NHTSA Complaint #10454384 — 2007 DODGE CALIBER

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, THE REAR WIPER AND THE RADIO STOPPED FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. THE WIPER DID NOT WORK AT ALL, AND THE RADIO WAS LOSING THE SOUND WHEN THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING BUT WAS NORMAL WHEN ON ACC. DEALER RE FLASHED THE TIPM AND SAID IF IT EVER HAPPENED AGAIN, I SHOULD DISCONNECT THE BATTERY AND HOLD THE LEADS TOGETHER FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AND IT SHOULD FUNCTION NORMALLY AGAIN. A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE REAR WIPER STOPPED AND THE RADIO BEGAN TO FADE OUT ONCE AGAIN. I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AS INSTRUCTED BUT TO NO AVAIL. BOTH DEALERS I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO HAVE GONE OUT OF BUSINESS. THE NEAREST DEALER IS OVER 200 MILES AWAY. I HAVE LIVED WITH THIS PROBLEM NOW FOR TWO YEARS. NOW, MYSTERIOUSLY, THE REAR WIPER HAS BEGUN TO FUNCTION ONCE AGAIN ALL BY ITS SELF. THE RADIO?.....NOT AT ALL. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE TIPM IS PROBABLY AT FAULT. I SUGGESTED THAT TO THE MECHANIC WHILE MY VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT I WAS ASSURED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TIPM SO DODGE WOULD NOT REPLACE THE UNIT. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME A DODGE COMPONENT OF MINE HAD FAILED WHILE UNDER WARRANTY AND DODGE WOULD NOT REPLACE THE UNIT. DODGE WOULD WAIT UNTIL AFTER MY VEHICLE(S) WERE OUT OF WARRANTY AND AT THAT POINT I WAS TOLD THE UNIT(S) NEEDED REPLACEMENT. IS THIS SOME KIND OF SCAM THAT AUTOMOBILE DEALERS RUN? I FEEL THAT DODGE SHOULD REPLACE MY TIPM AT NO COST TO ME SINCE I SPECIFICALLY NOTED THIS ISSUE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. *TR