NHTSA Complaint #10263231 — 2008 DODGE CALIBER

I BOUGHT A USED 2008 DODGE CALIBER WITH 14,100 MILES ON IT. THE TIRES WEREN'T RIGHT FROM THE NIGHT I BROUGHT IT HOME. I CALLED AND COMPLAINED, THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THEY PUT NEW BRAKES ON IT AND TO GIVE IT A FEW DAYS TO SEE IF IT WOULD GET BETTER. IT DID NOT, I STILL HAD A PULSING OR THUMPING NOISE IN THE FRONT END. I TOOK IT BACK, THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. I ASKED ABOUT THE TIRES AND I WAS TOLD "THE TIRES PASSED INSPECTION". I TOOK MY CAR TO A FRIEND WHO ROTATED AND BALANCED THE TIRES, AND WAS TOLD I HAD A BAD TIRE, IT WASN'T ROUND OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THE BAD TIRE THEN WENT ON THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE. I THEN CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM WHAT I DID, THEY WERE ANGRY AND SAID NOTHING WAS MECHANICALLY WRONG WITH THE CAR AND AGAIN THE TIRES HAD PASSED INSPECTION. AFTER MUCH ARGUING THEY AGREED TO EITHER PUT ON 4 NEW TIRES AT HALF THE COST TO ME OR PUT ON ANOTHER USED TIRE. I CHOSE TO HAVE ANOTHER USED TIRE PUT ON. THE CAR NOW PULSES OR THUMPS ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I DIDN'T GET 5 MILES UP THE ROAD AND IT STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT CALIBERS ARE KNOWN FOR "CHOPPING TIRES" AND IF I GOT NEW TIRES TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE ROTATED WITHOUT FAIL EVERY 6K MILES. I DIDN'T EVEN CALL THE DEALERSHIP BACK ABOUT THE NOISE. I SENT IN A FORM COMPLAINING THAT THE NOISE WAS NOT RESOLVED. THEY WERE HORRIBLE TO EVEN TALK TO, THEY SAID TIRES WERE NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THE 1/2 OFF THE TIRES WAS A ONE TIME OFFER. I LIKE MY CAR BUT I CAN'T STAND THE THUMPING NOISE THE TIRES MAKE. IF THE CAR IS KNOWN TO DO THIS WHY ISN'T SOMETHING BEING DONE TO CORRECT IT?? BECAUSE I BOUGHT THIS CAR AT A ROCK BOTTOM PRICE I CAN'T EXPECT TO HAVE NEW TIRES ON THE CAR AND I HAVE TO BASICALLY LIVE WITH IT I WAS TOLD SO THAT IS WHY I AM COMPLAINING. I PAID A LITTLE OVER $10000. FOR THIS CAR AND IT IS NEW TO ME, I STILL HAVE THE BALANCE OF THE FACTORY WARRANTY LEFT ON THE CAR. IT'S A NICE CAR TO ME AND IT IS A LOT OF MONEY TO ME. I JUST WANTED SOMEONE TO KNOW. *TR