NHTSA Complaint #10394495 — 2007 DODGE CALIBER

ENGINE HAS CONSTANT 'RATTLE'; SOUNDS JUST LIKE A DIESEL ENGINE NOW. STARTED AS A TICKING SOUND WHILE CAR IDLED, TICKING GREW INTO A GROWL AFTER STARTING THE CAR, NOW ROARS UPON ACCELERATION AND GRINDS/KNOCKS LOUDLY WHEN STOPPED WHILE IN GEAR--QUITE EMBARRASSING AT RED LIGHTS. FORUM HAS INDICATED SAME PROBLEM AS AN ALTERNATOR PULLEY. VISUAL INSPECTION DETECTS SOURCE OF NOISE ON LEFT SIDE OF ENGINE (LOOKING IN UNDER THE HOOD) WHERE THE 7 BELTS ARE SPINNING--HARD TO TELL WHICH ONE IS THE CULPRIT BUT THE ALTERNATOR POST MAKES SENSE. PLEASE VISIT THAT PARTICULAR COMMENT AT HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/[email protected]@.F0F6BB2/187#MSG187; AND THAT WAS PAGE 20! MANY OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM, AND NOW I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY IN FEAR OF A BREAKDOWN OR POWER LOSS (I'VE LIVED THROUGH ONE OF THOSE BEFORE BY THE GRACE OF GOD). THAT SITE RECOMMENDED THAT I POST THE COMPLAINT TO YOU, TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT FOR NOT ONLY MYSELF (I.E., JUST TAKE IT TO THE SHOP AND SPEND MONEY I DON'T HAVE FOR WORKAROUND FIXES THAT WON'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM), BUT FOR OTHERS WHO LOVED THE CAR THEY PURCHASED BUT ARE NOW REGRETTING THEIR DECISION (*THEREFORE PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL TO ENCOURAGE DAIMLER CHRYSLER TO REVIEW THEIR ENGINEERING RECRUITMENT AND PERFORMANCE). THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND PURPOSE IN THIS ECONOMY. :) *TR