2008 Dodge Caliber

DURING A SEVERE RAINSTORM IN MY AREA, I WAS LEAVING AN EVENT PARKING LOT TO DRIVE HOME. WHILE WAITING AT THE STOP LIGHT I ATTEMPTED TO TURN ON MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECAUSE OF THE SEVERE RAIN. THEY FAILED TO START. WHILE SITTING AT THE LIGHT I RESTARTED MY CAR HOPING THAT WOULD ALLEVIATE THE APPARENT 'SHORT' IN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, BUT IT DID NOT. AS THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I WAS FORCED TO MOVE FORWARD. WHILE DRIVING SLOW, I ROLLED MY WINDOW DOWN AND ATTEMPTED TO GUIDE THE CAR TO A SAFE SPOT TO PULL OVER. I COULDN'T IDENTIFY A PLACE THROUGH ALL OF THE RAIN, AND ALSO I WAS DRIVING IN BUSY DOWNTOWN TRAFFIC. I STARTED TO SLOW DOWN MORE BUT LOOKED FORWARD AND ALL I COULD SEE WERE TREES COMING UP QUICKLY THROUGH THE BLURRY WINDSHIELD; I IMMEDIATELY JOLTED TO A STOP AS I HIT AN ISLAND/MEDIAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. MY CAR WAS SCRAPED BY TREES AND PARKING CONES WHICH WERE LAYING IN THE MEDIAN. I HEARD SCRAPING AND A LARGE THUD AS MY CAR CAME TO A STOP. STILL IN THE RAIN, I PUT MY HAZARDS ON AND WAITED UNTIL THE POLICE ARRIVED. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND I AM EXTREMELY IRRITATED THAT MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING IN A TERRIBLE RAINSTORM. THIS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. MY VEHICLE IS 6 YEARS OLD; AT THE 5 YEAR MARK I TOOK IT IN FOR A FULL-SYSTEM MAINTENANCE WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT EVERYTHING WAS WORKING FINE. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN MY CHOICE IN PURCHASING DODGE. *TR

MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT TO REAR COLLISION WHERE SHE REAR ENDED A STATIONARY VEHICLE SQUARE ON AT 40MPH. NONE OF HER AIRBAGS IN ANY PART OF THE CAR DEPLOYED AT 40MPH. COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM. CAR WAS NEVER TAMPERED WITH, NOR HAD IT EVER HAD A DEPLOYMENT OR ACCIDENT PRIOR TO THIS. THE CONSUMER STATED HIS DAUGHTER RECEIVED DEEP TISSUE TRAUMA IN HER CHEST FROM THE SEAT BELT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. UPDATED 06/06/2014 *JS *TR

I'VE HAD SOOO MANY ISSUES WITH MY 2008 DODGE CALIBER THAT I'VE LOST COUNT. THE MOST RECENT ONES ARE REALLY BOTHERING ME, AS I HAVE ONE MORE PAYMENT AND THE CAR IS PAID OFF. ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, MY ETC LIGHT CAME ON AND I JUST KNEW IT HAD TO BE AN ERROR BECAUSE I HAD IT TOTALLY REPLACED IN 2011 AND PAID OVER $500. SO I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE HAS HAD THE SAME ISSUE SO I EMAILED DODGE TO LET THEM KNOW THIS AND TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE ETC. OF COURSE THEY DIDN'T REALLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. SO I ENDED UP PAYING OVER $500 TO HAVE IT REPLACED AGAIN. NOW, I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH MY DRIVER DOOR, THE SPRING HAS POPPED OUT AND NOW IT WON'T CLOSE! I TOOK IT IN AND THEY SAID IT'S GOING TO COST BETWEEN $1200-$1400 TO HAVE IT FIXED BECAUSE I NEED A NEW DOOR! AGAIN, I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FIND OUT THAT THIS HAS ALSO HAPPENED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME CAR! AND BOTH OF THESE ISSUES POSES EXTREME SAFETY RISKS, AS WITH THE ETC, THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY STOPS ACCELERATING. THEN WITH THE DOOR, IF THE SPRING IS JUST POPPING OUT AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT, I FEEL THAT THE DOOR COULD EASILY SWING OPEN WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING. I'M A SINGLE MOTHER WITH TWO CHILDREN AND NOW I HAVE NO CAR SINCE THE DOOR CAN'T CLOSE.THIS IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING AND UNFAIR! HOW CAN THESE CARS BE SO DEFECTIVE AND NO ONE IS ADDRESSING IT? THIS IS IN ADDITION TO COUNTLESS OTHER ISSUES I'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS. I WOULD LIKE FOR DODGE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE COST OF MY REPAIRS. THIS JUST ISN'T RIGHT. AND I CAN SEE IF THIS WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT WITH A FEW PEOPLE, BUT IN RESEARCHING AND FINDING OUT HOW MANY PEOPLE HAS HAD THE SAME ISSUE, BOTH OF THESE ISSUES, IS EXTREMELY ALARMING. IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE REASONS THEY NO LONGER MAKE THIS CAR! I TRULY BELIEVE IT'S A LEMON!! *TR

FIRST TIME DODGE OWNER AND NEVER AGAIN...AS I WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH FIRST MY BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON THEN 10 SECONDS LATER ALL THE PANEL LIGHTS CAME IN CAR LOST ALL POWER BUT NEVER SHUT DOWN I PULLED OFF 6 LANE INTERSECTION TO A SAFE LOCATION AND TURNED CAR OFF AND IT WOULD NOT START BACK I WAIT 2 HRS IN 90DEGREE HEAT 6 MONTHS PREGNANT FOR A TOW TRUCK I CALL DODGE DEALER AND THEY SAID 160 TO LOOK AT IT BUT SOUNDS LIKE FUSE BOX OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SAID TYPICAL IN THESE CARS SO I JUST HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD TO DISH OUT ALL KINDS OF MONEY. JUST UNDER A YEAR AGO I REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY AGAIN NOT CHEAP.... NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR AND AS SOON AS I AM ABLE I AM GETTING RID OF IT. *TR

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

THE NUT THAT HOLDS THE TIRE VALVE STEM CORRODED, CRACKED IN HALF, AND FELL OFF THE TIRE. THE RESULT IS THAT THE VALVE STEM FELL INSIDE THE RIM, AND ALL OF THE AIR SUDDENLY LEAKED OUT OF THE TIRE. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO LIGHT TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD OTHERWISE THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THIS HAS HAPPENED AGAIN ON A SECOND TIRE; THIS OCCURRENCE I WAS DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED IN A PARKING LOT. AFTER A BRIEF INTERNET SEARCH FOR "DODGE VALVE STEM PROBLEMS" AND VIEWING ONLINE FORUMS IT SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE ACROSS SEVERAL DODGE VEHICLES. THIS DEFECT SHOULD BE RECALLED AS IT HAS POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SAFETY IMPLICATIONS. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT KIND OF DISASTER COULD HAVE HAPPENED IF ONE BLEW OUT DURING RUSH HOUR. THANK YOU *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE STATED THAT THE ENGINE STALLED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL WARNING INDICATORS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP. THE ENGINE RESTARTED AND THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMALLY AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO REPROGRAMMED THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL AND ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. THE FAILURE PERSISTED AFTER THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN FURTHER REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. *TR

TL - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,000. PM *TR