2007 Dodge Caliber

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM THE AIRPORT ON THE HIGHWAY, MY CAR SHUT DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY. MY ELECTRONIC THROTTLE LIGHT ALONG WITH MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. MY POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES SEEMED NOT TO FUNCTION AS I HAD TO MUSCLE THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THANK GOODNESS IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT AND TRAFFIC WAS AT A MINIMUM. THE CAR SPUTTERED SO BAD IT SHUT DOWN ON THE ROAD AFTER I PULLED OVER. AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES, I STARTED THE CAR AND LIMPED IT HOME. COULDN'T GET THE CAR TO DO MORE THAN 10MPH. USED MY FLASHERS THE ENTIRE WAY HOME. *TR

I WAS TOLD BY MEINEKE THAT MY ENGINE'S SUBFRAME WAS SO CORRODED THAT THE CAR WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT IT WAS VERY UNUSUAL FOR A CAR THIS YOUNG TO HAVE A CORRODED SUBFRAME. I LEARNED FROM ONLINE RESEARCH THAT CORRODED SUBFRAMES ARE A FREQUENT COMPLAINT WITH DODGE CALIBERS, POSSIBLY BECAUSE OF THE PLACEMENT OF THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. THERE WAS NO RECALL. I IMMEDIATELY REPLACED THE SUBFRAME AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $1,000. *TR

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 55 BACK TO PEORIA,IL . CAR INTERIOR AND DASH LIGHTS FLASHING AND SURGING. SMELT SOMETHING BURNING. CAR DIED, LUCKY GOT TO SHOULDER OF FREEWAY. HAD IT TOWED FROM PONTIAC, IL. TO FIRESTONE IN PEORIA,IL. *TR DIAGNOSIS, HOLE IN A/C COMPRESSOR (POSSIBLE PISTONS BLEW THROUGH CASING), SHORTED STARTER, FRIED BATTERY

THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES BEFORE YESTERDAY. WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, AND THE CAR GO INTO A "LIMP" MODE (VERY LITTLE POWER), AND EVEN AT FULL PEDAL, IT SLOWLY SLOWS DOWN. HAVING HAD IT HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE, I LEARNED TO PULL OVER, AND SHUT OFF THE CAR, AND LET IT SET FOR A FEW MINUTES. SOMETIMES TIMES THIS IS NOT EASY, OR SAFE TO DO. THEN IT IS HARD TO RESTART, BUT WILL DRIVE SOMEWHAT BETTER. THIS ALLOWS ME TO GET TO A PLACE THAT I CAN SHUT IT OFF FOR AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME (1/2 HOUR), AND THEN IT RUNS MORE LIKE NORMAL, BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAY ON FOR SEVERAL DAYS. AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES OUT, IT IS RUNNING NORMAL AGAIN UNTIL THE NEXT TIME. SO FAR, THIS HAS NOT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, BUT I'M SURE SOMEBODY WILL BE HURT OR KILLED BEFORE THIS GETS RECALLED. GOOD LUCK FOLLOW DRIVERS. *TR

I SEE THAT GM HAS FINALLY ISSUED A RECALL FOR THEIR ENGINES STALLING AND I'M WONDERING IF CHRYSLER EVER WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE SAME THING? THERE 2007 DODGE CALIBER STALLS WITH A FLASHING LEFT LIGHT, WHICH HAS BEEN REPORTED TO CHRYSLER, THE NHTSA, AND TRANSPORT CANADA ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS BUT NOTHING IS EVER DONE ABOUT IT. CONSUMERS ARE JUST LEFT TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES AND IT'S COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. *TR

CAR WILL RANDOMLY START SHAKING LIKE THERE IS BARELY ANY POWER. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR TWICE. NUMEROUS THROTTLE ISSUES THAT NUMEROUS AUTO SERVICE SHOPS WERE NOT ABLE TO FULLY TAKE CARE OF. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP AND THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED, LIGHTLY AND NORMALLY THE CAR WOULD ACCELERATE INAPPROPRIATELY AND KIND OF JERK FORWARD. IN ADDITION, WHEN TURNING AND THE ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED NORMALLY THE CAR WOULD SEEM TO LOSE POWER AND SEEM TO GLIDE INTO THE TURN AND THEN JERK FORWARD. THESE THROTTLE ISSUES WERE NEVER FULLY EXPLAINED OR FIXED. AFTER A WHILE THE CAR DASH STARTED FLASHING A RED ELECTRICAL BOLT AND THE CAR WOULD SHUTTER AND SHAKE AND LOSE ALL POWER. INITIALLY, WHEN THIS OCCURRED I WAS ABLE TO JUST TURN THE CAR OFF AND WAIT AND THEN TURN IT BACK ON AND IT WOULD FUNCTION FOR A WHILE. ALSO, IF THE CAR WAS IDLING AT A STOPLIGHT OR PARKED THE ELECTRICAL BOLT WOULD FLASH AND THE CAR WOULD START TO SHAKE. NOW THE AIR BAG LIGHT IN THE CLUSTER CONSTANTLY TURNS OFF AND ON AND BEEPS WHILE THE CAR IS SHAKING. *TR

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT ON PASSENGER SIDE WILL NOT TURN ON BUT THE HIGH BEAM WORKS FINE. HAVE CHECKED WIRING AND FUSES AND IT SEEMS TO BE THE TIPM. TOOK INTO A SHOP AND THEY SAID THAT IT IS THE TIPM TELLING THE LIGHT NOT TO TURN ON SO IN OTHER WORDS ITS A BAD TIPM. I WAS MADE AWARE THAT THE PART WOULD BE CLOSE TO $1200. I'VE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ONLINE AND I SEE THAT IT IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE. I AM NOW STARTING TO HAVE ISSUES WITH WHAT I THINK IS A BEARING GONE BAD, STILL TRYING TO DETERMINE THIS. TODAY AS I WAS ALMOST HOME, MY CHARGE SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I GOT HOME, SO TURNED CAR OFF AND LET IT SIT A FEW MINUTES, TURNED THE CAR BACK AND NO ISSUES. THE 2007 DODGE CALIBER SEEMS TO HAVE ISSUES. I WROTE TO DODGE ABOUT THE HEADLAMP ISSUES WITH NO RESOLUTION OR THAT THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS AN ISSUE. FROM READING THE FORUMS TODAY, IT SEEMS MY LIGHTS OR ISSUES MAY GET WORSE AND POSSIBLY LOOSE MY LIFE OR CAUSE A HORRIBLE WRECK BEFORE ALL OF THIS OVER. DODGE NEEDS TO TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL OF THESE ISSUES AND RECALL THEM SO WE ARE NOT OUT THE HUGE SUMS OF MONEY THAT IS REQUIRED TO FIX THIS. I AM CURRENTLY UNEMPLOYED AND NO UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION AS OF YET, I AM AFRAID MY ONCE RELIABLE CAR WILL JUST QUIT ON ME ONE DAY WHEN I LEAST EXPECT OR CAUSE LOSE OF LIFE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25, MPH THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD VIOLENTLY THEN STALLED AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE PCM WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

CAR IS HARD TO START CRANKS VERY SLOW AND THERE IS A TAPPING SOUND LIKE A BAD LIFTER UPON STARTING BUT GOES AWAY WHEN THE CAR WARMS UP. THE WHEEL BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALIGNMENT WAS WAY OFF AND TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED. BRAKES HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A HOLLOW NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER JACKING THE CAR UP TO CHECK THAT SOUND OUT THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL WOULD NOT COME OFF THE GROUND. AFTER REPLACING THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS AND NEW TIRES THE CAR NOW SHAKES AND VIBRATES IN THE FRONT END. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE REPAIR CENTER FOR 10 DAYS ON AND OFF. THIS LAST TIME IT HAS BEEN THERE FOR 6 DAYS AND COUNTING. THESE VEHICLES ARE UNSAFE FOR THE ROAD AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AND TAKEN OFF THE ROAD PERMANENTLY. THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THESE VEHICLES AND THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. NHTSA NEEDS TO STEP UP AND HOLD THE MANUFACTURER ACCOUNTABLE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THERE IS A FATALITY! ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN NOW! *TR