IllustrationTOOK IN MY 2008 CALIBER FOR AN INSPECTION AND IT WOULDN'T PASS DUE TO A CORRODED, RUSTED SUBFRAME. THE RUST HAS OCCURRED BECAUSE THE AC DRIPS ONTO SUB FRAME. CALLED DEALERSHIP AND CHRYSLER AND THEY ARE REFUSING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I HAVE 65,000 ON THIS VEHICLE. IT IS WELL CARED FOR ALSO
2008 Dodge Caliber
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Caliber years
Owner complaints for the 2008 Dodge Caliber are substantially higher than the model-year median of 165.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Caliber years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
240–25K
4325–50K
5850–75K
5575–100K
83100–150K
31150K+
294 reports with mileage · 66 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Suspension. Review the 113 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 87 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 58 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
21 crash reports4 fire reports12 injury reports
What owners actually said
360 reportsSUBFRAME RUSTED IN TWO. GARAGE SAID IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. ENGINE COULD HAVE FALLEN OUT.
I HAVE A 2008 DODGE CALIBER GARAGE KEPT 49000 MILES WITH A RUSTED BUSTED FRAME. DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL KNOCKING IN FRONT END. ALWAYS DONE REPAIRS AND RECALLS AND THIS IS DANGEROUS. CALLED TO REQUEST CHRYSLER TO BE ACCOUNTABLE AND THEY BASICALLY TOLD ME ITS MY PROBLEM. WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE IN LIABILITY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY VEERED LEFT AND A LOUD CLANKING SOUND WAS HEARD. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONSTANTLY. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT SUBFRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANU…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY VEERED LEFT AND A LOUD CLANKING SOUND WAS HEARD. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONSTANTLY. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT SUBFRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.
I HAVE A DODGE CALIBUR THAT IS 8 YEARS OLD & THE UNDERCARRIAGE IS ROTTED THROUGH. TOOK IT TO GET NEW TIRES AND THEY REFUSED TO WORK ON THE CAR AND SAID IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO DRIVE.
TOOK VEHICLE TO A REPUTABLE SHOP FOR REQUIRED YEARLY STATE INSPECTION. SHOP FOUND DANGEROUSLY CORRODED FRONT AND REAR SUB FRAME ASSEMBLIES. RESEARCH REVEALED THAT 2007 MODEL YEAR CARS ARE BEING TREATED UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS IDENTICAL PROBLEM, BUT 2008 CARS ARE NOT COVERED. BOTH OUR DEALER AND THE CHRYSLER CUSTOM…
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TOOK VEHICLE TO A REPUTABLE SHOP FOR REQUIRED YEARLY STATE INSPECTION. SHOP FOUND DANGEROUSLY CORRODED FRONT AND REAR SUB FRAME ASSEMBLIES. RESEARCH REVEALED THAT 2007 MODEL YEAR CARS ARE BEING TREATED UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS IDENTICAL PROBLEM, BUT 2008 CARS ARE NOT COVERED. BOTH OUR DEALER AND THE CHRYSLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER HAVE BEEN INFORMED, AND REFUSED TO EXTEND THE COVERAGE TO OUR VEHICLE.
MY 2008 DODGE CALIBER IS GARAGE KEPT AND HAS 92,000 MILES. IT IS WELL MAINTAINED AND TAKEN CARE OF. I TOOK IT FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THE SERVICE MAN TOLD ME THAT THE SUBFRAME IS ROTTED THROUGH AND IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I WAS TOTALLY SURPRISED AND TOOK IT TO TYSON DODGE IN SHOREWOOD ILLINOIS. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS NOT …
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MY 2008 DODGE CALIBER IS GARAGE KEPT AND HAS 92,000 MILES. IT IS WELL MAINTAINED AND TAKEN CARE OF. I TOOK IT FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THE SERVICE MAN TOLD ME THAT THE SUBFRAME IS ROTTED THROUGH AND IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I WAS TOTALLY SURPRISED AND TOOK IT TO TYSON DODGE IN SHOREWOOD ILLINOIS. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS NOT COVERED. THEY TOLD ME TO CALL CHRYSLER. I CALLED THEM AND THEY SAID THAT EVEN THOUGH IT'S UNUSUAL FOR THAT PART TO RUST QUICKLY, THERE WAS A RECALL ON THAT PART FOR THE 2007 CALIBER AND NOT 2008. THEY COULD NOT HELP ME. TYSON DODGE ALSO SAID I NEED A RIGHT CONTROL ARM. TOTAL TO FIX IT-$1700. UNBELIEVABLE! SAW MANY COMPLAINTS ON LINE!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTIONED AND THE TURN SIGNAL BLINKERS NO LONGER ILLUMINATED WHEN PROMPTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
FRONT SUBFRAME OF MY 2008 DODGE CALIBER WAS RUSTED THROUGH AT THE HORIZONTAL FACTORY SELF CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FAIL THE ANNUAL STATE INSPECTION. ISSUE WAS FOUND BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DURING ROUTINE STATE INSPECTION. VEHICLE HAS 103,000 MILES. LOWER SUBFRAME FAILURE ALSO HAS BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY EXCESS NOISE COMING FROM …
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FRONT SUBFRAME OF MY 2008 DODGE CALIBER WAS RUSTED THROUGH AT THE HORIZONTAL FACTORY SELF CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FAIL THE ANNUAL STATE INSPECTION. ISSUE WAS FOUND BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DURING ROUTINE STATE INSPECTION. VEHICLE HAS 103,000 MILES. LOWER SUBFRAME FAILURE ALSO HAS BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY EXCESS NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE.
SUB FRAME COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT, HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS, TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND TOLD ME I WAS LUCKY THE FRONT OF THE CAR DIDN'T FALL OFF AS THE CROSSMEMBER WAS SPLITTING AT THE SEAM, CAR HAS LESS THAN 70,000 MILES ON IT !
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.