2011 Dodge Caliber Suspension Problems

I just bought this vehicle July 28 of 23. It was supposed to have been inspected to be sold. It’s completely rusted out the whole bottom of the car it’s unsafe to drive. I’ve been told by three people the people that did the inspection and said it was OK, and then Belle tire, which I tried to get a Alignment for him because it’s so bad and separating. I can’t get an alignment it hydroplanes and back in bounces up and down and it’s not for me to drive. I’m [XXX] and I need a good safe vehicle and I need something done with this or someone to take it back so that I can get a different car that is safe for me to drive. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11561653

Incident

Dec 23, 2023

This Vehicle was sold to me July 28,2023. It was said to be safe to sell to me by H&I, Auto Repair Shop in Sterling Hts , they let Grimaldi's Auto Sales, in Warren, Mi , on Mound sell me the vehicle I am an [XXX] woman. The repair man there said it was SAFE to drive. I took it for an alignment. Which at Belle Tire they could not be due to the fact how bad it is! now I have a vehicle that is not safe to Drive because the Rear Suspension Crossmember is rusted out and other parts in back plus struts and other parts. I need this vehicle fixed or replaced as I live on Social Security. FOR FREE I can't afford to PAY for something that was sold to me that it is junk. It was Hydroplaning, had the tires checked out! Then the back end was bosing up and down. Thats when I found out more problems. I NEED HELP WITH THIS VEHICLE NOW < I NEED TO BE SAFE ON THE ROAD PLEASE [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11560818

Incident

Dec 15, 2023

The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal banging sound coming from the driver's side front wheel well while turning left or driving over bumps in the roadway. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the front frame members were rusted, and the driver’s side front steering arm had fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The contact stated that the mechanic was aware of a known manufacturer failure about the severe rusting of the frame. The failure mileage was 111,102.

NHTSA ID

11512879

Incident

Mar 13, 2023

Mileage

111,102 mi

Upon bringing our Caliber into a service shop to install shocks because we thought the severe vibration was from worn shocks, we were told the entire rear suspension subframe was rotted and rusted to the point of the driver-side rear was almost split in half. Had it been driven much farther, the left rear wheel would have been separated from the subframe. The shop did not want the car driven any further because of the safety risk to ourselves and others on the road and we had to fix this issue immediately. This is a grave issue of safety being this is a major frame component, that was clearly faulty and known about by Dodge, which could lead to a serious or fatal incident. The car has 139,000 miles on it and has been a good car mechanically thus far, prompting us to remedy the problem. Upon researching this issue, it seems as if this is a known issue by Dodge and many other Calibers are also affected. Had we known about the bulletin, we would have addressed this issue earlier.The shop costs were around $2000, which included us purchasing parts to save more money on labor.

NHTSA ID

11482593

Incident

Aug 25, 2022

The passenger side rear lower control are rusted off of the back frame crossmember which shows a significant amount of rust! This almost caused an accident while driving. It broke loose while driving down the highway.

NHTSA ID

11481783

Incident

Aug 26, 2022

Rotted Subframe on Dodge Caliber I was driving home after picking my kids up from school and my front tires would not steer and were wobbling while driving, losing control of my vehicle. I had to pull over on the side of the road so I did not crash with my children in the car. I called a tow company and had it towed to the closest independent service center. Yes, the problem was reproduced by a local mechanic ASE certified that the car is not driveable because the subframe was completely rotted out and needed to be replaced. No, the car is still at the garage and not inspected by manufacturer, police or insurance. There were no warning lamps, message or other symptoms prior to the failure. There were no issues driving to school and driving home it began to be hard to steer and then starting losing control over the vehicle and keeping it on the road. I slowed and pulled over to the side of the road and called a tow truck immediately. I was not going to take the chance of driving any further with my children and crash.

NHTSA ID

11468433

Incident

Jun 3, 2022

Cradle connected to front suspension is corroded and cracked. Causing wobble in steering wheel.

NHTSA ID

11465786

Incident

May 23, 2022

I started having noise problems with my car and also had inspection due so I brought it into a mechanic and he was horrified to see that my front cross member was so rusted that my sway bar came out and he said lucky my wheels didn’t come off and that a car accident would be horrible as it is that rusted , and he also stayed the back cross member is the same . This is a huge safety concern specially where my car itself isn’t even rusted only the cross members. I hope you can help me and my family so we can be safe . Thank you Richard

NHTSA ID

11458072

Incident

Mar 23, 2022

Total rust of the bottom of the car. Front sub frame has to be replaced and rust on the back of the car. 107473 miles.

NHTSA ID

11447342

Incident

Jan 13, 2022

I was driving my 2011 Dodge Caliber and heard cracking sounds, I was able to pull into a parking lot. My father came over and looked under the car, the subframe is totally rusted out and my tires could have fallen off at anytime. Thank goodness we were not on the highway. The car has only 86,000 miles on it and will take more money than I can afford to fix it. This really needs to be taken care of before someone gets badly hurt or worse! I have seen other complaints about the same issue.

NHTSA ID

11432907

Incident

May 29, 2021

Crossmember frame rusted out front and rear could cause a mayor accident if the frame broke down it’s a safety issues concern about this situation .

NHTSA ID

11430192

Incident

Aug 16, 2021

The subframe is completely rusted on the front and rear of the car. This is a known issue with the car as dodge extended the warranty for the sub-frame by ten years. My issue manifested itself after those ten years but it is an issue that should be addressed with a recall.

NHTSA ID

11430122

Incident

Aug 23, 2021

I just purchased my 16 year old daughter a 2011 Dodge Caliber with approximately 75,000 miles on it. Great shape. She has drove it here and there for 3 months. 2 nights ago while driving she started hearing a noise so we took it to the shop to be told the entire cradle/frame is rusted and not safe to drive. This car has close to the same amount of miles my 2018 car has and clearly has been well taken care of for the entire frame to be rusted. To then be told it’s not safe to drive and I had my newly licensed driver in this car it’s heartbreaking. This is going to cost $1500 to repair on a car with less than 100,000 miles. After hearing about the issue I look online and see a lot of complaints about this same issue on other calibers of different years and this year as well. Dodge needs to fix this ASAP. This should be a recall. Someone could get hurt or killed and have no clue. The sound isn’t even that loud just sounds like a bald tire so thankfully she did stop and tell me and we took the car some people may not do that.

NHTSA ID

11422183

Incident

Jun 22, 2021

SO I'VE ONLY HAD THIS VEHICAL IN MY PASSION AFTER MY STEP FATHER DIED IK BOUT IT WITH 160,000 IN IT AND 6 MONTHS LATER IT BREAKS COME TO FIND OUT IT'S THE X69 NO I'M OUT A VEHICAL IT'S STILL IN MY POSSESSION AND SOMEONE ELSE GOT PAID ON IT AND FOR IT TO GET FIXED.CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS . THE CTOSSFRAME BROKE ON ME AND I DONT HAVE ANY MONEY FOR THE OTHER PARTS THAT TOTALED OUT TO BE 2,200 THIS CAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED AS IT'S ONLY BEEN IN MY POSSESSION FOR LESS THAN 6 MONTH AND AT 160,00 AND I HAVE TOWING BILLS AND MANY OTHER EXPENSES WELL DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IT BROKE AND COULD HAVE BEEN VERY BAD SO ME BEING THE DEFENSIVE DRIVER I AM I USED CAUTION NOW TO FIND THIS OUT. CAN I GET A DECENT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR PEOPLE PASSING THE BUCKET AS THEY DAY ITS BOT THEIR PROBLEM.THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS

NHTSA ID

11355128

Incident

Jun 1, 2020

Mileage

150,000 mi

SUBFRAME IS SO RUSTY IT HAS CRACKED. *TR

NHTSA ID

11327557

Incident

May 27, 2020

Mileage

150,071 mi

STARTING JANUARY 2019, I HAD SPENT $5K OF UNDERBODY REPLACEMENT: BENT/RUSTY AXLE-F, 2 F-TIRES; FRONT BRAKES & SHOCKS, REAR ROTORS, BRAKES & SHOCKS, FRONT & REAR ARMS. THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL WAS LOCKED & I WAS DRIVING THAT WAY WITH BOTH OF MY YOUNG GRANDCHILDREN 3 MONTHS AFTER I HAD TIRES REPLACED. I KEPT BEING TOLD BY A FRIEND & MY SON, 'HAVE YOU HAD YOUR CAR FIXED YET?' THE SUSPENSION SUCKED; I FELT EVERY BUMP & POTHOLE! THE NOISE IN THE FRONT TO RIGHT TOOK OVER A YEAR TO FIX.

NHTSA ID

11319563

Incident

Jan 3, 2019

Mileage

115 mi

MY SON WAS AT A STOP SIGN ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. HE ACCELERATED TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN, HEARD A LOUD POP, THE CAR JOLTED AND PULLED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE, THE SUSPENSION BROKE. TOOK TO A GARAGE AND WAS TOLD THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS PITTED AND RUSTED THROUGH. WAS ALSO TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH OUR MAKE AND MODEL CAR. HE TOLD US THAT MY SONS WERE VERY LUCKY THAT THEY WERE NOT ON A HIGHWAY OR TRAVELING ANY FASTER, AS THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A VERY BAD ACCIDENT!!!

NHTSA ID

11297992

Incident

Jan 8, 2020

Mileage

117,000 mi

ONLY 117,500 MILES THE SUBFRAME IS RUSTED OUT AND CRACKED.

NHTSA ID

11291411

Incident

Dec 26, 2019

Mileage

117,521 mi

MY CAR MAKING STRANGE NOISES IT FEELS LIKE THE WHEEL IS GOING TO FAR OFF. I WENT TO O RALLY AUTO PART STORE AND SHOW THEM PICTURES AND THEY SAID IT IS THE MOTOR CRADLE OR FRAME. IF THE FRAME IS BENT AND THE CAR DOES NOT HAVE ANY ACCIDENT ON IT ,ISN'T A UN SAFE CAR? I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR 3 AND HALF YEARS AND IT IS SO RUSTY PARTS I AM AFRAID OF IT. AND I AM SILL PAYING ON IT A JUNKYARD OR A MANUFACTURED OR DEALER CAN REPLACE IT AND I AM 71 YEARS OLD AND I THINK THE DEALER KNOW THIS CAR WAS LIKE THIS WENT HE SOLD IT TO ME. I GO TO A FULL TIME JOB EVER MORNING AT 4 O CLOCK AM ON THE HIGHWAY AND I AM AFRAID OF IF SAPPING INTO AND MAKE ME WRECK PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA ID

11269052

Incident

Oct 16, 2019

Mileage

12,000 mi

WIFE COMPLAINED ON THE WAY HOME ABOUT HER CAR MAKING A STRANGE NOISE UP FRONT... WE GOT OUT TO EAT, COME HOME AND I PUT THE CAR ON MY LIFT AND MY JAW HITS THE FLOOR!! THE FRONT CROSSMEMBER IS BARELY THERE... FOR A CAR WITH 90K MILES, THIS IS BEYOND EMBARRASSING. SEE THE PICTURES FOR YOURSELF... WE PURCHASED THOS FROM A CHRYSLER DEALER HERE IN FRANKLIN INDIANA 4YRS AGO AND NOW THEY ARE TELLING ME THOUGH THE PART IS A PART OF THE RECALL... YOUR CAR IS MADE IN CANADA SO WE DONT HAVE THE WARRANTY COVERAGE TO FIX YOUR CAR... SHAME SHAME SHAME. SOMEONE WILL END UP KILLED IF THEY DONT START RECALLING THESE FRAMES.

NHTSA ID

11258731

Incident

Sep 27, 2019

Mileage

90,000 mi

RUSTED OUT SUB-FRAME. I'VE HAD THE CAR FOR A YEAR, IT'S HAD ALL OF IT'S SERVICING DONE PRIOR AT DODGE DEALERS AND NO MENTION OF RUSTED OUT SUB-FRAME. WAS DRIVING THIS MORNING WHEN MY TIRE SEIZED THEN STARTED TO WOBBLE WHILE IN 45MPH TRAFFIC ON A DIVIDED HIGHWAY. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF AND PARK BEFORE GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT! IT'S NOW SITTING AT MY MECHANIC'S SHOP WAITING ON AN INVESTIGATION AND PRICING. THIS NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE! THIS SUB-FRAME RUSTING OUT THIS QUICKLY IS GOING TO KILL SOMEONE! I'M COLLECTING PICTURES AND STATEMENTS FROM MY MECHANIC AND THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER AND WILL CONTACT THE PRESS IF I HAVE TO!!

NHTSA ID

11240324

Incident

Jul 29, 2019

Mileage

127,000 mi

FRONT SUB FRAME COMPLETELY RUSTED AND SPLIT IN HALF. CAUSING STEERING ISSUE, SHAKING AND LOUD CLUNKING FROM DRIVERS SIDE AND UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. ALSO....HAVING ISSUE WITH ETC, ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL KICKS INTO LIMP MODE OFTEN WHILE DRIVING. CAUSING NEAR ACCIDENTS WHILE ON HWY OR PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. THIS CAR IS NOW UNSAFE FOR MY FAMILY. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN UNCOOPERATIVE BECAUSE NO RECALLS ARE LISTED. LOOKED ON SEVERAL BLOGS PLUS THIS SITE....SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE EXACT SAME ISSUES. VERY SURPRISED AND DISSATISFIED THAT MORE IS NOT BEING DONE TO FIX KNOWN ISSUES.

NHTSA ID

11233061

Incident

Jul 17, 2019

TOOK CAR INTO DEALERSHIP FOR ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, TIRE ROTATION WAS INFORMED FRONT CROSS MEMBER COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH, ALSO BOTH REAR UPPER LATERAL LINKS AND BOTH REAR TOE LINKS AND BOLTS ARE LOOSE AND WORN . MY CAR HAS 68,000 MILES ON IT COST FOR THIS REPAIR 1,360 DOLLARS . I AM ON LIMITED DISABILITY WHY DOESN'T AUTO MAKERS RECALL THIS, AS THEY DID THE OTHER YEARS? I AM TOLD IT IS BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL RESPONSIBLE AS I LIVE IN MICHIGAN AND THE SALT DOES THIS. THEN WHY HAVEN'T THEY MADE THE PARTS TO HANDLE THIS ISSUE OR SHOULD SOUTHERN STATES JUST BUY THEM AND MANUFACTURES OFF SCOTT FREE . I CANNOT AFFORD THIS . ALSO MY OIL PAN IS RUSTING OUT BUT NOT LEAKING. AM I FORCED TO TRADE IN A DIFFERENT STYLE VEHICLE FROM DIFFERENT MANUFACTURE? LIKELY [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

11170255

Incident

Nov 3, 2017

Mileage

68,191 mi

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING OUR 2011 CALIBER BACK FROM COLLEGE ON ST RT 14. AS SHE WENT TO TURN RIGHT ONTO OUR ROAD,THE TIRE ON DRIVER SIDE BUCKLED UNDER. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT CROSSMEMBER BROKE.THE REASON FOR THIS WAS THE METAL HAD RUSTED COMPLETELY AWAY FROM DEFECTIVE METAL. WE WERE NEVER ISSUED A NOTICE OF THIS POTENTIAL DANGEROUS DEFECT. NO RECALL WAS ISSUED ONLY AN EXTENSION OF THE CARS WARRANTY, WHICH AGAIN WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED. THE DAMAGE WAS EXTENSIVE,TIRES WERE DESTROYED,FRONT CROSSMEMBER WAS REPLACED, FRONT AXLEAND REPLACED,LOWER LEFT CONTROL ARM REPLACED,FLANGE HEAD AND SHAFT-AXLE HALF REPLACED. BECAUSE THIS WAS A WARRANTY ISSUE AND NOT A RECALL,WE HAD TO PAY FOR MOST OF THE DAMAGE OUT OF POCKET.WHICH HAD WE KNOWN ABOUT PROBLEM WE WOULD HAVE HAD REPAIRED. UPON THIS HAPPENING WE HAVE NOTIFIED EVERYONE WE KNOW THAT OWN THIS VEHICLE. OF THE ONES THAT HAVE HAD THERE CARS INSPECTED ALL ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME METAL RUSTING IN DIFFERENT STAGES. THIS IS A RECALL ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.HAD MY DAUGHTER BEEN GOING THE SPEED LIMIT [70 MPH] AND THIS HAPPENED MY DAUGHTER WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN KILLED! I AM NOW PUTTING DODGE AND YOU ON NOTICE OF THIS DEFECT, SO THAT IF JUST ONE PERSON GETS KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS,THEY HAVE LEGAL RECOURSE.

NHTSA ID

11128011

Incident

Aug 2, 2018

Mileage

147,402 mi

RE: RUSTED FRONT AND REAR CROSSMEMBER EXTENDED WARRANTY #23-012-14 T.S.B. 23-012-14 2011 DODGE CALIBER FALLS UNDER, AND QUALIFIES FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF BOTH SUBFRAME CROSSMEMBERS DUE TO RUST. HE DEALER HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO REPLACE THE CROSSMSMBERS. HOWEVER, DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME $211 TO REPLACE ADDITIONAL PARTS THAT ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CROSSMEMBERS, DUE TO SAID PARTS BEING DIFFICULT TO REMOVE AND RE-USE..

NHTSA ID

11102671

Incident

Jun 18, 2018