2009 Dodge Caliber

I TOOK MY WIFE'S 2009 CALIBER TO OUR MECHANIC BECAUSE SHE HEARD CLUNKING NOISES FROM THE FRONT END. WE WERE INFORMED BY OUR MECHANIC THAT A PIECE OF FRAME STRETCHING ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE IS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE STEERING RACK AND SWAY BARS ATTACH TO THIS FRAME WORK. ALSO FRONT END COMPONENTS. THE VEHICLE MAKES LOUD PLUNKING NOICES WHEN GOING OVER SMALL AND LARGE BUMPS AND MUCH WORSE WHEN HITTING POT HOLES. NO OTHER RUST IS APPARENT ON ANY FRAM WORK UNDER THE VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE IS ONLY NINE YEARS OLD. I THINK THAT'S EXTREMELY ODD FOR SUCH A YOUNG VEHICLE. I FEEL THIS MAY BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE VERY SOON AND THINK THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A RECALL THAT I AM UNAWARE OF.

MY 2009 DODGE CALIBER HAS THE SAME ISSUE AS THE 2007 AND 2008 CALIBERS IN THAT THE MAIN CROSSMEMBER IN THE FRONT STEERING/SUSPENSION HAS ROTTED THROUGH. THE REST OF THE CAR IS RUST FREE BUT BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR MEMBERS HAVE ROTTED OUT. THIS CAR WAS IN COLORADO SPRINGS FOR THE FIRST 4 YEARS OF ITS LIFE WHERE THEY DO NOT USE SALT AND MOVED TO VERMONT AFTER THAT. AT 59K MILES DODGE WILL NOT COVER THEM EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE REPLACED THEM ON 2007 MODELS EXTENSIVELY. THERE ARE STORIES OF ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES BUT DODGE IS STILL NOT BEING HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POOR QUALITY AND PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE INFERIOR STEEL PARTS. I HAVE BEEN A TECH IN THE AUTO AND TRUCK INDUSTRY FOR 40 YEARS AND AM DISGUSTED THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF STORIES ONLINE ABOUT THESE AND MILLIONS OF CARS IN THE 2007-2009 YEARS THAT ARE FAILING. CAN WE ASK THAT NHTSA CALL THEM OUT ON THIS BEFORE THERE ARE MORE ACCIDENTS. I AM AFRAID THAT I AND THOUSANDS OF OTHERS WILL HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR SAFETY ISSUES THAT IS CLEARLY A FAILURE ON DODGE THAT THEY ARE SO FAR SUCESSFULY HIDING FROM. ISSUES ALSO INCLUDE 2007 JEEPS AND STX VEHICLES.

THIS CAR ATTEMPTED TO KILL ME TWICE. FIRST THE SUBFRAME ROTTED OUT DUE TO BAD DESIGN. WE NOTICED THIS AS THE STRUTS WERE BEING REPLACED - ALSO BECAUSE OF BAD DESIGN. THIS WAS NOTICED IN 2014 (ON A 2009 VEHICLE!) COST ME OVER $1,000 TO FIX - DODGE OFFERED NO HELP AT ALL. LATER IN 2014 - THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE ARM SEPARATED FROM WHEEL, CAUSING WHEEL TO POP OFF. IF I WAS GOING ANY FASTER THAN THE 10 MPH I WAS GOING (HEADED TO HIGHWAY!), I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. AGAIN CONTACTED DODGE AND NO ASSISTANCE. THEY RECALLED THE 2007 BUT NOT THIS MODEL YEAR FOR THESE PROBLEMS. PICTURES ATTACHED. I HOPE SOMEONE HOLDS THIS COMPANY ACCOUNTABLE! CARS SHOULD NOT COST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPAIR IN YEAR 5!!!

MY SON WAS DRIVING THIS CAR TO WORK NOTICED A SEVERE CHANGE TO THE STEERING. IT CAUSE HIM TO VEER INTO THE OTHER LANE AND LUCKILY THERE WAS NO OTHER ONCOMING TRAFFIC. HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT ONTO WORK AND CALLED ME TO LET ME KNOW OF THE PROBLEM. AFTER DRIVING JUST 10 FEET IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT IT WAS UN-DRIVABLE AND UNSAFE. AFTER CALLING THE TOWING SERVICE THEY SUGGESTED THAT I CALL DODGE TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL SINCE THEY HAD ALREADY TOWED OTHER DODGES OF SIMILAR YEARS WITH A RUSTED/ BROKEN SUB FRAMES. CALL LOCAL DEALER WITH THE VIN AND ASK TO IF THERE WAS ANY RECALLS FOR A BROKEN SUB FRAME. THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL AND DID NOT OFFER TO MAKE A REPAIR EVEN AT MY COST. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SERVICE CENTER WHO HAD SEEN THE SAME PROBLEM BEFORE ON OTHER DODGES AND WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE REPAIR. AFTER $600 FOR THE PART AND $600 FOR LABOR THE REPAIR WAS MADE ON A CAR WITH 89,000 MILES. WHILE THE CAR WAS GETTING REPAIRED I WAS ABLE TO TELL A CO-WORKER ABOUT THE RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE ON HER 2007 CALIBER WHICH I DISCOVERED WHILE RESEARCHING. SHE WAS ABLE TO GET HERS REPAIRED WITH NO CHARGE. CONTACTED DODGE AND SINCE THERE IS NO RECALL THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR AT THIS POINT. THEY KNOW THAT THERE IS PROBLEM SO I GUESS THAT MEANS DODGE STANDS FOR DODGE RESPONSIBILITY AT THE COST OF THE CONSUMER. I NOT BE PURCHASING ANY MOPAR PRODUCTS IN THE FUTURE.