2008 Dodge Caliber

FOUND THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE IS RUSTING OUT. THIS CRADLE SUPPORTS ALL STEERING FRONT SUSPENSION AND ENGINE/TRANSMISSION. HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM FOR THE 2007 MODELS AND IS STILL A PROBLEM ON 2008 MODELS. ALTHOUGH 2007 MODELS ARE RECALLED AND REPLACED BUT NOT 2008. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY FACTOR AS STATED ALL STEERING AND SUSPENSION ARE CONNECTED TO THIS CRADLE. IF FAILURE TO CRADLE HAPPENS ALL LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE IS INEVITABLE.

I BOUGHT MY 2008 DODGE CALIBER IN JULY 2010. IT HAD 27,000 MILES ON IT. IT WAS A CAMPAIGN CAR. IT HAS ALWAYS HAD A PROBLEM WITH PICKUP. ACCELERATION IS NOT GREAT, BUT WE NOTICED ON A JULY 4 TRIP, THAT THE CAR WAS NOT ONLY MAKING THE "NORMAL" STEERING/SUSPENSION NOISE, BUT IT WAS ALSO MAKING A WHIRRING NOISE THAT MY HUSBAND FEARED WAS THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AND FOUND OUT THAT THE WHIRRING NOISE WAS NOT THE TRANSMISSION, BUT THE ALTERNATOR IS BAD. $550.00. THE BALL JOINTS AND THE TIE ROD ENDS ARE BAD AND NEED TO BE REPLACED, $1040. THE STRUTS ALSO NEED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE FRONT BRAKES. $800. YES, MY CAR HAS 110,000 MILES ON IT, BUT THE TRADE IN VALUE IS ONLY ABOUT $3500 ANYWAY. ITS LUCKILY BEEN PAID OFF FOR MANY YEARS. THE BALL JOINT/TIE ROD ISSUE IS VERY WORRYSOME, THOUGH. IT IS DANGEROUS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT AN UNKNOWN PART NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 112,000.

TROUBLE SHIFTING INTO 3RD GEAR. REQUIRES DOUBLE CLUTCHING TO ENTER INTO 3RD GEAR AND ALSO GRINDS WHEN ENTERING. IT WILL SHIFT BACK INTO NEUTRAL IF GEAR SHIFT IS NOT HELD IN 3RD GEAR POSITION WHEN RELEASING THE CLUTCH. ALSO HAS INSTANCES OF TROUBLE GOING INTO 4TH WITH GRIND WHEN SHIFTING. ONLY GOES INTO GEAR 10% OR TIME; I MOSTLY SKIP 3RD GEAR ALTOGETHER. CHRYSLER/JEEP/DODGE SERVICE BULLETIN #21-011-08 (MARCH 7,2008) RECOMMENDS REPLACEMENT OF 3RD/4TH/5TH & REVERSE GEAR SYNCHRONIZER RINGS IF THIS OCCURS. IT RECOMMENDS THAT IF THE TRANSMISSION IS OPENED FROM ANY SERVICE THAT THESE RINGS SHOULD BE REPLACED REGARDLESS OF CONDITION. *TR

MY 2008 CALIBER HAD A REAL BAD TAPPING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE AREA, WHEN I WAS READING ONLINE WHAT IT COULD BE I FOUND THAT THE ADJUSTER PULLEY ON THE ALTERNATOR WAS THE CULPRIT, SO I REPLACED IT ONLY TO STILL HEAR WHEN ACCELERATING THE CAR MAKE A GRINDING NOISE LIKE RUBBING METAL TOGETHER FROM THE TRANSMISSION, I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND WATCHED THEM INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION, THE MECHANICS TOLD ME IT IS THE GEARS IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE CAR HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT, AND OF COURSE THE WARRANTY IS UP, THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY CAN'T HELP AS USUAL. BESIDES THE PULLEY AND THE TRANSMISSION THE BODY HAS CORROSION UNDER THE PASSENGER DOOR AS WELL AS IN THE HATCH AREA. I STILL HAVE 4 MORE PAYMENTS ON THE CAR AND SHOULD NOT HAVE TRANSMISSION OR BODY FAILURES WHEN THE CAR IS NOT EXPOSED TO HARSH CONDITIONS AND HAS 70,000 MILES. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE/CHRYSLER VEHICLE AGAIN. *TR

I AM WRITING TO DISCUSS A POSSIBLE DANGER IN THE DESIGN OF THE FUSE BOX. THE FUSE BOX UNDER THE HOOD OF THE DODGE CALIBER APPEARS TO ALLOW TOO MUCH MOISTURE BEYOND THE UPPER SEAL. EVERY 10,15, AND 20 AMP MINI FUSE DEVELOPS EXCESSIVE OXIDATION ON THE CONTACTS. THE OXIDATION MAY CAUSE MALFUNCTIONS IN TWO WAYS. THE FIRST IS PHANTOM ERROR CODES AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS. THE SECOND IS THE CVT TRANSMISSION MAY SLIP OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING CAUSING SUDDEN LOSS OF DRIVE POWER AND LEAD TO COLLISIONS. ANOTHER ISSUE THAT CONCERNS ME IS THE POTENTIAL FOR CIRCUITS TO OVERHEAT RESULTING IN ELECTRICAL FIRES UNDER THE DASH AND UNDER THE HOOD OF THE CALIBER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK VIOLENTLY INTERMITTENTLY. AFTER THE INITIAL FAILURE THE VEHICLE DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE INTEGRATED POWER MODULE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

WHILE DRIVING MY CHILDREN TO SCHOOL, MY CAR BEGAN SHUTTING DOWN ON A MAJOR ROAD PUTTING MYCHILDREN AND MYSELF IN DANGER. THE THROTTLE CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND WAITING A COUPLE OF MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE EXTREMELY SLOW TO GE THEM TO SCHOOL SAFELY. THIS SOUNDS SIMILAR TO THE SAME PROBLEMS CURRENTLY HAPPENING WITH THE CHEVY COBALTS. IS IT GOING TO TAKE CHRYSLER/DODGE KILLING PEOPLE BEFORE THIS GETS RECALLED? I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO CONTACT THEIR LOCAL NEWS STATIONS ALONG WITH NATIONAL NEWS STATIONS! CAR COMPANIES ARE ONLY INTERESTED IN MAKING THEIR MONEY AND NOT LOOKING AT THE SAFETY ISSUES OF THE DEATH TRAPS THEY ARE SELLING TO CONSUMERS. I WILL BE ENDLESSLY PURSUING THIS MATTER UNTIL DODGE STEPS UP AND PAY FOR THE REPAIR! I WILL CALL EVERY NEWS STATION UNTIL SOME ATTENTION IS BROUGHT TO THIS MATTER AND HOLDING CAR COMPANIES LIKE DODGE/CHRYSLER RESPONSIBLE FOR SELLING AND MANUFACTURING FAULTY VEHICLES. I HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL COMPLAINTS LISTED ON THIS SITE AND NUMEROUS OTHERS. SOMEONE IS NOT DOING THEIR JOB! *TR