Engine & cooling

Dodge Caliber Engine problems by year

266 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Dodge Caliber's engine & cooling. Stalling, loss of power, oil consumption, overheating, head gaskets, timing chains and engine failure.

Engine complaints by model year

2006 1072007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Year	Engine complaints	Crashes	Injuries
2012	5	1	0
2011	42	0	0
2010	26	0	0
2009	30	0	0
2008	56	1	1
2007	107	3	2

Latest Caliber engine complaints

2007 Dodge Caliber Electrical system Brakes Engine & coolingCrash

The contact owns a 2007 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated that the ECU had been hacked. While driving on the highway at 70 MPH, the brakes applied without application, but I was able to move to the right lane. The vehicle was able to pull over safely, and it stalled. While parking with the foot on the brakes, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and crashed into a small pole. There was no reported fire, airbag deployment, police report filed, or injuries. While in neutral, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The driver...

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was able to shift to neutral. The vehicle was making an abnormal growling sound. There was no light inside. While using the headlights, the windshield wipers turned on for five minutes. After locking the vehicle, the headlights remain on. While using the turn signal, the windshield wipers engaged without application. While driving in the rain, the vehicle hydroplaned. The contact stated that someone stole the key fob, made copies, hacked into the vehicle, and was controlling the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing, which confirmed the vehicle was working as designed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was approximately 154,000. The VIN was not available.

2011 Dodge Caliber Electrical system Engine & cooling

** From Dealer - diagnosis says - Primary Line B: D1 C/S Multiple warning lights came on in dash (like a X-mas tree) and vehicle will not want to drive after that. C/S has to turn off and turn back on to get to move. C/A TIPM - Total integrated power module - verified customer concern found vehicle with loss of comm dts with tipm no vin mis match dtc present and more than one module aginst tipm recommend replacement of tipm and retesting at this time. The TIPM module controls most if not all of the body functions...

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of the car or truck. Everything from wipers and headlights, starting system and so on. It accepts signals from many diff switches and modules in the car and translates them to the connected systems. $2128.00 is total cost of repair at Dodge Lithia - this should be a recall. There are only about 63,000 miles on her vehicle. ** Safety of driver (my mother in law who is [[redacted]] or niece) put at risk because car just slows down and stops WHILE driving. She pulls over, stops car, then when she starts car again it's okay for a while until it does this again. ** Safety of those on the road, if her car dies while she's driving it and she has to pull off, if car won't drive, she is stopped on the road or highway with other cars behind hopefully stopping to let her pull off the road. ** Yes it was inspected and reproduced by dealer. Dealer (Dodge Lithia in Kennewick, WA) gave us this information above primary line B, etc lights all come on dash looking like a Christmas tree.... ** No warning lights for this specific issues, only that ALL dash lights come on like a Christmas tree, we paid $300 for one mechanic who couldn't diagnose. Now Dodge has said it's a $2000+ fix - and hopefully this will fix the issue??? ** The only symptom is dashboard lights up, car slows down (de-celerates) and then won't go. Car is turned off, then turned back on and it drives again, then it happens again. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

2007 Dodge Caliber Suspension Body, doors & structure Engine & cooling

This is a follow up to complaint #11459461 filed on 4/3/22 at 9:16:43am. I was not able to send documents at that time. Documents included relate to follow up on complaint #11591104. First pdf file: pages 1-4 Service bulletin from Chrysler - my model year not included; pages 5-7 service invoice and picture of missing engine cradle pan; page 8 original repair invoice; page 9 copy of original repair invoice with notations for Magna plant manager; page 10 notice of having received complaint; page 11 Defective...

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lug nut issue; page 12 Complaint #11591104; page 13 Service invoice noting replacement of two defective lug nuts. Second pdf file: pages 1-2 Copy of original complaint #11459461; page 3 Copy of towing receipt due to defective lug nut. Third pdf file: Picture of three of four defective lug nut covers that I had to remove due to flat tires. First one not shown due to being damaged while attempting to remove beyond recognition. Upper left lug nut cover came off just in handling of removed lug nuts.

2008 Dodge Caliber Steering Wheels & tires Engine & cooling

My vehicle has created a rotten subframe that holds my engine

2008 Dodge Caliber Steering Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds in the rain, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the power steering became inoperable. The battery warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that an unstated computer needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000. The contact stated that the vehicle is unsafe to drive and the mechanics has not found a resolution to the problem yet.

2008 Dodge Caliber Suspension Acceleration & cruise control Engine & cooling

I've only had the car since Aug. Im the second owner, it drove just fine. Then I got an oil change. Then the car began to rev down hill and struggled to make it uphill. Then my exhaust became excessively loud. Then the wheel became loose ,and started pulling ALOT. I was on my way to get an alignment this morning and the whole front end began to buckle not even a minute down the road. I tmade it in back the driveway before the front end collapsed completely

2012 Dodge Caliber Body, doors & structure Engine & cooling

Subframe on the vehicle at 90,000 was found to have SEVERE huge rotted holes in the subframe that is supporting the engine. This can allow the engine to drop out of the vehicle at any given moment and cost to repair is $1200 which is insane.

2009 Dodge Caliber Transmission & drivetrain Engine & cooling Fuel system

The problem initially occurred in early November of 2020 when the vehicle would unpredictably stall at a stop sign or traffic light and would not immediately start for a couple minutes. After this short wait of 1 to 3 minutes it was possible to restart the car and move forward normally and the car could be driven without stalling for 2 or 3 miles when it would stall again and the engine would not start again for 2 to 3 minutes. In traffic situations this was unsafe to not be able to move the vehicle to a safe...

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distance from heavy traffic. Finally, the problem started to occur after the vehicle was supposedly repaired and not driven for 2 -3 days and when it an attempt to start the car it would idle for 3-5 seconds and sound like it was choking before dying, and this was happening 2 weeks after it had been "repaired" by the Dodge dealer. This problem has repeatedly occurred over the two years since the original incident and has been to a Dodge dealership for unsuccessful repairs 4 different times; 11/20; 04/22 &05/22 and it is still at the dealership being inoperable. Each time the car functioned for a few miles and then broke down again. The dealer informs us that the parts that would most likely repair the car are no longer made by Dodge and the car cannot be fixed. Interestingly enough this model vehicle has had a variety of recalls starting in 2007 but never for the particular control modules that are no longer available which are The Throttle control & Power Train Control modules, which the Dealer thinks might possibly be a fix but even that is not a sure thing. The Dodge dealer that worked on the vehicle presumably would have informed me about this situation at least before they had the vehicle in for now the 4th time in 3 years with the same problem with no solution. Up to the time of these breakdowns the vehicle was well maintained and taken care of and still has low mileage of just over 69,000 miles. Is the Dodge Corporation at least partially liable?

2007 Dodge Caliber Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2007 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated that after driving approximately a block from her residence, she noticed that the vehicle was unable to exceed 15 MPH while accelerating. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven back to her residence and then the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The contact stated that the vehicle was diagnosed, and she was informed that the intake manifold needed to be replaced. Additionally, the vehicle subframe was...

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rusted. The contact stated that she was informed of an unknown recall however, she was informed that the VIN was not included. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 79,000.

2009 Dodge Caliber Transmission & drivetrain Brakes Engine & cooling

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

2011 Dodge Caliber Electrical system Acceleration & cruise control Engine & cooling

Car slowed down and electronic throttle control light and traction control light came on was dangerously slow to accelerate and would not maintain speed

2011 Dodge Caliber Steering Electrical system Engine & cooling

On multiple occasions vehicle completely shuts down and locks up when slowing down and turning. Almost rear-ended and then t-boned in middle of intersection. Takes several minutes to restart and unlock steering wheel then drives fine.

2009 Dodge Caliber Suspension Transmission & drivetrain Engine & cooling

Speed sensors, inner/outer tie rods, hub assembly, radiator, intake valve, tires were different sizes, more problems arose.

2010 Dodge Caliber Electrical system Lights Engine & cooling

2010 Dodge caliber with headlight failures caused by faulty fuse box (tipm). I replace bulbs and one headlight will not light low beam or high beam. All the fuses are good. It has also affected how the car runs and has stalled on the road. This is the 4th or fifth incident I have had with the car, headlights, stalling, turn signals, air bag indicators. The headlights will not work moving or sitting still and turn signals.

2008 Dodge Caliber Electrical system Engine & cooling

Luckily, I was on a city street. The vehicle lost power and slowed significantly, almost stopping completely and began to reboot as if it were just being started. I am complaining because I do not feel it to be safe for consumers on any road. I have a 3 year old son and I would very much like dodge to fix this problem before my, or anyone else's family, gets whiplash from a rear collision. I'm reaching out to nhtsa because, I lack the tools and knowledge to fix it myself, and don't find it fair that I pay for a mistake that dodge made in making the car. *Tr

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked daily. Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data