RoadVitals

2009 Dodge Caliber Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Jun 29, 2022
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
4%
of 232 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Dodge Caliber submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming brake

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jun 29, 2022
Crash reported

The car was in park on a hill, when I turned off the engine, it rolled down the steep hill and the brakes or emergency brake would not work. I crashed through a fence across the street and into a building. The car was totaled.

NHTSA ID
11471526
Incident
Jun 22, 2022
BrakesEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Mar 11, 2022

The engine stalls when I take off more times than none I'm stuck idling in traffic almost causing accident the frame that hold motor mounts are bad I've replaced motor mounts twice in a less than a year the car heats up after 70 miles an hour I have 5o pull over and let it cool off this happens 3 to 4 times a week with the engine stalling and overheating didn't find out til after I leased the car from AtoZ auto on gen McMullen and it's financed through car financial services I believe they knew the car was damaged I got scammed and have to pay 425 dollars a month on a car that can't be fixed I've spent a lot trying to fix the car

NHTSA ID
11456269
Incident
May 23, 2021
BrakesDriver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed Jun 16, 2021

When the vehicle reaches 3,000 RPMs the temperature light comes on and the vehicle seems like it wants to go into neutral The engine light comes on the antilock brake system light comes on.

NHTSA ID
11421138
Incident
May 10, 2021
BrakesFuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Jun 15, 2016
Crash reportedFire reported1 injury reported

ON MAY 7TH, 2016 I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. MY CAR STALLED AND NO MATTER WHAT I DID, PRESSING, PUMPING, OR MASHING, MY BRAKES WOULD NOT SLOW OR STOP THE CAR. NOW, MY CAR HAS DONE THIS IN THE PAST USUALLY RIGHT AS I AM COMING TO A FULL STOP. THE FIRST MONTH I OWNED THE CAR, I CASUALLY TOLD THE SERVICE WRITER AT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP ABOUT IT AND THEY SAID NOT TO USE CHEAP GAS. I TOLD THEM THAT I USE GAS FROM SHELL, NOT CHEAP GAS. THEN IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN, I WOULD MENTION IT AGAIN, BEING TOLD ABOUT USING CHEAP GAS. WHICH AGAIN, I TOLD THEM I DON'T USE CHEAP GAS IN MY CAR. I BELIEVE MY ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY THE ISSUE LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V528000.

NHTSA ID
10874440
Incident
May 7, 2016
Mileage
37,500 mi
BrakesDriver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 13, 2016

STARTED OUT WHEN I DRIVE MORE THAN 23 MILES, TRANS. OVERHEAT LIGHT COMES ON, LOOSE POWER. GOING UP HILLS, VERY LITTLE POWER. RPM WRAPS BETWEEN 3 & 4, NORMAL DRIVING, WHEN STOPPING CAR JUMPS AHEAD IF I HIT A BUMP. BREAKS SQUEAK AFTER REPLACING BRAND NEW, NOW ENGINE OVERHEAT LIGHT, ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL LIGHT & MALFUNCTION INDICATION LIGHT ON. HAD TRANSMISSION FILTER AND FLUID REPLACED. LASTED 2 WEEKS. WORSE NOW..

NHTSA ID
10820121
Incident
Apr 1, 2015
Mileage
86,000 mi
BrakesElectrical
Filed Aug 18, 2015

I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW. THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO AT ABOUT 10000 MILES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 16,000. A MECHANIC SAID THE CODE INDICATED LOW VOLTAGE TO THE ABS MOTOR. THE BATTERY VOLTAGE WAS GOOD. THE DEALER AND ANOTHER MECHANIC SAID THE REPAIR WOULD BE AROUND $600 SO I DID NOT REPAIR IT.

NHTSA ID
10749519
Incident
May 1, 2013
Mileage
10,000 mi
BrakesElectrical
Filed Aug 12, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TIPM WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO WORK AND WAS UNABLE TO BE RESET. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

NHTSA ID
10748091
Incident
Aug 11, 2015
Mileage
92,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Oct 29, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND AS THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,248.

NHTSA ID
10650972
Incident
Oct 28, 2014
Mileage
34,248 mi
BrakesOther / unspecifiedTires & wheels
Filed Nov 29, 2012

PLEASE NOTE THIS CAR HAS BEEN DIFFICULT SINCE I BOUGHT IT. BETWEEN THE TIRES, BRAKES AND ROTORS THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES. APPROXIMATELY 6-12 MONTHS AGO I STOPPED TO PUT AIR IN MY TIRE AS MY SENSOR INFORMED ME THE TIRE WAS LOW. WHEN I PLACED THE HOSE ON THE VALVE STEM THE STEM CRACKED IN HALF. THIS COST ME MONEY TO FIX. NOW ON 11/24/12 I WAS ONCE AGAIN INFORMED I NEEDED AIR AND ONCE AGAIN THE STEM BROKE, COSTING ME OVER $100 TO FIX PLUS I HAD IT FIXED AT PEPBOYS AS THE SPARE WAS A DONUT AND DIDN'T WANT TO USE IT.THIS COST ME $25 BUT THE STEM WAS NOT THE ONE FOR THE CENSOR. MEANWHILE I CALLED THE DEALER, OUTTEN COUNTY CHRYSLER, AND LEFT A MESSAGE AS THEY WERE CLOSED. I SETUP AN APPOINTMENT AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THIS MANY, MANY TIMES. TO ME, PERSONALLY, I FEEL THIS A MAJOR ISSUE. I BOUGHT A NEW CAR TO ALLEVIATE ALL THE "REPAIR HEADACHES" YET I AM STILL DOING IT, PLUS WHY WOULD SIMPLY PUTTING AIR IN THE TIRE CAUSE THE VALVE TO BREAK? ACCORDING TO THE PERSON AT THE DESK THEY NOTED THEY HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES THAT THE VALVE STEMS CORRODE AND BREAK EASILY. TO ME THIS IS A RIP OFF TO ME, THE CONSUMER AND COSTLY AT THAT. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10486443
Incident
Nov 24, 2012
Mileage
44,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .