NHTSA Complaint #10168712 — 2007 DODGE CALIBER

I PURCHASED A 2007 DODGE CALIBER SE FROM JIM COGDILL DODGE IN KNOXVILLE TENNESSEE ON AUGUST 23RD, 2006. THIS VEHICLE HAS A VIBRATION AT 60-75 MPH. I HAVE HAD THE CAR IN THE SHOP ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND THE SERVICE MANAGER HAS TOLD ME HE BELIEVES THAT IT IS THE TIRES; HOWEVER THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE NEW TIRES FOR THIS VEHICLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I FIRST REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER ON AUGUST 29TH, AND IT WAS TOLD TO ME THAT THE TIRES WERE OUT OF BALANCE. AFTER THEIR ATTEMPT TO BALANCE THEM I THEN DROVE THE VEHICLE AND IT STILL HAD A VIBRATION. THEY THEN TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD ORDER ME A NEW TIRE (BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED THAT ONE OF THEM WAS BAD). WHEN THE TIRE ARRIVED I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK AND THEY REPLACED THE TIRE. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM SO THEY STARTED TAKING TIRES AND RIMS OFF OF OTHER 2007 DODGE CALIBER SE THAT THEY HAD ON THE LOT. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM EITHER. ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1ST I LEFT THE CAR WITH GARY SERGEANT (THE SERVICE MANAGER AT JIM COGDILL DODGE) AND HE LATER CALLED AND TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIX THE CAR BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT AN ISSUE WITH IT. HE STATED, "THIS IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE AND THE ONLY THING THAT I COULD DO WAS TO UPGRADE TO ANOTHER MODEL." HE STATED HE DROVE THREE OTHER DODGE CALIBER SE'S AND THEY ALL DID THE SAME THING. WHEN I WENT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY HAD ME DRIVE ANOTHER SE MODEL AND HE WAS CORRECT WHEN HE SAID THEY DO THE SAME THING. I THEN DROVE A SXT MODEL AND IT DID NOT. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM WAS THE TIRES AND RIMS (AS FAR AS DRIVABLITY IS CONCERNED). I ASK HIM ABOUT UPGRADING TIRES AND RIMS AND THEY TOLD ME I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO, I ASK ABOUT UPGRADING TO SXT MODEL AND THEY SAID I WOULD HAVE TO EAT THE LOSS BECAUSE MY CAR IS NOW CONSIDERED USED. THE FACT THAT THE SE MODEL OF CALIBER ARE ALL HAVE THIS SO CALLED CHARACTERISTIC DOES NOT MAKE IT A LEGITIMATE REASON FOR THEM NOT TO FIX THE CAR. *NM