WHILE BRAKING ON THE EXIT RAMP FROM THE HIGHWAY I FELT A POP UNDER THE FRONT OF THE CAR. THE DRIVERS SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE AWAY FROM THE CROSS MEMBER DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE CROSS MEMBER FROM EXCESSIVE RUST AND CORROSION.
2009 Dodge Caliber
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2009 Dodge Caliber do not stand out strongly from 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
187 reports with mileage · 45 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.
- Power Train. Review the 64 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Suspension complaints
61 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT AN OBJECT FRACTURED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS CORRODED AND CONTAINED HOLES. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME AND CONTROL ARM…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT AN OBJECT FRACTURED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS CORRODED AND CONTAINED HOLES. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME AND CONTROL ARMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.
I BOUGHT MY CAR USED IN JUNE OF 2014 AND THOUGHT IT WAS IN PRETTY DECENT SHAPE AT THE TIME, LITTLE DID I KNOW. I WAS DRIVING MY CAR (2009 DODGE CALIBER) AND HIT A SMALL POTHOLE AND HEARD SOME RATTLING AFTERWARDS. I ASSUMED IT WAS MAYBE A CLAMP ON MY EXHAUST AND SO WASN'T REAL WORRIED ABOUT IT AND FIGURED I WOULD HAVE MY MECHANIC…
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I BOUGHT MY CAR USED IN JUNE OF 2014 AND THOUGHT IT WAS IN PRETTY DECENT SHAPE AT THE TIME, LITTLE DID I KNOW. I WAS DRIVING MY CAR (2009 DODGE CALIBER) AND HIT A SMALL POTHOLE AND HEARD SOME RATTLING AFTERWARDS. I ASSUMED IT WAS MAYBE A CLAMP ON MY EXHAUST AND SO WASN'T REAL WORRIED ABOUT IT AND FIGURED I WOULD HAVE MY MECHANIC CHECK IT OUT IN A WEEK OF SO. I GOT CONCERNED AFTER A COUPLE DAYS BECAUSE THE RATTLING TURNED INTO CLUNKING. I SENT IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID THERE WAS MAJOR ROT ON THE ENGINE CRADLE WHICH WAS ROTTED AND BROKEN AND BOTH FRONT CONTROL ARMS WERE NO GOOD AND SWAY BAR BUSHINGS ALSO NEEDED REPLACING, TWO DAYS BEFORE THIS NOISE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT SPEED LIMIT, HAD THIS ALL FALLEN APART I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE COST TO REPAIR ALL THE PARTS WHICH WERE, AS FAR AS MY MECHANIC IS CONCERNED, FAULTY AND SHOULD BE RECALLED, WAS $1920.13 !!! THIS CAR IS 6 YEARS OLD WITH 86,000 MILES ON IT AND SHOULD NOT HAVE THE ROT IN THESE PLACES AS SEVERE AS IT IS. I KNOW ON THE DODGE CALIBER FORUMS MANY OWNERS HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE MAJOR FRONT END PARTS ROTTING. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND I WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE NOTICED HAD MY MECHANIC NOT PUT IT ON A LIFT AND LOOKED AT IT AND EVEN THEN ONCE HE TOOK OFF THE ENGINE CRADLE TO REPLACE IT HE NOTICED THE ROTTED PARTS THAT WERE COVERED BY THE CRADLE, THANK GOD I DIDN'T LOSE CONTROL AND GET KILLED AS I TRAVEL A LOT ON THE HIGHWAY, THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO LIGHT AND CALIBER OWNERS NEED TO HAVE THEIR MECHANICS CHECK OUT THEIR CARS BEFORE SOMEONE'S ENGINE FALLS OUT AND THEY GET KILLED. WHEN I PURCHASED THIS CAR IT WAS MOST LIKELY ROTTED PRETTY BAD AND I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS A DEFECT IN THEM AT THE TIME. I SEE LOTS OF THESE CARS FOR SALE STILL ON LOTS, PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE THE FRONT ENDS INSPECTED THOROUGHLY BEFORE THEY PURCHASE ONE . *TR
UPON INSPECTION OF MY VEHICLE, MY MECHANIC NOTED THAT THE FRAME CROSSMEMBERS WERE RUSTED TO THE POINT OF NEEDING IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT. HE STATED THE CAR WAS UNSAFE AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. *JS
CAR STARTED FALLING APART AT AROUND 48K TIE RODS. CONTROL ARMS. STRUTS. BUSHINGS. BALL JOINTS. BEARINGS. SWAY BAR LINKS. LATERAL ARM BUSHINGS. UPPER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. UPPER TOW LINKS. FRONT STRUT MOUNTS. MY LATEST REPAIR BILL (TODAY) IS 1500.00 AND THE CAR HAS ONLY 60K ON IT. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS ALS…
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CAR STARTED FALLING APART AT AROUND 48K TIE RODS. CONTROL ARMS. STRUTS. BUSHINGS. BALL JOINTS. BEARINGS. SWAY BAR LINKS. LATERAL ARM BUSHINGS. UPPER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. UPPER TOW LINKS. FRONT STRUT MOUNTS. MY LATEST REPAIR BILL (TODAY) IS 1500.00 AND THE CAR HAS ONLY 60K ON IT. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS ALSO SLATED FOR REPLACEMENT AS SOON AS THE DEALER GETS IT IN. I AM A VERY CONSERVATIVE DRIVER AND ALWAYS KEEP MY CAR SERVICED. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW. THE SUSPENSION ON THIS CAR IS A MENACE. THE BLOWER MOTOR ALSO WENT AT 48K (A SAFETY ISSUE IN MY NORTHERN MN WINTERS) AND THE REAR DEFROSTER ONLY HAS TWO OR THREE LINES THAT WORK. THE POWER STEERING UNIT IS ALSO LOSING FLUID AND I WILL HAVE TO HAVE THAT REPAIRED AS WELL. I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO PROVIDE A PRINT OUT FROM FIRESTONE AUTO REPAIR. *TR
LOWER DRIVER SIDE BALL JOINT FAILED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE CONTINUED TO GO FLAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE TIRES AND NOTICED BOTH FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE CONTINUED TO GO FLAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE TIRES AND NOTICED BOTH FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,822.
FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS TOTALLY WORN AND IN DANGER OF SEPARATING FROM CONTROL ARM. THIS HAPPENED BEFORE 50,000 MILES RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE INNER TIRE TREAD WEAR. OTHER POSSIBLE RESULTS: LOSS OF STEERING, SUSPENSION AND BRAKES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RECEIVING REPAIRS FOR STATE INSPECTION WHEN HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE WORN PREMATURELY AND NEEDED REPLACING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RECEIVING REPAIRS FOR STATE INSPECTION WHEN HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE WORN PREMATURELY AND NEEDED REPLACING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 33,000. DEALER REFUSED TO DO WORK. WENT TO ANOTHER DEALER AND HAD CAR FIXED. UPDATED 09/07/2011 *LN *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED. AFTER INSPECTING, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A SINGLE BOLT THAT ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM ARM WHICH HAD LOOSENED AND CAUSED THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL TO MOVE OUTWARD. THE MOVEMENT OF THE WHEEL PULLED THE DRIVESHAFT OUT OF THE TRANSM…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED. AFTER INSPECTING, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A SINGLE BOLT THAT ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM ARM WHICH HAD LOOSENED AND CAUSED THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL TO MOVE OUTWARD. THE MOVEMENT OF THE WHEEL PULLED THE DRIVESHAFT OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 25,000.
Official recalls
108V528000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Oct 9, 2008
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING 712 MY 2009 SEBRING, DODGE CALIBER, AVENGER, JOURNEY, JEEP PATRIOT, AND COMPASS VEHICLES. A NEW ADHESIVE USED IN THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) MANUFACTURING PROCESS CAN CAUSE THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD TO BREAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL AND CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PCM FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 10, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
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.
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