Body problems of the 2008 Dodge Caliber - part 1

The entire underneath of my car is rusted out. I was driving to work one day when someone pulled out in front of me and I had to hit the brakes. That resulted in the subframe and front drivers axel to break as I’m driving! the sunroof leaks when it rains and half the time the electricity doesn’t work on the sunroof button. My doors have completely stopped auto locking and my hazards will randomly start flashing without pushing the button. Steering is absolutely terrible, it feels like you’re skidding on ice or hydroplaning the entire drive.

Subframe rusted front and rear was driving tire axel/rod broke entire underneath rusted rotted.

2008 Dodge Caliber sub frame/k-frame front end crossmember completely rusted thru causing the driver side lower control arm to rip free from frame (seperating part of frame, with lower control arm) from rest of frame. This left driver with no control of affected wheel which turning it 90 degrees out from normal operating position. Left operator with no ability to steer while driving on main primary (35 mph speed limit) two lane road. Car slid to halt in middle of road. Car needed to be towed. Dodge/Chrysler apparently knew of this problem and never notified owner. Please see attached notice. Front and rear crossmember corrosion (x69 warranty extension) - 2008-2012 Dodge Caliber & Jeep compass/patriot oemdtc July 17, 2017 15 comments NHTSA id number: 10140027 manufacturer communication number: 23-007-17 rev. B summary front and rear crossmember corrosion (x69 warranty extension) the driver of this car could have been killed or seriously hurt. It is unfathomable that Dodge Chrysler was allowed to get away with not notifying potential crash victims.

Recently purchased a 2008 Dodge Caliber(ohio). On initial drive returning with vehicle I noticed a vibration coming through steering wheel. Upon inspection, was informed the tie rod ends and control arms both could use replacement, but could have been caused by the more important bad front and rear crossmembers as well as front and rear crash bars, both have severe rust development with metal deterioration which could impose a safety concern down the road. Was advise to look into replacement. Reached out to one of the local dealerships and was informed it was a bulletin, had an extended warranty, but am outside of 10 year period. Rust from crossmember is now in process of transferring to actual frame and coming through as holes in rockers now as well. Dealership offering no help after stating the enhanced safety concern. Hard to believe an 08 can deteriorate so fast. You would think with the complaints and t. S. B. As well as safety concerns, seeing still original parts that have been warrantied to replace but have not on this VIN, gets no help at all.

Fiat Chrysler America released 2 bulletins and an extended warranty for an inferior material causing severe rust and perforation of the front and rear crossmember on 2008-2012 Dodge Caliber and 2008-2012 Jeep compass patriot. The crossmember is an important structural component of any vehicle. It supports the underside of the car and carries the weight of the engine and transmission. Fca customer service is currently refusing to replace these parts even though the bulletin acknowledges that the part is faulty. The severe rust on this part will cause my vehicle to no longer pass state inspection. I have owned my 2008 Dodge Caliber since February 2017. The first bulletin released by fca regarding knowledge of this faulty part was March 2017, one month after I purchased the car. A second bulletin regarding the same issue was released July 2017. The extended warranty expired on August 2018. After the second bulletin was issued, there was a period of 13 months before the warranty expired and while I owned the car. I was not contacted or made aware by fca in any way that the vehicle I was driving had a known issue and that I could have it addressed within extended warranty. It was not until October 2019 that I was having work done on my car and the mechanic brought it to my attention because the rust is so bad it will not pass the next state inspection. Photographs are included. I encourage the NHTSA to recall this part as a safety issue. The rust weakens the metal and if this part were to break at highway speeds the results could be deadly. Fca is aware of the faulty part and it is clearly dangerous for fca to deny addressing this known issue. Even though the warranty period has passed, fca has produced vehicles that are unsafe and the issue should be corrected.

Tl the contact owns a 2008 Dodge Caliber. While driving 25 mph, the contact heard an abnormal noise coming from the rear and front wheels. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to ridenour auto group (500 w broadway st, new lexington, OH 43764, (740) 342-5146) where it was diagnosed that the rear and front subframe was corroded and needed to be replaced. The oil was changed, but the subframe was not repaired. The failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

I was driving down the road every time I shifted gears the front end would just go like wobble wobble so I slow down from 45 to about 10 miles an hour if that I made it home with zagg got underneath there and the sub frame is literally busted the way it sits it looks like it does not have a motor in it anymore if I want to know what to do I would've wrecked if I do not get an answer soon I am going to channel 13 news I have pictures of what it looks like and I'm going to the better business bureau it's a 2008 there is no way that frame should've busted like it did no way I was on city roads.

Let me start by saying that I love driving my 2008 Dodge Caliber and wish that it was worth repairing all of the issues that I am researching are common problems among fellow owners of this year, make and model of vehicle. As a person who pays close attention to my vehicle, repair costs have been adding up over the past couple of years. Starting with a complete repair related to the suspension including the control arms/ bushings, sway bar, ball joints, and tie rods, which has caused my 4 new tires to experience a shortened lifespan due to uneven wearing. Recently, I had my car in the shop to address a loud noise I was hearing while the vehicle was in motion. The mechanic diagnosed a long list of issues, including rusting/corrosion to the engine cradle and further problems with the suspension that in their professional opinion determined the vehicle unsafe to operate. At this point, the mechanic informed me that there had been recalls and an extended warranty implemented to address the rusting/corrosion of the sub frame, as I was unaware and did not receive any notices for any of the listed recalls. Today, I find myself researching the list of problems that the mechanic indicated with the suspension and rotting engine cradle and will unfortunately not be worth putting thousands of dollars into to make it safe, an issue that should be honoured by the manufacturer. I would like to take the proper steps to address this extreme safety concern that has been an obvious issue for many owners like myself. I wonder how many others did not receive the recall notice for the rotting engine cradle and have spent thousands in repairs on that and/or suspension malfunctions? these problems are not minor and need to be addressed, as I am sure there are many owners who have not been made aware of the recall and safety concerns this poses to operators or others in the vehicle presence.

I went to my local Dodge dealer for oil change and was informed that front sub frame is rotting out. Was told extended warranty that was good for 10 years expired 2-18. I have read online numerous Caliber owners with this problem, some so bad they can't be fixed. What good is an extended warranty that is only good for the first ten years and I bought this car in 2012 from a Dodge dealer and was never informed of extended warranty for this issue or that there was even an issue with this. This is a major safety concern as what chances would a person have of surviving at a speed of 70 mph and the frame breaks? or what innocent people could be killed because of it. With this many persons having this issue and such a serious safety problem there should be a recall. My car only has 126,500 miles on it. If Dodge does not want to do a recall then I feel they don't give a damn about their customers and will not buy another Dodge or Chrysler again. Please consider persuing a recall for this vehicle issue as it is serious!!.

Tl- the contact owns a 2008 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated that the vehicle made unusual noise while driving at any speed. . It was noticed that the frame, including the engine cradle was completely rusted. The dealer was not called. The manufacturer was made aware f the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA. . The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 151,000. Fe.

I purchased the 2008 Dodge Caliber 2 weeks ago Nov 15th 2008 and inspected before purchase. Drove car 1 week and crossmember support beam broke due to poor part from mopar, Dodge. They had a 120month unlimited warrenty on part, knowing it was a bad part. I have tried all areas of getting bad part replaced to no avail. They say warrenty "expired" on defective part installed on car. I need car repaired as it is a danger!! any help is greatly appreciated! I was turning into my driveway at normal speeds when crossmember support beam broke at drivers wheel area.

Tl-the contact owns aa 2008 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 mph, the steering wheel started to shake. No warning indicators illuminated. The contact also stated that the failure started approximately six months ago and it progressively gotten worse. The vehicle was taken to the dealer spitzer Dodge/Jeep/ram 13001 brookpark road, brook park, OH 44142, they determined that the sub-frame was severely corroded and needed replacement. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 115,860. Bp.

My 2008 Dodge Caliber is rusting all over due to Chrysler not prepping/coating the vehicle properly. So far I have had the crossmember that holds the engine on replaced due to rust, the oil pan and the power steering line rusted. I have rust all over the body of the vehicle from inside wheel well, bottom of doors, transmission pan, above the windshield, multiple places on the hood, bottom of the hatch, rocker panels, hinges etc. . . . Way too many places for a vehicle that age. I have seen other 2008's with no rust at all. I have multiple pictures but it will only allow 5.

Air condenser drips outlet directly onto engine cradle which causes the cradle to rust know problem to fca and it should be known to NHTSA as separation of engine cradle causes an unsafe vehicle.

Taking the car in for alignment, the tech notice the sub frame had a large hole from rust. . Taking the car to the Dodge dealer. The service manger stated they could not do anything, I was told "s*** out of luck". He said I was over the mileage, and past the ten years. The car was in for its life time powertrain inspection a month and a half before the ten years and replacing the alternator. They (Dodge replace my sons subframe with with 140,000 miles. Have the copy from the same dealer, a copy from a man in michagan whose frame broke get on I-90 and the towing service said they get one to two pickup per week on frames braking. Also I have not recvied any letter Dodge about the problem.

Rusted sub-frame & oil pan.

Tl- the contact owns a 2008 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated that while looking underneath his vehicle he noticed that the cross member was rusty and has holes in it, however no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for a diagnostic test or repair. The manufacturer was not aware of the vehicle. The failure mileage was 107,000.

Tl the contact owns a 2008 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated that the frame of the vehicle was rusted out. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the vehicle was not repairable. The vehicle was not repaired. A local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact that the failure was due to normal wear and tear. The failure mileage and VIN were unknown.

Door hinge issue. Initially the door seemed just stuck difficult to close sprayed wd-40 when needed. The other day the entire door shifted and would not close properly. The spring and hinge dislocated shifting door where it catches bends the front fender. When looking online I see that this is common.

Engine cradle is rotted clear out an actually broke! this is very unsafe. Im sure the back end is the same way! Dodge will not pay to have it fixed. They have an extended warranty on the 2007 Calibers. Mine was made in Feb. Of 2008, it has the exact same parts!! been trying to get Dodge to own up an fix this problem. Needless to say I won't ever buy another Dodge product. Also I was driving on the highway when the frame broke.

The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Caliber. While driving various speeds, the vehicle shook violently without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the undercarriage was rusted. The vehicle was unable to be driven. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 97,000.

Engine cradle mounting and front suspension plates have failed or broken twice on this car online complaints seem very similar dealer seems to ignore this problem but will fix it for 2000. 00 car pulls or veers unexpectedly while moving I cannot I feel safely drive anymore.

The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Caliber. While the vehicle was undergoing routine maintenance, the technician informed the owner that the engine cradle was severely rusted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact filed a claim. The failure mileage was 51,000.

I had a dangerous situation. I first noticed a vibration in the wheel at 55 mph. I then started hearing clunking sounds while steering or going over bumps. I took it in thinking that it's a ball joint, because I had the lower control arms replaced at around 75,000 mile, while they were still under warranty. . The motor cradle was completely rusted out. I had to have that replaced plus 2 lower control arms. It cost me 1458. There's already been a recall of the 2007 model. Mine was manufactured in August of 2007, and the cutoff date was July 2007. I have photos and invoices attached.

Car started making popping and creaking sounds when making a right hand turn. We have replaced everything there is as far as tie rods even to the point of motor mounts. Last night I get a call and the car had done something I had never heard of. The harmonic balance pulley had flown off and the car had to be towed home. I also have the same problem as it seems cazillion other people have posted online. This car leaks. It has leaked since day one and the dealership in conroe, TX said if you get a car with a sunroof, its gonna leak. They are full of crap. This car's headliner looks as if it has been trodden on with muddy boots. It leaked so bad that carpeting would get wet then it was leaking down into the dash which caused the lights to do weird things. I can't even get rid of it because I would feel guilty for endangering someone else's life.

Went to inspect and front cradle rotted at 76000 miles.

The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Caliber. While the vehicle was at the dealer for routine maintenance, it was diagnosed that the cross member was rusted. The manufacturer was notified, but the vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 81,000.

Front end cradle completely rotted. Took it in for inspection and was told it was completely rotted. . Had noticed a noise in front. Ridiculous that a car of this year would be rortted out this soon. Have only 78,923 miles on it. Completely un safe to drive!.

The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Caliber. While the vehicle was undergoing a state inspection, it failed because the cross member was rusted. The manufacturer was notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 56,000.

The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Caliber. While the vehicle was undergoing a routine oil change, the independent mechanic observed that the subframe was severely corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

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 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 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!.

The engine cradle rusted out, will not pass nys safety inspection. I believe the 2008 Caliber should have the same bulletin as the 2007's, #10055914.

While driving car I heard a loud noise coming from beneath the car. I looked under car and saw that the drivers side connection of the sway bar had come loose from the front cross member. This was caused by the cross member being in a severe state of rust and corrosion. I brought the car to a local Dodge dealership and the service dept. Verified the rusted cross member and recommended immediate replacement.