Starter Problems of Dodge Caliber

Dodge put the relay box right behind the driver side wheel well and this causes the snow, water, ice and elements to get into the relay box and corrode the relays and the actual relay box, this is a problem with a lot of the Calibers going back to 2007 that I know of. This will cause your car not to start out of the blue, and the wires get corroded going from the fuse box to the relay box as well. Not sure why they would put this type of electrical equipment in front of the wheel well where the elements can get inside and do damage to electrical equipment that can be very pricy. This happened to my car with no warning, no acting up or issues, just died and would not start, my battery is brand new, it's not the starter it's the corroded relays and relay box.

See all problems of the 2010 Dodge Caliber 🔎.

Car stopped while driving several times and then would t start at all. Replaced fuse and it ran for a little bit and then wouldn't accelerate over 40. After getting back home engine wouldn't start at all or it would take almost 30 minutes to try and it would sometimes fire up. Now it will not start at all. Starter is new and the only other thing we can think is maybe electrical. That and the lack of acceleration are major problems and it needs to be addressed!.

See all problems of the 2007 Dodge Caliber 🔎.

On Nov. 22, 2016 I was driving to work at 6:00 am. My Caliber started making a hissing noise, after about 2 minutes of this the engine shut off and I lost all electric power. The car was towed to the shop and the starter was replaced. 2 weeks later the same thing happened. This time nothing was replaced, due to the car starting at the garage. Again on Dec. 20 the same thing with the exception of I was on my way home. The started was again replaced. This reoccurred on Jan 9, 2017. The started was replaced again. It happened again on Jan. 20, again the starter has been replaced. According to the mechanic, they cannot find anything else wrong. This is a serious safety issue. Luckily I haven't been driving at a high rate of speed, but if this would occur at 65 or 70 mph it could cause serious problems. After doing some research on-line, I have found several other complaints about this problem.

We purchased vechicle 2012. Have had numberous fuses blown; front blinkers and lights rear blinkers and brake lights also the plug in where ciggerate lighter. Another issue is with car randomly not starting. Turning over for 5-10 secs. I have had to replace altanator twice, newer battery and starter. At one point it did work. The cd player and controls panel goes black when inserting cd it flickers and goes black. . Temperature gage above steering wheel lights constantly flickers. . Last issue is with door locks not unlocking its a menace. . Needless to say its been nothing but a headache. . Recently recieved recall notice in mail.

Have had several batteries, starters and alternators replaced over the past 3 years. Car has 140,000 miles on it. Recently the engine light went on. Now when it rains, the dashboard warning lights go off like a christmas tree with the the warning bell sounding. Car won't go over 20mph. If I turn it off and then on again (sometimes after a few tries) it starts up fine. Like the car but can't afford whatever is wrong to fix it.

The total integrated power control module (tipm) is the latest diagnosis made (7/31/15) for my 2007 Dodge Caliber. History: beginning in 2010 I began to notice an intermittent terrible whining noises and loss of power, which I attributed to (incorrectly) to the Dodge cvt automatic transmission. The “events would occur then o go away only to return again. Then beginning in 2011 the “events” were followed shortly thereafter by electrical component failures all of which caused me to make emergency shoulder pull offs due to significant power loss and the acrid odor and smoke of smoldering plumes of smoke. The acrid smell and smoke would stop when I shut down the vehicle; however the vehicle would not restart and had to be towed to a mechanic in each of the following documented incidents: 1/3/11 (mileage 67,877) tow and replace starter - $429. 00 1/7/12 (mileage 73,943) tow and replace warranted starter - $179. 00 2/14/13 (mileage 85,490) tow and replace warranted starter- $189. 00 3/7/14 (mileage 97,383) tow and replacement starter - $324. 03 2/15/15 (mileage unknown) replace alternator – $406. 00 5/20/15 (mileage 102,660) replacement starter $491. 27 7/17/15 (mileage 103, 320) replacement starter $ (no charge) 7/17/15 (mileage 103, 325) unable to diagnose electrical problem 7/31/15 (mileage 103, 325) replacement (tipm) $ 1242. 00 (estimate) come on Dodge/daimler Chrysler/fiat make this right or forever forego future product purchase.

Speedometer went from 70 to 0 than car died losing all power and would not restart. This problem was diagnosed as the starter this is the fifth starter in 1 year.

Purchased this car four months ago with 79,300 miles on it. Within a couple of days it started acting up, not wanting to start. I went to the advance and they checked the battery, starter, and alternator. Machine said replace battery so I did for $150 with 5 year warranty. Left and within an hour still did not want to start. Seemed like it was prone to doing this while sitting up or down hill and not flat on pavement. It was as if it wanted to start and was making starting noises and it had to catch and then start up. I called the dealership from which I purchased the car and they looked at it no charge and it just would not do it again. Guess what it still does it now and of course the freebies are over because it was no warranty. I did purchase an extended warranty just in case. About a month ago it started jerking I was describing it as over shifting. As I proceeded to come off an exit ramp to merge into traffic which was going 60 mph my car started jerking really bad and my etc light started flashing, very scary I could have gotten hit by oncoming traffic. I slowed to 55 mph and the light went off. Went to the Dodge dealership and they said throttle body was so dirty it needed cleaning. I got it cleaned this past Friday and guess what was happening by Saturday. Went back to the dealership today and told the service advisor to drive it with me in there and it showed out. He speed up on the freeway and the light came back on flashing and we were going so slow he turned on the hazards. Pulled over turned it off and back on and light was off we went back to the dealership and I have to drop it off tomorrow to see if anything can be figured out. I'm sure you guys know the drill. By the way my extended warranty does not cover throttle body assembly go figure. So yeah rough four months and only 83,000 miles on the car now. We need a recall on this model and a few more.

Driving on interstate 55 back to peoria,IL . Car interior and dash lights flashing and surging. Smelt something burning. Car died, lucky got to shoulder of freeway. Had it towed from pontiac, IL. To firestone in peoria,IL. Diagnosis, hole in a/c compressor (possible pistons blew through casing), shorted starter, fried battery.

Vehicle wouldn't start. Wouldn't turn over. Lights and radio worked. Battery, starter, alt, fuses all okay. Replaced tipm. Worked for 2 weeks and the problem started all over again. Have had this problem over and over since 2014. We were given a 'key' to try to start the car from outside under the hood when this happened. It worked sometimes, but not always. It's been towed again today for the same reason(9/9/15). We've owned many Dodge vehicles over the years and never had problems like we have with the 2009 Caliber. We had given this car to our daughter to drive for college and it has left her stranded many, many times. I'm concerned for her safety.

See all problems of the 2009 Dodge Caliber 🔎.

I purchased this car used from a dealership due to the fact that I have an hour drive to and from work and it appeared to have great gas mileage. Within my first two weeks of ownership the starter was stuck engaged as I drove and caught fire. This I replaced knowing with age, starters and alternators die. A month after servicing the starter, I was driving on the interstate at a speed of 67mph in heavy traffic when a lightening bolt (electronic throttle control sensor light) flashed and the car jerked as if it were to stall. I contacted my local Dodge dealer who informed me that it probably was the throttle body and that I might as well drive the car for a bit because the light was not staying lit. Every since then the light has flashed on atleast once a month with the car violently jerking as to stall. I started the car last week and the idle was miserable so figured the throttle body had gone. Took the car to the local dealership to read codes on the pc. Code was for the throttle body. The throttle body was replaced by a certified dealership mechanic. Within 30 miles and 30mins after leaving the garage the car was jerking to stall as before but the light was not on. Seem to be a serious problem considering stall on interstate at those speeds and hit by a semi would cause instant death. The value of my car is no longer high but you can guarantee the loan and payments are. I am a preschool teacher and make a very small income. Took car instantly back to dealership but I know they will find nothing, charge to much, and send me on my way with a death sentence. Seems as though Dodge/Chrysler has decided that as long as no deaths it is ok to carry on with this refusal to admit that they made a bad product. How about robbing! all I want is my car fixed but of course they will not admit anything. Suppose I will have to call the news, fax the ceo's, and die .

Had car in park. Started vehicle and starter kept trying to turn over. Stopped car and took key out, starter kept going. Started car again and drove 30 feet while starter is turning over and smoke was coming into vehicle. Vehicle then stopped and engine died. The vehicle ended up stopped in the middle of a four lane main road. Lights were on and battery was still working. Could not start car. Police were called due to vehicle being inoperative. Towed to dealer, where they ran tests on new starter after it was replaced. Was told all tests passed and the original was a bad starter. On March 18, 2010 engine was starting to make similar sounds and vehicle tried starting without a key in ignition. The only way to stop this, was to pull wire off the battery.

See all problems of the 2008 Dodge Caliber 🔎.

March 13, 2009, I purchased a used Dodge Caliber 2007. Few weeks later, I starter hearing noise which kept increasing in intensity as the days went by. I thought it was probably a loose or bad serpentine belt tensioner or idler. On may 17, while driving the car back home, the abs, air bag, battery, and check engine lights turn on. At home in the driveway, with engine running, when I opened the hood, I noticed sparks around the alternator area. I thought it was the serpentine belt touching a loose metal that was creating the sparks. Today, may 16, I removed the alternator and noticed the alternator windings arced and melted the copper wire windings and the aluminum housing. I have the alternator and pictures readily available for your evaluation. I did a google search and discovered that other Dodge cavalier owners have experience the same premature catastrophic failure of the alternator. This catastrophic failure is very unsafe and could have resulted in fire, explosion, accident, and fatalities. There are no known recalls related to this dangerous alternator failure.