RoadVitals

2009 Dodge Caliber Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance 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.
15
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.
6%
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.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. 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. 15 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 driver-assistance

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
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
Driver assistanceEngineFuel system
Filed Jan 26, 2020

THE CAR WILL STALL AND NOT TAKE OFF AFTER BEING STOPPED AT A LIGHT FOR TOO LONG . WILL SHUT OFF AS WELL ALONG WITH THROTTLING AS IF IT WANTS TO SHUT OFF

NHTSA ID
11302111
Incident
Jan 2, 2020
Mileage
125,000 mi
Driver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed Oct 23, 2019

THE CARS TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON INDACATING THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IS OVER 250 DEGREES AND IT SHUTS DOWN TO WHERE I CANT DRIVE IT IT JUMPS AND IT WON'T LET ME ACCELERATE I WAS GOING TO THE DR OFFICE OUT OF THE TOWN FROM WHERE I LIVE AND IT PUT ME OUT PUT IT ON THE DIAGNOSICT MACHINE AT IT SAID TMC MODUEL I HAVENT HAD IT VERY LONG AND ALL AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS DONE IT TO ME

NHTSA ID
11270545
Incident
Oct 18, 2019
Driver assistanceElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Jul 22, 2019

THE RECALL U HAVE THAT U SAY HAS NOT EFFECTED MINE HAS. I'VE ALREADY PUT A NEW ENGINE IN THE CAR AND A GAS TANK, ALL THE LINES AND NOW THE CAR IS STILL SHUTTING OFF/DOWN ON ITS OWN. THE RECALL IS EXACTLY WAT THE MECHANIC SAYS NEEDS DONE AND HE DOESN'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT TO DO THE REPAIR. NO ADVANCED READ OUT MACHINERY TO CHANGE OR REPROGRAM. I NEED THIS RECALL ON MINE. THERE'S NO WAY U GOT EVERY ONE THAT WAS RECALLED. LIKE I SAID JEFF BRADLEY IS THE MECHANIC THAT'S FINE ALL THE WORK THE NEW MOTOR THE GAS TANK AND LINES, AND NOW IT'S STILL SHUTTING DOWN. THERE IS NO DASH LIGHTS THAT CONE N AT ALL

NHTSA ID
11233731
Incident
May 25, 2019
Mileage
191,000 mi
Driver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed May 7, 2018

THE TRANSMISSION CONTINUOUSLY OVERHEATS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER. THE IS NO NOTIFICATION OTHER THAN A LIGHT AT THE TIME IT STARTS TO SLOW DOWN. AT THIS POINT YOU HAVE TO MANEUVER CAUTIOUSLY THROUGH FAST MOVING TRAFFIC TO PULL OVER FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES EACH TIME. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN IN MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS (AND ALMOST CAUSED A FEW) BECAUSE OF THE UNANNOUNCED EXTREME LOSS OF POWER. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR FOR MULTIPLE TRANSMISSION FLUSHES AND FILTER CHANGES. NOTHING WORKS AND I'M REPEATEDLY TOLD THAT MANY CALIBERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE BUT THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT CREATED A SOLUTION. THE VEHICLE HAS REMAINED PARKED FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS. MY DAUGHTER TOOK IT OUT FOR A DRIVE TODAY AND WAS STUCK ON THE FREEWAY TWICE IN A 30 MILE TRIP DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION. I CANNOT SELL OR USE THE VEHICLE FOR OBVIOUS SAFETY REASONS.

NHTSA ID
11092363
Incident
Jan 1, 2011
Mileage
37,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 21, 2017

"TAKATA RECALL" WHEN I DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT 30 TO 45 MINS ON HIGH WAY THE TRANSMISSION HEATING LIGHT WILL APPEAR AND CAUSES THE CAR TO GO INTO LIMP MOLD UNTIL TRANS IS COOLED DOWN IT WILL NOT GO OVER 60 MPH WHEN THIS HAPPEND TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THEY TELL ME THIS IS SOMETHING THAT DODGE CALIBER DOES.

NHTSA ID
11035343
Incident
Mar 12, 2017
Mileage
117,367 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Nov 23, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE MORE THAN 5 MPH AND AN UNKNOWN WARNING SENSOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY AND THROTTLE CONTROL FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND FILED A CASE NUMBER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

NHTSA ID
10927665
Incident
Sep 27, 2016
Mileage
130,000 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
Driver assistanceEngineExterior lighting
Filed Nov 28, 2015

CAR SHAKING WHILE DRIVING ENGINE LIGHT ON AND DASH LIGHTS KEEP FLASHING

NHTSA ID
10807258
Incident
Nov 28, 2015
Mileage
119,000 mi
Driver assistanceFuel system
Filed Aug 11, 2015

I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 60-65 MPH WHEN MY CAR BEGAN TO RESIST ( PULL BACK) AS I WAS TRYING TO CUT OVER A FEW LANES THE SPEED DROPPED DRAMATIC TO 5PMH AND SOON AS I WAS ABLE TO VEER OFF THE HIGHWAY IT COMPLETELY SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. GOOD THING I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD. AND I HAD TO GET IT TOWED HOME. GET HOME THE CAR WOULD START BUT THERE WAS NO DRIVING POWER NO SPEED. TRIED TO BACK THE CAR UP WOULD NOT PUSH PAST 10RPM. I HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO A MACANIC SAID THE THROTTLE BODY WAS THE ISSUE. I READ MANY COMPLAINTS ON GOOGLE ABOUT DODGE CALIBERS HAVING THIS ISSUE AS SOON AS IT HITS 80+THOUSAND MILES ON IT. I SEE THAT MANY CARS HAVE BEEN ON RECALL EXCEPT THE CALIBERS?

NHTSA ID
10747976
Incident
Aug 7, 2015
Mileage
808,012 mi
Driver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed Oct 16, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING VERY ROUGH AND WOULD GO UP TO 30 MPH. THE CONTACT STATED THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,143. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE PRESENTED AN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION WITH THE AUTHORIZED UPGRADED RIMS AND TIRES. ON LONG TRIPS. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD OVERHEAT CAUSING THE SAME RESULT AS IN DEPLETED PERFORMANCE. UPDATED 12/10/12

NHTSA ID
10480683
Incident
Sep 3, 2012
Mileage
55,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 2, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THE ELECTRIC THROTTLE CONTROL LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED. WHENEVER THE CONTACT DROVE 15 MPH THE WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE PCM CHIP AT LEAST TWICE BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 77,000.

NHTSA ID
10478247
Incident
Sep 2, 2012
Mileage
45,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed Feb 18, 2012

I BOUGHT MY 2009 DODGE CALIBER BRAND NEW IN JULY 2009. I MADE MY DECISION BASED ON THE 5-YR POWERTRAIN WARRANTY, ASSUMING THE CAR MUST BE MECHANICALLY DEPENDABLE. WELL NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS WRONG FOR MAKING THAT ASSUMPTION. I BEGAN TO HAVE SERIOUS MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITHIN THE FIRST 2 YEARS OF OWNING THE CAR. I REPLACED THE BATTERY 3 TIMES, HAD A TUNE-UP AT 65,000 MILES AND REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR TWICE AFTER THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT MY WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER ANY REPAIRS SINCE THE CAR HAD OVER 36,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $100.00 FOR A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK TO SEE IF THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY WOULD COVER A REPAIR FOR MY CAR TO RUN. SINCE THIS CAR WAS MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM WORK AND LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK, I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO ATTEMPT REPAIRS WITH THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR REPLACEMENTS JUST TO MAKE IT TO WORK AND BE ABLE TO PAY MY MORTGAGE AND CAR NOTE. THOSE REPAIRS SEEM TO WORK AT FIRST UNTIL 2 WEEKS AFTER THE SECOND ALTERNATOR REPLACEMENT, WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN MY CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND I MANAGED TO MAKE MY WAY TO THE SHOULDER. IT WAS TURNING DARK AND MY HAZARD LIGHTS WERE NO LONGER VISIBLE DUE TO THE BATTERY BEING DRAINED. I WAS ON SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE IN DARK FREEZING WEATHER FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR BEFORE A CO-WORKER COULD FIND ME TO HELP ME TO SAFETY. I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE FINANCE COMPANY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10448390
Incident
Apr 22, 2011
Mileage
65,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngineTransmission
Filed Nov 4, 2010

09/2009 VEHICLE DIED WHILE DRIVING IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC TOWED TO DEALER, SUGGESTED CAR HAD AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND FIXED. 08/16/2010 VEHICLE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE WAS JERKING BEFORE IT DIED WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, TOWED TO DEALER SUGGESTED TRANSMISSION WAS BAD AND FIXED. 09/14/2010 VEHICLE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER TO START, WHEN STARTED DROVE 5 MILES AND STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, TOWED BACK TO DEALER SUGGESTED COOLANT WAS LEAKING ON THE RADIATOR AND BATTERY WAS BAD AND FIXED. 09/20/2010 ENGINE, THROTTLE AND ENGINE TEMP LIGHT ON VEHICLE DIED WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, TOWED BACK TO DEALER SUGGESTING HEAD GASKETS FAILED AND FIXED. 10/21/2010 ENGINE TEMP RUNS HOT, OVERHEATS, MAKES TUGGING SOUNDS AND JERKS WHILE DRIVING, DROVE BACK TO DEALER SUGGESTING THERMOSTATS NOT OPENING FULLY REPLACED AND STATES THE CAR WAS SOLD WITH A BAD ENGINE. 11/04/2010 CAR RETURNED TO DEALER DUE TO JERKING, ENGINE LIGHT ON, MAKING TUGGING SOUNDS AS YOU ACCELERATE, WINDING DOWN SOUNDS WHEN YOU BREAK AND OVERHEATING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10364056
Incident
Sep 15, 2009
Mileage
1,700 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.

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .