Incident

Aug 1, 2015

Mileage

135,000 mi

OWNED THE CAR FOR ALMOST 4 YEARS. TIE RODS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE, STRUTS, BALL JOINTS, BRAKES ON THE FRONT FOR THE 5TH TIME, BACK BREAKS ARE OUT AND ROTORS AS WELL HAD THEM REPLACED LESS THAN A YEAR AGO. MANIFOLD HAD TO BE REPLACED. BARRINGS ON THE FRONT AND ONE ON THE RIGHT BACK. WENT THROUGH A SET A TIRES IN LESS THAN 6 MONTHS. HAS BEEN TO DODGE AND OTHER MECHANICS PROBLEMS STILL PERSIST.

NHTSA ID

10762967

Incident

Aug 20, 2015

Mileage

145,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SWERVED AND MADE A CLICKING SOUND WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT BALL JOINT AND THE LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE AN ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED BUT FAILED TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED. THE BRAKE EMITTED A METAL GRINDING NOISE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND FOUND CORROSION ON THE BRAKE LINES THE CORROSION WAS REMOVED FROM THE BRAKE LINES HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,833. MA 10/15/2015 *CN

NHTSA ID

10758841

Incident

May 1, 2015

Mileage

133,833 mi

THE LIGHTS AND ALL DASH GAUGES TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH COME ON. THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON UNTIL THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. WHEN RESTARTING ALL LIGHTS GO AWAY. THIS HAPPENS MOST OFTEN WHEN I AM BRAKING. NO PATTERN FOR WHEN OR WHAT SPEED. ABS SEEMS TO KICK IN FOR NO REASON DURING THIS ELECTRICAL FAILURE. POWER HAS BEEN LOST AND CAR HAS DIED WHILE DRIVING. I AM TOLD THIS IS THE TPIM MODULE FAULT THAT REQUIRES REPLACEMENT FOR $1,500.00! THERE IS LARGE AND COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TPIM AND DODGE HAS WRONGLY NOT PROVIDED A RECALL FOR THE CALIBER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10662967

Incident

Dec 8, 2014

Mileage

78,000 mi

ABS LIGHT CAME ON, FOUND RIGHET REAR WHEEL SENSER WAS DEFICTIVE. *JS

NHTSA ID

10545489

Incident

Aug 21, 2013

Mileage

65,000 mi

I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK, HEADLIGHTS AND DASH LIGHTS STARTED TO FLICKER, ALL THE INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE DASH CAME ON. SMOKE STARTED COMING IN THE VENTS INTO THE VEHICLE WENT TO STOP, BRAKES GRABBED FOR A SECOND THEN WENT OUT COMPLETELY, EVEN SHIFTING THE VEHICLE TO PARK DID NOTHING. STOPPED THE VEHICLE BY HITTING GUARD RAIL CALLED POLICE, WITHIN MINUTES THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS IN FLAMES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10485042

Incident

Nov 17, 2012

Mileage

67,000 mi

MY FIANCEE AND I GOT INTO THE CAR AND AFTER I STARTED IT, IT WOULDN'T SHIFT OUT OF PARK. LUCKILY WE WERE CLOSE TO HOME AND I HAD INTERNET ON MY PHONE SO I COULD LOOK UP HOW TO MANUALLY OVERRIDE THE ISSUE. IF THERE'S A MANUAL OVERRIDE, IT SEEMS LIKE THEY KNEW IT WOULD/COULD HAPPEN. MY FIANCEE IS DISABLED, IF SHE HAD BEEN DRIVING THE CAR (IT IS HER CAR) AND GOT STUCK OUT IN THIS 100 DEGREE HEAT WAVE, SHE WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN WHAT TO DO OR HAVE EVEN BEEN ABLE TO DO IT HAD SHE KNOWN WHAT TO DO. I'M IRRITATED BECAUSE MY RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON DODGE ISSUE AMONGST MANY DIFFERENT MODELS YET THEY HAVE ONLY ISSUED RECALLS ON CERTAIN MODELS. I DID CALL DODGE HQ TO FIND OUT IF THIS MODEL HAD A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE AND OBVIOUSLY IT HASN'T. THE DRONE JUST DID THEIR JOB OF GETTING THE INFORMATION THEY NEEDED. I CAN'T STRESS THIS PART ENOUGH, IF THEY PROVIDE AN OVERRIDE, THEY KNOW THERE IS AN ISSUE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10464358

Incident

Jul 4, 2012

I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE USED FROM GANLEY DODGE IN BEDFORD OHIO. WE HAVE DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE APROX 12000 MILES AND HAVE REPLACED OR SERVICED THE REAR BRAKES SIX TIMES AT TWO SEPARATE DEALERS. THE REAR BRAKES HAVE MADE A HOWLING NOISE SINCE THE DAY IT LEFT THE LOT. CHRYSLER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM SIX TIMES TO NO AVAIL. BOTH DEALERS THAT HAVE SERVICED THE CALIBER SAY THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM, THEY ALSO SAY IT IS COSMETIC. AFTER DEALING WITH THE DEALERS NONSENSE I CALLED CHRYSLER DIRECTLY, AFTER A WEEK OF DEALING WITH THEM THEY FINALLY CALL ME BACK TO TELL ME THAT AN ENGINEER HAS STATED THAT REAR BRAKES MAKING NOISE IS A NORMAL THING FOR THIS CAR TO DO. AND THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY WILL DO TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I SUPPOSE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ALLOW AND AMERICAN CAR COMPANY TO BE OWNED BY AN ITALIAN AND GERMAN COMPANIES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10458876

Incident

May 1, 2012

Mileage

38,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND HEARD A SQUEAKING SOUND IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FRONT BRAKES WERE DEGLAZED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39000.

NHTSA ID

10344166

Incident

Jul 12, 2010

Mileage

33,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT NOTICED OCCASIONALLY THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 45 MPH THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD HAVE TO BE DEPRESSED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP, THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WOULD SWAY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WHERE THE CONTACT HAD THE BRAKE PADS , FRONT AXLE, STRUTS, AND SHOCK ABSORBERS REPLACED. HOWEVER THE CONTACT IS STILL EXPERIENCING THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS AT 3000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 35600.

NHTSA ID

10319337

Incident

Jul 1, 2008

Mileage

3,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT HIS DRIVEWAY IN SNOWY CONDITIONS AT SPEEDS OF LESS THAN 3 MPH, THE BRAKES LOCKED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE IN THE SNOW AND CRASH INTO A VEHICLE IN THE CONTACT'S DRIVEWAY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING REPAIRS BY HIS INSURANCE COMPANY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNDER 35,222.

NHTSA ID

10303250

Incident

Jan 22, 2010

Mileage

35,222 mi

VEHICLE: DODGE CALIBER SXT MODEL 2008 ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 3RD I WAS RETURNING FROM MEXICO STATE TO PUEBLA AROUND 3 PM, USING THE HIGHWAY. I NOTICED A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE ACCELERATION OF THE CAR, SIMILAR TO WHEN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM NEEDS CLEANING. ABOUT 2 KM PRIOR TO GETTING TO PUEBLA TOLL, THE BRAKES DID NOT ANSWERED AT ALL, THE INSTRUMENT PANELS INDICATOR DID NOT SHOW ANY PROBLEM. I HAD TO SLOW DOWN BY USING THE MOTOR (L), UNTIL I COULD SAFELY PULL OVER AND STOP THE CAR COMPLETELY WITH THE HAND BRAKE. FORTUNATELY I HAD A GOOD SPACE WITH CARS PRECEDING AND AVOIDED ANY COLLISION BY ALSO USING THE ALERT LIGHTS. THE CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED AS THE MANUAL STATES, AND HAVE NEVER DETECTED ANY PROBLEM RELATED BEFORE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SERVICE WHERE THEY TOLD ME THE FAIL WAS DUE TO A COMPUTER PROBLEM, AND THEY UPGRADED THE SOFTWARE TO A MORE RECENT VERSION, STATING THAT WILL AVOID THE PROBLEM. I ASKED IF THEY HAVE RECEIVED CARS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY CONFIRMED TO ME THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME, BUT "NOT TOO MANY...". THEN CHECKING NHTSA WEBPAGE FOUND SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE BUT DEALERSHIP NEVER REPORT ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10298650

Incident

Jan 3, 2010

MY HUSBAND AND COUSIN WERE IN THIS CAR SOME HOW LOST CONTROL ON A CLEAR DRY DAY AND ROLLED. THEY SAY THE BRAKES WERE NEVER APPLIED BUT I WONDER WHY NOT, MAYBE THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10256657

Incident

Oct 30, 2008

I WAS TRAVELING TO A T INTERSECTION; I WAS THE ONE WHO WAS REQUIRED TO MAKE THE LEFT OR RIGHT HAND TURN. MY BRAKES STOPPED WORKING AND I WENT FROM ~55MPH TO 45MPH OVER THE COURSE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD OR SO. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP COMPLETELY BUT THAT WASN'T THE CASE. IT WAS THE 2008 CALIBER SRT4. THE SRT4 HAS A MASSIVE BRAKE KIT FROM THE CHARGER AND MAGNUM ON IT WHICH SHOULD HAVE MADE IT STOP RELATIVELY QUICKLY. I MASHED MY VEHICLE INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AT THE INTERSECTION AND MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I BELIEVE THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES AND AIRBAGS ON THE 2008 CALIBER SRT4. *TR

NHTSA ID

10246329

Incident

Oct 19, 2008

Mileage

10,000 mi

ON 08/09/08 I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO GET CHECKED; I HAD ALREADY BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKE LIGHT COMING ON AT DIFFERENT TIMES. AT THAT MOMENT THE LIGHT WAS NOT ON AND THE SERVICE REP TOLD ME THAT THE LIGHT HAD TO BE ON IN ORDER TO CHECK THE VEHICLE EVEN AFTER I SHOWED HIM A RECENT VIDEO ON MY PHONE SHOWING THE LIGHT FLASHING. ON 08/12/08 I TOOK THE VEHICLE AS THE LIGHT WAS ONE, THEY ASKED ME TO BRING IT IN ON 08/14/08. I DROPPED OF MY VEHICLE ON 08/14/08 AND THEY FOUND THAT THE BRAKE SENSOR NEEDS TO CHANGED; SO THEY PLACED THE ORDER AND ASKED ME TO COME IN ON 08/19/08 TO HAVE IT REPLACED. DUE TO TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ON THE 19TH, I DID NOT TAKE MY VEHICLE, WE RESCHEDULE FOR 8/21/08. DROPPING OFF MY VEHICLE ON 08/21/08 THEY CALLED ME IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON THAT MY VEHICLE WAS READY. THE NEXT DAY 08/22/08 THE LIGHT TURNED ON AGAIN; ON 08/25 OR 08/26 I CALLED CHRYSLER FINANCIAL TO COMPLAIN; THEY TOLD ME I NEED TO TAKE MY VEHICLE AGAIN WHEN ONLY THE LIGHT IS ON. ON 08/27 THE LIGHT TURNED ON AND I WENT AND SPOKE WITH THE MANAGER, HE PROMISED ME A DRIVER AT 7:00AM ON 09/02 TO BRING ME TO WORK SO I MAY LEAVE ME CAR; THAT PROMISE WAS NOT FULFILLED AND MY CAR FINALLY WENT IN ON 09/05 AS THEY NOW SEE IT AS A SAFETY ISSUE AFTER I HAVE BEEN SAYING IT IN THE BEGINNING. I AM WAITING FOR THE WEEKEND TO SEE IF THE LIGHT TURNS ON AGAIN ON MY VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD OTHER INSTANCE ABOUT 3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE THAT THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF 2 TIMES! I TOOK IT TO THE SERVICE AND THEIR COMPUTER COULD NOT PICK-UP ANY CODES AND NEVER FOUND ANYTHING. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH MAROONE DODGE OF PEMBROKE PINES SERVICE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10241064

Incident

Aug 9, 2008