Owner-reported complaints naming the other system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above. 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. 12 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
SUBFRAME ROTTED AWAY. CAUSING THE DRIVERS SIDE A-ARM TO RIP OUT. THE WHEEL WAS AT AN APPROXIMATE 90 DEGREE ANGLE FROM NORMAL POSITION. CAUSED THE DRIVESHAFT TO PULL OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION AND THE CAR TO IMMEDIATELY STOP.
I TOOK MY WIFE'S 2009 CALIBER TO OUR MECHANIC BECAUSE SHE HEARD CLUNKING NOISES FROM THE FRONT END. WE WERE INFORMED BY OUR MECHANIC THAT A PIECE OF FRAME STRETCHING ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE IS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE STEERING RACK AND SWAY BARS ATTACH TO THIS FRAME WORK. ALSO FRONT END COMPONENTS. THE VEHICLE MAKES LOUD PLUNKING NOICES WHEN GOING OVER SMALL AND LARGE BUMPS AND MUCH WORSE WHEN HITTING POT HOLES. NO OTHER RUST IS APPARENT ON ANY FRAM WORK UNDER THE VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE IS ONLY NINE YEARS OLD. I THINK THAT'S EXTREMELY ODD FOR SUCH A YOUNG VEHICLE. I FEEL THIS MAY BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE VERY SOON AND THINK THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A RECALL THAT I AM UNAWARE OF.
MY NAME IS [XXX] & MY WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT ABOUT 55 MILES PER HOUR & THE STEERING WHEEL LOST CONTROL PULLING THE VEHICLE TO ON COMING TRAFFIC! SHE NEARLY MISS THE VEHICLE AND GOT CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. SHE WAS NEAR THE PLACE WHERE WE TAKE OUR VEHICLES TO GET REPAIRED,SO SHE HAD IT TOWED THERE. ) THE MECHANIC CHECKED IT OUT AND SAID THE ENGINE CRADLE RUSTED OUT ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND BROKE THRU. THE TIRES WERE CHOPPED UP ON BOTH SIDES FROM CUTTING IN TO THE FRONT END ALSO. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY A 2009 .I CALLED CHRYSLER COMPLAINT DEPT.AND SHE SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T DO ANY THING ABOUT IT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE DODGE CALIBER 2009 MODELS(ONLY ON THE 2005 CALIBER MODELS) SHE ALSO SAID THAT SHE BOUGHT THE SAME TYPE OF (USED )CALIPER AND HER DAD LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THE ENGINE CRADLE WAS RUSTING OUT . SO SHE SOLD IT.! MY WIFE COULD OF GOTTEN IN A HEAD ON ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS! WE TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN OUR VEHICLES & KEEP UP ON THE REGULAR MAINTENANCE.WE ALSO HAVE ALL THE RECORDS ON EVERYTHING THAT WE HAD DONE WITH THE VEHICLE. A PERSON CALLED TO ASK US ABOUT THE COMPLAINT AND WE COULD TALK TO HER AT THAT TIME BECAUSE MY WIFE WAS WORKING AT THAT TIME SO THE PERSON SAID THEY WOULD CALL BACK BUT WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THEM IN ABOUT A WEEK. PLEASE CALL US ABOUT THIS AT . [XXX] THE CAR IS REPAIRED AND WE HAVE THE BILL AND THE RUSTED OUT ENGINE CRADLE IF YOU NEED A PICTURE OF IT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
THE 2009 DODGE CALIBER WAS DEEMED UNSAFE AND UNABLE TO PASS A MAINE SAFETY INSPECTION. THE FRONT AND REAR CROSS SUB FRAMES WERE HEAVILY RUSTED AND COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH IN SEVERAL PLACES.
I BOUGHT MY CAR USED IN JUNE OF 2014 AND THOUGHT IT WAS IN PRETTY DECENT SHAPE AT THE TIME, LITTLE DID I KNOW. I WAS DRIVING MY CAR (2009 DODGE CALIBER) AND HIT A SMALL POTHOLE AND HEARD SOME RATTLING AFTERWARDS. I ASSUMED IT WAS MAYBE A CLAMP ON MY EXHAUST AND SO WASN'T REAL WORRIED ABOUT IT AND FIGURED I WOULD HAVE MY MECHANIC CHECK IT OUT IN A WEEK OF SO. I GOT CONCERNED AFTER A COUPLE DAYS BECAUSE THE RATTLING TURNED INTO CLUNKING. I SENT IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID THERE WAS MAJOR ROT ON THE ENGINE CRADLE WHICH WAS ROTTED AND BROKEN AND BOTH FRONT CONTROL ARMS WERE NO GOOD AND SWAY BAR BUSHINGS ALSO NEEDED REPLACING, TWO DAYS BEFORE THIS NOISE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT SPEED LIMIT, HAD THIS ALL FALLEN APART I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE COST TO REPAIR ALL THE PARTS WHICH WERE, AS FAR AS MY MECHANIC IS CONCERNED, FAULTY AND SHOULD BE RECALLED, WAS $1920.13 !!! THIS CAR IS 6 YEARS OLD WITH 86,000 MILES ON IT AND SHOULD NOT HAVE THE ROT IN THESE PLACES AS SEVERE AS IT IS. I KNOW ON THE DODGE CALIBER FORUMS MANY OWNERS HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE MAJOR FRONT END PARTS ROTTING. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND I WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE NOTICED HAD MY MECHANIC NOT PUT IT ON A LIFT AND LOOKED AT IT AND EVEN THEN ONCE HE TOOK OFF THE ENGINE CRADLE TO REPLACE IT HE NOTICED THE ROTTED PARTS THAT WERE COVERED BY THE CRADLE, THANK GOD I DIDN'T LOSE CONTROL AND GET KILLED AS I TRAVEL A LOT ON THE HIGHWAY, THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO LIGHT AND CALIBER OWNERS NEED TO HAVE THEIR MECHANICS CHECK OUT THEIR CARS BEFORE SOMEONE'S ENGINE FALLS OUT AND THEY GET KILLED. WHEN I PURCHASED THIS CAR IT WAS MOST LIKELY ROTTED PRETTY BAD AND I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS A DEFECT IN THEM AT THE TIME. I SEE LOTS OF THESE CARS FOR SALE STILL ON LOTS, PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE THE FRONT ENDS INSPECTED THOROUGHLY BEFORE THEY PURCHASE ONE . *TR
TIRE TPMS VALVE STEM COMPLETELY SHATTERED. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD THESE REPLACED WITHIN THE PAST 6 MONTHS WITH NEW TIRES INSTALLED, YET THE ONE HAD SHATTERED WHILE ADDING AIR ALLOWING ALL AIR TO SPEW OUT OF TIRE. THIS COULD BE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IF THESE FRAGILE SENSORS/STEMS WERE TO SHATTER WHILE DRIVING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ADDING AIR TO THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR TIRE, THE VALVE STEM BECAME FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS ADVISED THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM AND VALVE STEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 56,000. .UPDATED 01-10-14 *BF
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
VALVE STEMS BREAK AND CAN CAUSE TIRES TO LOOSE AIR. VALVE STEMS OFTEN BREAK NEAR THE CAP SO YOU CANNOT ADD AIR TO THE TIRE, AND IN SOME CASES THEY BREAK LOWER SO THE NEEDLE IN THE VALVE BECOMES LOOSE. THIS HAPPENED WITH TWO VALVE STEMS WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS AT ABOUT 35,500 MILES, AND NOW WITH ABOUT 39,000 MILES, I HAVE A THIRD VALVE STEM THAT CRACKED DIFFERENTLY AT A LOWER POSITION SO IT WAS EVEN HARDER TO DETECT. TIRES MAY LOOSE AIR SO THE WARNING LIGHT COMES BUT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ADD AIR. IT MAY BE A SLOW LEAK OR IF THE CRACK IS NEAR THE NEEDLE IT COULD CAUSE A RAPID LOSS OF AIR. THESE DEFECTIVE STEMS WHICH HAVE PRESSURE SENSORS COST ALMOST $100 AT THE DEALER. I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE ARE REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE STEMS WITH CONVENTIONAL RUBBER STEMS AND JUST IGNORING THE WARNING LIGHT. THIS IS A COMMON WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM FOR MAY CHRYSLER VEHICLES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE ATTEMPTED TO ADD AIR TO THE FRONT DRIVER'S TIRE AND THE VALVE STEM DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM FOR THE FRONT DRIVER'S TIRE WAS REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR LATER, THE SAME FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
EXCESSIVE INNER TIRE TREAD WEAR DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR TO LOWER BALL JOINT, BEFORE 50,000 MILES. COULD RESULT IN TIRE FAILURE (BLOW OUT) AT ANY SPEED AND ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *JS
3 OUT OF 4 VALVE STEM'S HAD TO BE REPLACE ON MY CAR DUE TO MATERIAL DEFECT...CONTACTED DODGE DUE TO PRODUCT FAILURE TO SEE IF THIS HAD BEEN RECALLED AS OF YET. HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY DAUGHTERS 2009 DODGE AVENGER LAST JULY 2011. *TR
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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